

Are Businesses Ignoring
Their Core Asset?
As businesses grasp
with the new realities within which they operate, some are realizing that they
are less than prepared to maintain sustainable operations during a pandemic. This
should come as no surprise given that COV-19 has created unprecedented
circumstances which have challenged companies’ emergency preparedness efforts.
Assume that all
businesses have their continuity and emergency preparedness plans. These
companies, more or less, have strategies and mechanisms in place to eliminate
and mitigate exposure to risks and have conducted simulation exercises. Why
then are they so ill-equipped and poorly skilled to mitigate the risks posed by
a pandemic?
Well, amongst other
reasons, one is that continuity plans have principally focused on traditional threats.
When we think of traditional threats, these include localized threats like
bombs, fires, strikes and natural disasters. https://hbr.org/2006/05/preparing-for-a-pandemic The frequency with which these threats occur has made
businesses more competent in mitigation and prevention strategies, as well as
recovery efforts. On the contrary, a pandemic is far and few between and
typically requires new and innovative responses. Additionally, it is not as
isolated as traditional threats. That is, unlike traditional threats where
plans mainly address anticipated infrastructure failure, a pandemic affects all
aspects of a business, simultaneously, with employees receiving the brunt of
the effects.
COV-19 has therefore
shown that the lack of planning and preparedness with regards to the human
element of a business is an innate weakness in continuity and preparedness
plans. Since we have now uncovered the Hercules heel of the preparedness plan, how
can we develop approaches to mitigate risks?
Included in the
business continuity and emergency preparedness plan should be:
·
The training and development
of staff
·
Easily accessible
platforms to communicate information
·
Best practices for health
and safety, wellness and hygiene for onsite, remote and traveling workers, and
·
Best practices on how
to address absenteeism, work refusals, return to work orders, and associated
policies, benefits, accommodations (sick leave, vacation leave)
People are the most valuable asset to a business. It is
therefore counterproductive to not have strategies in place that protect and
mitigate their exposure to risks. Remember, during a pandemic you are as strong
as your weakest link. So be sure to develop a culture where your staff can
rapidly and appropriately respond to changes and support collaborative yet disciplined problem solving.
Should you have questions or require assistance, please email
Tenesia Benjamin at tenesia@hrprimed.ca.
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Wouldn't it be a good idea to create a course?