UK businesses get contingency planning tips

Aviva.co.uk.

Speaking after the recent riots saw damage being caused to a number of properties in London and other cities across the UK, Huw Hilditch-Roberts, director in charge of the Institute of Consulting and CMI, said history suggested that businesses with effective plans in place cope better with such incidents.

“If a business fails to plan - it plans to fail. We all know this, and history has proved that if plans are in place, business damage is minimised and recovery is faster in the event of a crisis,” he added.

According to the CMI's 2011 business continuity management research, 84% of organisations who had contingency plan in place and needed to activate them in the last year, found that business disruption was reduced and they recovered faster, reveals the HR Magazine.

However, even though 82% of managers viewed contingency planning as important or very important, fewer than half of businesses (49%) are prepared for unexpected threats. Worryingly, UK businesses are leaving themselves open to risk and are highly vulnerable in their failure to plan.

Effective contingency planning requires careful preparation, investment and resources. It involves brainstorming worst case scenarios and planning for every possible eventuality.

Processes, responsibilities and communication plans need to be put in place as part the planning so when disaster strikes, the wheels can be set in motion immediately, with everyone within an organisation confident about the role they will play.