Start by identifying the operations your business cannot function without.

Ask:

• Which systems must always be available?

• Which processes generate revenue?

• Which departments are mission-critical?

• What happens if these systems are unavailable for 1 hour, 1 day, or 1 week?

Examples include:

• Email and communication tools

• Customer databases and CRMs

• Payment processing systems

• File servers and cloud apps

Step 2: Perform a Business Impact Analysis (BIA)

A Business Impact Analysis helps you understand the consequences of downtime.

For each critical function, define:

• RTO (Recovery Time Objective): How quickly it must be restored

• RPO (Recovery Point Objective): How much data loss is acceptable

This allows you to prioritize recovery efforts and allocate resources effectively.

Step 3: Identify Potential Risks and Threats

Common risks SMBs face include:

• Cyberattacks and ransomware

• Power outages

• Hardware or server failure

• Internet outages

• Natural disasters

• Employee error or insider threats

Understanding your risks helps you design the right mitigation strategies.

Step 4: Develop Recovery Strategies

Once risks are identified, create strategies to keep operations running.

Technology Strategies

• Cloud backups and disaster recovery

• Redundant internet connections

• Failover servers or cloud environments

• Secure remote access for employees

Operational Strategies

• Cross-training employees

• Alternate workflows

• Temporary manual processes

• Vendor backup plans

Step 5: Create a Communication Plan

Clear communication during a disruption is critical.

Your plan should define:

• Who declares an incident

• How employees are notified

• How customers are informed

• Who communicates with vendors or partners

Include contact lists, escalation paths, and communication templates.

Step 6: Document Roles and Responsibilities

Every person should know exactly what to do during an incident.

Define:

• Incident response leader

• IT recovery team

• Communication owner

• Decision-makers and backups

This avoids confusion and delays when time matters most.

Step 7: Test and Update the Plan Regularly

A plan that isn’t tested is unreliable.

Best practices include:

• Annual or semi-annual tabletop exercises

• Testing backups and recovery procedures

• Reviewing lessons learned after incidents

• Updating the plan after business or technology changes

Step 8: Train Employees

Employees are essential to business continuity.

Training should cover:

• How to report incidents

• Where to access critical systems

• Remote work procedures

• Cybersecurity awareness

Well-trained employees reduce downtime and mistakes.

Step 9: Align Business Continuity With IT & Cybersecurity

Business continuity is not just an IT issue.

Ensure alignment with:

• Cybersecurity policies

• Disaster recovery plans

• Compliance requirements (HIPAA, GDPR, PIPEDA, PCI-DSS)

An integrated approach strengthens resilience.