Being prepared for all potential critical events is no easy task. The risk exposure that could affect the organization and its operations is directly proportional to how knowledgeable you are about your surroundingsโand how to respond appropriately. A well-managed risk and crisis response can invigorate stakeholders, rebuild confidence in the organization, protect personnel, and sustain and strengthen operations. This article sums up five essential lessons to help in crisis planning.

1. Pre-planning is the key

2. Continuous assessment provides better results
The lesson learned about pre-crisis planning highlights the importance of communication during a critical event and how managers and C-levels should evaluate the effectiveness of their plans. Once the pre-crisis response plan is set, a continuous process entails a regular collection and analysis of data to assist in timely decision making. It's crucial to check whether activities are being executed according to the defined plan.ย
The most fundamental assessment of a plan's effectiveness is how fast it gets an organization back to normal operations after major critical events. This is what really matters because when a business is down, this gets translated into euros and cents.
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), around 40% of small businesses never reopen after a critical event strikes. Having a pre-crisis response plan in place might not prevent the worst-case scenario, but it could increase a businessโs chances of survival! Remember that pre-disaster planning can pay off down the road.
3. Situational awareness leads to business resilience
Any critical event, whether it is small or big, can affect business scalability and resilience. Having situational awareness of the evolving situations can improve your emergency response preparation which comprehensively helps in mitigating risks and encouraging business continuity.
Situational awareness is the ability to identify, comprehend and communicate critical information about an incident as it unfolds. This knowledge is critical to deliver a timely and fully coordinated response.
Why?
The focus of affected businesses is mitigating risk, protecting personnel, and preserving their reputation. It is essential to respond quickly when enough information is obtained. Response teams will gather more information as time moves on, but the available options to respond will reduce as time goes by.
How?
It is recommended to have ready-made emergency response templates that help you define crucial aspects to support shared situational awareness, such as core crisis management team, action cards, incident log, etc. This is certainly no less important than having an in-place crisis management tool that promotes real-time communication as a key player for effective situational awareness.
The most fundamental assessment of a plan's effectiveness is how fast it gets an organization back to normal operations after major critical events. This is what really matters because when a business is down, this gets translated into euros and cents.
4. Aim for clear communication

5. Tabletop exercise is a skill builder
A tabletop exercise (TTX) is a simulated, interactive exercise that tests an organizationโs emergency preparedness and enhances response skills. Beyond providing a low-cost, low-risk, and highly effective way to evaluate emergency response plans or contingency plans,ย well-designed tabletop exercises help personnel understand their role in an emergency, providing a safe space to think critically about potential scenarios and best practices.
For safety and business continuity leaders, tabletop exercises also provide peace of mind and confidence, assuring that key personnel are well trained and prepared in advance to face critical events as there is no time for learning curves in a crisis!
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