Archivo de Noticias
Infórmate con las últimas noticias de actualidad
ICAS urges businesses to plan for crises
13/06/2006
Too many companies are leaving themselves at risk of a fall in reputation and share value by failing to plan for critical incidents and major crises, according to leading behavioural risk management company, ICAS.
In the past two years alone a series of commercial and natural disasters have increased awareness of the need for business continuity planning and yet a staggering 46%* of UK companies still have no business continuity plans. ICAS experts are arguing that it is time to stop being complacent and to start creating plans to ensure resilience in the face of a crisis.
To help companies develop their plans, ICAS are running a seminar in Glasgow on Friday 16 June 2006. Aimed at companies of all sizes, it will focus on the human dimension of crisis planning, the impact of legislation, what to do and how to plan for the worst eventualities. ICAS experts will guide companies through the basics of individual, team and organisational recovery following a crisis.
Mandy Rutter Head of the CRISIScall®. service at ICAS, also a speaker at the event said: “Organisations who plan for crises have the commercial edge over those who don’t. As well as helping companies get started with crises planning, we are challenging those who have business continuity plans in place to question their effectiveness in addressing people issues. Companies need to understand the affect of trauma on staff, management and the whole organisation.”
Other speakers include Stephen Austin, Business Continuity Manager for Egg and Ian Watford, from the Scottish Executive, who will focus on how they plan for civil contingencies. Brian Sweeney, Chief Fire Officer of Strathclyde Fire and Rescue will also give an insight into how they respond in the aftermath of a critical incident.
Mandy added: “Businesses may think they can be up and running quickly after a critical incident by having plans in place to protect and provide alternative IT systems, telephony and buildings, for example, but they forget staff could be suffering from trauma and unable to work. Usually around a third of staff need support after a crisis. The most detailed of crisis plans can be unpinned simply by not accounting for staff’s reactions to a critical incident. When companies have planned to look after their staff business recovery is much quicker, dramatically reducing the negative impacts.”
ICAS’ tips on preparing staff for a crisis: · Key employees should go on a short training course about the immediate physical and psychological effects of trauma. · Employees should then cascade information onto their staff so that they can be prepared for any eventuality. · Provide employees with clear, concise instructions for immediately after a trauma, so that they know what is expected of them. · Encourage ‘team effort’ and identify those who are coping well who can support those who are not coping so well. · Acknowledge that recovery after a trauma happens at different rates so that whilst some people will cope magnificently during and after a trauma, others may fall apart. · Discuss with staff what support you will be providing for them if they need extra help to recover. · Inform higher levels of managers about particular difficulties. One gentle supportive communication from a Managing Director can motivate staff for many days and weeks.
Ends
Notes to editors
1. *Autumn 2005 ICM research for Cable and Wireless
2. You are invited to send a representative to attend and to interview Mandy Rutter, Head of CRISIScall®. Date: Friday, 16 June 2006 Time: 9 am – 12:50 pm Location: The Lighthouse, Glasgow
For further information contact: Carole Scott or Gail Buckle PR Consultants to ICAS BOTTLE PR Tel: + 44 (0) 1865 882988 Email: carolescott@bottlepr.co.uk or gailbuckle@bottlepr.co.uk
3. Speakers: · Stephen Austin, Business Continuity Manager for Egg, will talk about how his company prepares its staff for the psychological effects of business threat or trauma. · Ian Watford, from the Scottish Executive, will focus on how they plan for civil contingencies. · Trevor Cattermole, Director of Clinical Services at the Institute of Occupational Medicine will talk about the medical aspects of contingency planning. · Brian Sweeney, Chief Fire Officer of Strathclyde Fire and Rescue will give an insight into how they respond in the aftermath of a critical incident. · Mandy Rutter from ICAS will guide companies through the basics of individual, team and organisational recovery following a crisis.
- © ICAS