Communications & Business Continuity

December 11, 2019 - Communication is a critical component of planning for business continuity. Whether it's a crisis response team communicating among themselves or communicating to the public, communication is an area that should be considered in your business continuity plan. All too often, however, not enough time and attention is devoted to this area. This week we are providing some information about this critical aspect of business continuity.

Technology has advanced to the point of being a near-constant force in society, and as such has given many ways to help keep society safe. In today's world, planning for violence could end up being the most important decision a business can make. (Item #1)

Effectively communicating information in a crisis is an important part of business continuity planning. Get the steps to follow in this emergency communication plan template. (Item #2)

Here's what you should know when it comes to communicating efficiently and ensuring business continuity during a natural disaster. (Item #3)

A crisis communications plan helps you determine how to provide accurate information to the right people via the appropriate channels. (Item #4) 

You may not be able to control the crisis---whether it's a life- or environment-threatening disaster (like an oil spill) or a reputational risk (like accusations of fiduciary mismanagement)—but you can control your response. (Item #5)


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Crisis Communication

May 29, 2019 - It's a crisis and your response has to help prevent the situation from going from crisis to chaos or worse. Your communication plan could help with this, but have you developed it enough to be useful in the current situation? Do you know what to do first and second? Or might there be another alternative to your current plan? (see Item #3) All of this week's articles talk about what to do and how to do it if a crisis occurs.

Communications must be at the heart of crisis operations from the very outset. (Item #1)   Take some time to be sure that your communication and disaster response plan is up to date and ready. (Item #2)   Anything you utter orally or digitally can and will be used against you. It's time to take a tough look at the PR crisis communications rulebook and write a new one. (Item #3)

This article addresses the crisis communication necessary for a business' employees and specific external stakeholders in relation to a business continuity plan. (Item #4)   Failure to address the many communications issues related to crisis or disaster response can result in greater damage to the organization. (Item #5)   In this article, seven communications executives from Forbes Communications Council offer tips for crafting more effective apologies from leadership, from swiftly addressing the issue to being sincere and empathic. (Item #6)


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Planning for Winter Weather

December 5, 2018 - With winter on the way (and, in some cases, already hitting hard), we should definitely be reviewing our plans to keep things running if the worst weather strikes. What if employees can't get to work? What if your building has no power or is flooded? Do you know what your winter weather risks are? This week's articles could help refine your plans for the weather ahead.

When snow, ice or other weather threatens to keep people off the roads this winter, telecommuting could help keep your business running. (Item #1)   Old ways of protecting data centers against winter weather are no longer adequate in today's always-on business world. (Item #2)   Here are the steps you can take now to prepare for extreme winter weather and mitigate the risks for your small business. (Item #3)

Here's how to get ahead of storms with planning and teamwork. (Item #4)   What's your liability if an employee is injured on the way to work in a snowstorm? (Item #5)   We can hope this winter won't bring 100 inches of snow, but here are some lessons from Boston when that happened in 2015. (Item #6)


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Mass Communication Systems

May 23, 2018 - Today we have a multitude of options for mass communications, but often we don't have a clue about how to decide on one that's best for our individual needs. These articles look at the types of capabilities you need in a system, how you can use these systems to solve other corporate problems,  the importance of testing and maintaining such systems, and on what criteria to evaluate potential vendors.
 
For executives already leveraging mass notification systems for IT alerting or just evaluating available solutions, three key capabilities are worth considering. (Item #1)  Mass notification, or emergency communications, are two terms that are often used interchangeably; but are they truly the same thing?  (Item #2)  Nobody wants to think about the worst that can happen, but having a system in place to notify employees of situations like an active shooter or natural disaster is crucial for workplace safety. (Item #3)

Are your mass notification systems and plans enough to ensure your occupants' safety during an emergency? (Item #4)  See if our list of business challenges sounds familiar and read on to learn how a mass communication system might be an answer. (Item #5)  This article has information and a chart that helps you evaluate vendors of mass and emergency communication systems. (Item #6)


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Crisis Response & Communication

October 11, 2017 - When dealing with communicating in a crisis, the first concerns should be to respond quickly, accurately and consistently. Obviously, the best approach is to have a plan to work from before the crisis hits. This will shorten your response time and enable everyone to hit the ground running. It's also important to ensure that everyone knows what's going on and what to say or not say in any situation. Take a look at these articles to see if your plans for crisis response are everything they need to be. 

