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Unanticipated events in a company can be of a major concern due to the fact that they often tend to hold up the scheduled work and production of a company. The majority of these incidents need not have an impact on the business, however, if a well-thought-out continuity plan is set up beforehand.

A classic example of this sort of a situation is when a project has to be completed within a stipulated time frame and one of the team members fails to report owing to some difficulty. Hereafter, suitable planning steps-in and takes over. Ideally, the manager should have a contingency plan ready to bail him out of this crisis and complete the project at any cost.

The method by which a company works out a strategy to tackle crisis situations deterrent to the timely and successful completion of a project, is known as Continuity Planning. This technique forecasts imminent hazards so that it can assist in controlling the problems that a company may encounter in the face of such adversity. Continuity Planning is usually an established feature in large organizations, but they are often bypassed by budding business enterprises. The reason being, budding business enterprises normally have paucity of funds and graver day-to-day management to be dealt with. Per se continuity planning gets ignored till it's too late.

A continuity plan takes stock of the measures that need to be executed prior to, during, and following the unanticipated incident. It comprehensively specifies the course of action to be followed. Hence, it appears extremely judicious for all companies to conduct extensive investigations in order to create both a credible and an effective continuity plan.

What kind of a successful continuity plan would you frame as a manager in a similar scenario$%: If you are now motivated to design a continuity plan for your company, then get to it without delay. To do so, yous need to draw up a pragmatic strategy supported by the five steps specified below:

-- Evaluate the potential impacts upon your scenario
-- Alter organizational culture
-- Delineate your continuity plan
-- Formulate your strategy
-- Run through your plans

Keep a practical timeframe in which you involve your fellow workers to assist you. Obtain the backing of your senior officials such as the Director and Senior Managers, as well as obtain the cooperation of the workers and stockholders; only a concerted effort can be successful.

Just like with any other project, the progress of a continuity plan needs the utilization of funds spread over a definite period of time in order to produce favored results. Unfortunately, the characteristic of that result is such that it is continually changing, which may be the case that, upon conclusion, the plan may become obsolete.

Without a continuity plan, you may be at in danger of losing out to rivals, being open to downfalls, enduring a loss of reputation, and losing future earnings. Continuity stands to benefit one and all: clients, employees, society, and finally, the productivity of your company.

Therefore, an efficient, comprehensive business continuity plan will result in an effective preservation of time and money in the face of a crisis.

This "white paper" is one in a series of thought leadership on topics of interest for business management and organizational development. For copies of other whitepapers in the series please contact .