Business Continuity Checklist

Overview

Business interruptions happen without warning, so the worst-case scenario is to be completely unprepared. A well-defined business continuity plan can provide a lifeline and allow your organization to face the unexpected.

When news about hurricanes, wildfires, and earthquakes makes headlines, we tend to think of people and communities affected by these natural disasters. But how often does one think about the impact on businesses? 

The goal of a robust Business Continuity Plan is to keep the fundamental processes of a company operational during a disaster and to reduce downtime. A business continuity plan may consider various scenarios, such as natural disasters, wildfires, cyberattacks, or any isolated incident. However, it’s important to have a general outline of an action plan. It should include everyone involved in the crisis communication process and their responsibilities during a crisis.

Business Continuity is critical for companies of any size. The cost of downtime for a small business can result in permanent business closure. A larger business will not only be faced with hefty bills, but will also need to deal with reputational damage.

Based on research, 52% of businesses experienced a disruptive event(s) in the last five years. Your company may have been among them. Use this business continuity checklist to assist you in creating and assessing each area of your business continuity plan—business operations, cost analysis, staff, recovery locations, along with network, voice and data recovery.

Download our business continuity checklist for a full list of steps and actions.