Weathering the Storm: A Business User's Guide to Operational Resilience

 

Introduction

In today's complex business environment, disruptions from risks like cyberattacks, natural disasters and supply chain issues are increasingly common. An operationally resilient organization can anticipate, adapt and thrive despite these challenges. 


What is Operational Resilience?

Operational resilience refers to an organization's ability to absorb and adapt to disruptions while maintaining continuous critical function delivery. It encompasses people, processes, technologies and crisis management plans required to minimize disruptions and recover effectively. Think of operational resilience as your business's ability to bounce back from unexpected challenges. It's about having the plans, processes, and resources in place to adapt to disruptions and minimize their impact.


Why is it important for business users?

Here's the deal: operational resilience isn't just for executives or IT departments. It's relevant to everyone in the business. Why? Because disruptions can affect every aspect of your work.

  • Sales & Marketing: Imagine a critical marketing campaign going dark due to a server outage. Understanding operational resilience can help you identify potential risks and develop backup plans to keep campaigns running, even during disruptions.
  • Customer Service: A cyberattack could disrupt customer service systems. Knowing your company's plan for handling such situations allows you to provide continued support to customers, minimizing frustration and maintaining trust.
  • Operations & Production: A supply chain disruption might delay the delivery of essential materials. Understanding operational resilience can help you identify alternative suppliers or production methods to keep operations running smoothly


Benefits of Operational Resilience

  1. Improved productivity and profitability by minimizing downtime from disruptions
  2. Enhanced brand reputation by meeting customer and stakeholder expectations  
  3. Faster recovery and lower costs from incidents by having resilience processes in place
  4. Compliance with regulations like GDPR that require organizations to manage risks
  5. Advantage over less prepared competitors during industry-wide disruptions


So, how can you contribute to operational resilience?

Here are some ways you can play a role:

  • Be aware of potential risks: Talk to your colleagues and managers about potential disruptions that could impact your work.
  • Follow existing protocols: Many companies already have plans in place for emergencies. Make sure you understand your role and responsibilities in these plans.
  • Report issues promptly: If you encounter a problem that could potentially disrupt business, raise it with your supervisor immediately. Identifying issues early allows for faster response and mitigation.
  • Be adaptable and resourceful: During disruptions, be prepared to think outside the box and find alternative solutions to keep things moving.
  • Stay informed: Keep yourself updated on the latest company communications regarding any ongoing disruptions.


By working together and embracing operational resilience, your team can navigate challenges with confidence, ensuring your business continues to thrive, no matter the storm.

Remember: operational resilience is a continuous process.

Encourage your team to ask questions, make suggestions and ensure they are proactive in understanding their role in keeping your business resilient.


Building Operational Resilience – a step-by-step approach for your business

  1. Identify Critical Functions: Map your end-to-end functions and prioritize the most essential.   
  2. Assess Risks: Conduct a business impact analysis to understand your risks and pain points.
  3. Build Redundancy: Develop alternative people, processes and technologies to handle disruptions. 
  4. Create Response Plans: Devise continuity, contingency and crisis management plans for key risks.
  5. Train Employees: Educate staff on their roles and protocols for activating resilience measures.
  6. Test and Improve: Regularly test plans through exercises and address any gaps identified.  
  7. Ensure Collaboration: Maintain cross-functional coordination to identify interdependencies.
  8. Empower Employees: Give frontline staff autonomy to make quick decisions during incidents.
  9. Consider Future Trends: Incorporate emerging risks from trends like climate change into planning.
  10. Communicate Progress: Keep stakeholders updated on resilience improvements and next steps.


Conclusion

With disruption an inevitability, operational resilience is critical for long-term success. A proactive, collaborative approach will build a foundation to withstand challenges and come back stronger.

 

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