Over the course of the last several years, we have seen three major events that forced us to reassess our business continuity and disaster recovery planning. The Christchurch earthquake of 2011 initiated a shift towards cloud technology in preparation for office access becoming more unpredictable. 2020’s COVID-19 pandemic solidified remote working and online collaboration as an essential part of modern businesses, while Cyclone Gabrielle reminded us just how vital power and communications networks are during turbulent times. No business could have predicted the unpredictable.
Yet, despite all these unforeseen events disrupting businesses everywhere, one thing is certain: now more than ever, we must plan for and manage potential disruptions from any source – natural disasters, cyber-attacks, data breaches or pandemics included. Our approach towards continuity planning and disaster recovery will determine our ability to come out stronger on the other side.
Cyclone Gabrielle recently caused devastating destruction along the east coast of New Zealand. The repercussions of this storm will take years to overcome and have prompted an examination of the risks individuals and businesses face. As authorities investigate ways they can better prepare for future disasters like these, key insights garnered from Cyclone Gabrielle are helping create a solution-oriented approach moving forward. Herein lies several key lessons businesses can consider for the future:
Businesses should develop a comprehensive disaster recovery and continuity plan that is tailored to their particular risks, including the possibility of natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis or cyclones. Particularly important for coastal businesses would be preparation against potential tsunamis – so far, an untested but promisingly survivable force of nature!
First published by The Profit. Click here to read the full article.