Ever heard it said that change is the only constant in business? In many companies this is very true, but change needs to be managed effectively if it is to benefit the organisation. And change management is absolutely essential in business continuity management.

Sadly it isn’t uncommon that business continuity plans, produced at great effort and expense, are allowed to become out of date and ineffective because they are not updated when changes occur within the business.

There are a number of changes which can invalidate your plans if they are not trapped and acted upon. These include :-
 

• Organisational changes (departments, business units, responsibilities);
• Personnel changes (people leaving or joining the business);
• New or changed business processes;
• Office moves;
• Changes to personal details (eg addresses and ‘phone numbers, both business and private);
• Upgrades or changes to computer hardware or software;
• Upgrades or changes to plant or machinery…

…and no doubt there are others, specific to your own organisation.

So be wise before the event – ensure that your change management process includes consideration of the effects on your business continuity strategy, solutions and plans and ensure that they are updated promptly when significant changes occur. Your future could depend on it.