When the world stops, can your business keep going? That’s the question at the heart of business continuity – and for most organizations, the answer is a scary “maybe” or an even scarier “no.”
Let me break down why keeping critical functions running isn’t just nice-to-have corporate jargon – it’s essential survival strategy for businesses and governments alike.
Keeping the Lights On: Why Business Continuity Matters
Think about it: What happens if your company can’t process payments for a week? Or if a government agency can’t provide emergency services during a disaster? The consequences range from “very bad” to “catastrophically terrible.”
Business continuity isn’t about perfect operation during a crisis – it’s about maintaining the minimum viable functions that keep your organization alive. It’s the corporate version of knowing which organs you absolutely can’t live without.
When we talk about continuous operation, we’re really talking about resilience – the ability to bend without breaking when disaster strikes. And trust me, disasters will strike. Whether it’s a cyberattack that cripples your systems, natural disaster that destroys your facilities, or a pandemic that sends everyone home, your organization needs a plan.
What Makes a Function “Critical” Anyway?
Not all business functions are created equal. Critical functions are the ones without which your organization would quickly cease to exist. They’re your organizational life support system.
For businesses, critical functions typically include:
- Core operations (manufacturing, service delivery)
- Payment processing and financial operations
- IT systems that power everything else
- Customer support operations
- Regulatory compliance activities
For governments, critical functions might be:
- Emergency response services
- Public safety operations
- Utility management (water, power)
- Healthcare delivery systems
- Communication infrastructure
The Business Impact Analysis (BIA) is your tool for identifying these critical functions. It helps you understand what happens if X process goes down for Y amount of time. The results are often eye-opening – and sometimes terrifying.
Why Should You Care About Continuous Operation?
“So what if we have a little downtime?” I hear some executives ask. Well, let me count the ways this matters:
Money talks – Extended downtime means lost revenue. For some businesses, even an hour offline can cost millions.
Reputation is fragile – Customers and citizens expect services to be available 24/7. When they’re not, trust erodes quickly.
Regulations demand it – Many industries have legal requirements for business continuity planning.
Competitive advantage – When disaster strikes and your competitors are offline but you’re still serving customers? That’s how you win market share.
Human impact – For government services especially, continuity isn’t just about convenience – it can be life or death.
The average cost of downtime? About $5,600 per minute according to Gartner. That’s $336,000 per hour. Still think business continuity isn’t worth investing in?
The Business Continuity Management Framework
Business Continuity Management (BCM) isn’t just a fancy binder that sits on a shelf gathering dust. It’s a living system that includes:
1. Identify and Prioritize
First, you need to know what matters most. This involves:
- Conducting a Business Impact Analysis
- Setting Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) – how quickly each function needs to be restored
- Determining Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs) – how much data loss is acceptable
2. Develop Strategies and Plans
Once you know what needs protection, you create strategies like:
- Redundant systems and backup facilities
- Alternative supply chain arrangements
- Cross-training employees for critical roles
- Distributed workforce capabilities
3. Implementation
This is where the rubber meets the road:
- Deploying backup systems and infrastructure
- Creating detailed recovery procedures
- Establishing crisis communication protocols
- Training staff on emergency procedures
4. Testing and Maintenance
A plan that’s never tested is just a theory:
- Regular exercises and simulations
- Updating plans when systems or processes change
- Continuous improvement based on test results
Essential Components of Your Continuity Strategy
Beyond the framework, several specific elements deserve special attention:
Crisis Communication
When disaster strikes, clear communication becomes your lifeline. Your plan should include:
- Who communicates what to whom
- Backup communication channels when primary methods fail
- Pre-drafted messages for common scenarios
Supply Chain Resilience
Your business is only as resilient as its weakest supplier:
- Identify single points of failure in your supply chain
- Develop relationships with backup suppliers
- Consider stockpiling critical components
IT Disaster Recovery
In our digital world, IT systems underpin almost everything:
- Backup systems and data recovery procedures
- Cybersecurity measures to prevent attacks
- Alternative processing capabilities
Remote Work Capabilities
The pandemic taught us this lesson the hard way:
- Secure remote access solutions
- Distributed work processes
- Equipment and connectivity contingencies
Government vs. Business: Different Stakes, Same Principles
While the basic framework applies to both sectors, there are important differences:
For Government Agencies:
- Public safety is often the primary concern
- Coordination across multiple agencies is essential
- Scale of operations can be massive
- Political considerations may complicate planning
- Constitutional and statutory obligations must be met
For Businesses:
- Financial impact drives decision-making
- Competitive considerations influence strategy
- Shareholder expectations must be managed
- Industry-specific regulations often apply
- Customer retention is a major concern
Despite these differences, both sectors need robust plans to maintain critical functions during disruptions.
Building Your Business Continuity Program
Ready to get serious about continuity? Start here:
Get executive buy-in – Without leadership support, your program will fail
Assess your current state – Where are your vulnerabilities?
Start small, focus on the most critical – Don’t try to protect everything at once
Document, test, improve – Create procedures, test them regularly, and refine
Build a culture of resilience – Business continuity isn’t a department, it’s a mindset
Remember: The best time to develop your business continuity program was before you needed it. The second best time is now.
Building organizational resilience isn’t sexy work. It won’t get you featured in business magazines or win innovation awards. But when disaster strikes and your organization keeps functioning while others crumble, you’ll understand its true value.
Because in the end, business continuity isn’t just about surviving a crisis – it’s about thriving despite it.
