Disruptions can happen to any business, from extreme weather and power outages to cyber-attacks and staff illness. Based on the NSW Small Business Commissioner’s Prepare for the Unexpected guide, this practical workshop will help you identify risks, prepare for emergencies and develop a Business Continuity Plan to help your business recover faster and continue operating during challenging times.

In this workshop, you’ll learn how to:

• Understand the importance of business continuity planning and the impact disruptions can have on business operations.
• Identify the key risks facing your business, including severe weather events, power and internet outages, cyber-attacks and the loss of key staff.
• Assess your business’s level of preparedness using practical tools, templates and checklists.
• Develop plans for emergency essentials, insurance, finances, data backup, alternative premises and suppliers, and customer communications.
• Use hazard-specific checklists covering bushfire, flood, storm, structure fire and pandemic scenarios.
• Apply recovery and reopening strategies to help your business resume operations as quickly as possible.

Key takeaways

By the end of the workshop, you’ll be able to:

• Recognise and prioritise the risks most relevant to your business.
• Prepare for common business disruptions using practical planning tools and resources.
• Create or strengthen a Business Continuity Plan tailored to your business needs.
• Develop strategies to minimise downtime and maintain operations during disruptions.
• Improve your confidence in responding to emergencies and recovering from unexpected events.
• Take home a printed copy of the guide and a first draft of your Business Continuity Plan for ongoing review and improvement.