Your Disaster Plan is Incomplete
No disaster plan is perfect. All plans contain weaknesses and gaps, some of which could accommodate unexpected perils. For example, numerous plans in California have prepared organizations for earthquakes, power outages, and wildfires but not for the novel coronavirus pandemic of 2020. In New York City and London, corporate plans have justifiably concentrated on terrorist attacks and severe weather, but often include no mention of pandemics.
Your Toolbox is Empty

Even after the outbreaks of SARS and H1N1 influenza, planners frequently ignored widespread outbreaks of disease when they revised their plans. Emergency telephone directories were updated, along with equipment inventories and IT security protocols, but when the morbidity of COVID-19 increased worldwide, managers in countless organizations discovered that they were not prepared. When they opened their disaster (or business resumption, or continuity) plans they discovered that, while they were prepared for high winds and hostile intruders, they had little protection against the most dangerous intruder ever to threaten many of them. Invisible and unpredictable, the novel coronavirus might not be as lethal as the Black Death or other outbreaks of plague, but it has caused tens of thousands of deaths, enormous social anxiety, and serious problems for the global economy.
Panic is Spreading
Frightened people have hoarded staples and cashed in their investments against the advice of government authorities and financial advisors. All over the world people wonder what course the coronavirus pandemic will take. When will it end? How many people will fall ill? Nothing seems certain. But good advice is available in the form of directives from health care authorities. They urge people to protect themselves through measures including:
- Frequent handwashing
- Social distancing
- Working from home
Encouraging your employees to prioritize their health and safety may help to lessen feelings of anxiety, and avoid mass panic. After all, in times of trouble panic is often more dangerous than the original cause.
Who’s Next?
A standard part of pandemic management is succession planning. Many organizations have plans in place should the CEO or other senior managers become unexpectedly unavailable. But key employees such as IT systems experts, laboratory managers, and accountants often have nobody to replace them should they become unable to work. Without them and other key employees, organizations could shut down for indefinite periods. The temporary unavailability of one key employee could result in reduced market share, loss of customer confidence, and cash flow problems. Hence succession planning has become a key piece of pandemic management planning.
Be Ready for Next Time
Now we must deal with COVID-19, but experts predict another pandemic in the not-too-distant future. Are you and your employees prepared? Will you be ready when your office is shut down (again)? It’s time to fill that gap in your disaster plan.
This article was published in the
March 2020
edition of The TMC Advisor
- ISSN 2369-663X Volume:7 Issue:2
©2020 TMC Consulting