Not sending complete and accurate information can hinder employee safety by creating confusion regarding exactly what is happening. (Item #1)   Here are some lessons learned from real-world crisis response. (Item #2)   This is what good communications after an incident looks like, looking at some real-world examples and emphasizing the importance of being transparent during a crisis. (Item #3)

Effective crisis response plans include these ten elements. (Item #4)   There are some things to be learned from the way Equifax handled communication about its breach. (Item #5)   What you say immediately after a crisis is important, so step in and make it known where your business stands during a crisis, even if it is just to acknowledge that a crisis has happened. (Item #6)


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Emergency Notification Systems (ENS)

September 20, 2017 - In any emergency, information is critical. How to deliver that information is something companies continually struggle with -- social media, the cloud, etc. One choice is an emergency notification system, which also could be used as a mass communication medium in non-emergency situations. If you have one, maybe it needs updating. If you don't, here's some information on why you might want one and how to integrate it into your organization and your business continuity planning.

The ROI of an emergency notification system begins with the belief that protecting employees and others from harm should be a priority. (Item #1)  Here's some help to sell an ENS within your organization. (Item #2)  How do you know if you need or need to upgrade a mass notification system? (Item #3)

There are multiple reasons and benefits for why you should have your own emergency notification system in place before the next disaster strikes. (Item #4)  Not every action can be pre-defined yet many can; the best way to figure out what can be automated and what needs a human touch is to assess your environment. (Item #5)  If you are confused about emergency notification systems available, this site will let you compare them against each other. (Item #6)


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Mass Communication Systems

May 24, 2017 - Ever since the shootings at Virginia Tech, mass communication systems have been evolving into tools that can help save lives and businesses. What is your method of communicating to your employees about a disaster or disruption? If you don’t have some kind of system, you should take a look at this week’s articles that discuss these systems and how to choose them.

The author discusses how organizations can use employee communications platforms to identify who is affected, communicate instructions quickly, and receive quantifiable responses from those who might be at risk. (Item #1)   Here are just a few ways you can promote your ENS that you can mix and match to ensure your recipients are aware of the new service and the benefits to them. (Item #2)   Ensuring employees know what to do to rebound and then effectively communicate with customers, partners, suppliers, etc. is critical in any business continuity plan. (Item #3)

Here is some helpful advice about selecting and evaluating mass communication vendors. (Item #4) Here are several best practices to help garner voluntary internal participation for your mass notification program. (Item #5)   Let’s take a quick look at some of the ways a mass notification system can enhance evacuation procedures. (Item #6)


For the full issue, click here.

Mass Communication Systems

What if you send out a mass notification and nobody gets it? This is the thing that nightmares are made of. Hopefully, this will never happen to any of us. To help ensure you know what you’re looking for, this week’s articles provide guidance on how to determine what you need and how to get it. Also, new technology means that these systems are much improved and are not just for emergencies any more.

Looks may not be everything when it comes to a mass notification solution, but the way an online solution feels and operates is nevertheless important: Lessons from The Bachelor. (Item #1)   Consider these seven key factors with emergency communication. (Item #2)   Here’s an analysis of current mass notification trends and how two-way listing, analog-to-digital and other factors will impact the future of MNEC. (Item #3)

Mass communication technologies are offering several new options and capabilities that go beyond the typical uses in traditional applications. (Item #4)   Mass communication is no longer just for emergencies.  (Item #5)   These 10 tips on evaluating mass notification vendors can help you avoid problems down the road. (Item #6)


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