Businesses should start planning for an inevitable quarantine, if not with the novel coronavirus, but for any type of future outbreak, disaster or forced closure.
Like Miami Dade schools, take a page from your business continuity plan (let us know if you’d like to help create one) and dust off what it would take for your teams to work remote for 14 or more days:
- VPN Access – ensure you and your team members can access any shared files, systems, cloud softwares, etc. from off the main network through a VPN. Client certificates often expire and it’s been a while since you’ve traveled for work, try connecting from home tonight.
- Schedule Check-ins – regardless of if you’re an agile shop, start having daily stand-ups or check-ins with your teams. Go ahead and schedule the conference call now so that as team members are made to work remote, or choose to do so for personal hygiene reasons, it’s ready to go. This will also help keep tabs each day on who’s truly offline to make any task adjustments for the day.
- Evaluate – what projects are in the pipeline now which can be finished, what could wait until next quarter. While a team of five can usually develop five days worth of work a day, if one goes out for a day or two, you’re down 20 percent capacity. Start thinking which projects can shift and which are business critical. This will ease conversations later as resources become limited.
- Work from Home – a challenge for classic businesses, but don’t be afraid to start allowing team members to work from home. They will appreciate it, and if someone isn’t feeling well, so will the rest of the office. Make it clear that your team member and family’s health are the most important.
- Reach Out – to team members and to clients. Even if it’s just to say, “we’re here to help,” this is a great relationship opportunity for a quick phone call, text or chat. It will also help you get a sense of where your clients’ concerns may be and how you can offer to help.
Let us know how we can help create a business continuity or disaster recovery plan. We’re here to help. Reach out!