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#6 Communications & Continuity of Authority

Business Continuity Planning

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#6 Communications & Continuity of Authority

Identify your audiences and build messages for each that are ready to quickly disseminate on multiple platforms. Customers, employees, and vendors all need to hear from you quickly and accurately. Creating a chain of command with continuity of authority maintains leadership during any disruption.

In this unit we will discuss two topics that are fairly interrelated, communications and continuity of authority.

When disaster strikes, customers, employees, and vendors all need to hear from you quickly and accurately. Your crisis communications plans are vital for business continuity and is commonly rated as one of the most important areas of need for improvement in business continuity management. A good business continuity plan will still fail if you cannot communicate through the process. In this section we will discuss principles for building a crisis communications plan, a contact and information center and a crisis communications team. We will talk about Identifying your audiences and building messages for each that are ready to quickly disseminate on multiple platforms.

We will also discuss principles for establishing a successions program for continuity of authority. Creating a chain of command with continuity of authority maintains leadership during any disruption.

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A communication plan consists of 7 parts:

Knowing your supplier, vendor, employee, and other contacts
Knowing yours and their procedures if there is a crisis or emergency
Having different ways to communicate with each recipient
Knowing what your employees need to know and when
Knowing what your customers and the public need to know, and when
Having multiple avenues of communication to deliver your message
Knowing what your message will be and when you should communicate it.

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A Word of Caution

Never believe and never spread rumors!

How to tell fact from rumor?

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Fact or Rumor

Believe it is a rumor if it is a:

Text message
Forwarded message
Audio message
Picture (people can edit)
Video message (people can edit)

Rumors can perpetuate through:

Family members
Co-Workers
Social Media
Internet
& even commonly reputable organizations

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Beware of confirmation bias

Most people and organizations are good willed and don’t intend to spread false information. Many organizations have a high interest in pre sifting out the fact from the fiction. But there are bad people out there, and even good people are not perfect, and despite good intentions, false or half baked information continues to be perpetuated even through typically reliable sources. It’s up to you who to trust. But here are some tips to help you determine if the information you are seeing is fact or fiction.

Consider the source. Click away from the story to investigate the site, its mission and its contact info.
Read beyond the headline. Headlines can be outrageous in an effort to get clicks. What's the whole story?
Check the author. Do a quick search on the author. Are they credible? Are they real?
Look at what links and sources are being used. Click on those links. But follow cyber safe practices as you do. Determine if the info source is credible and info given actually supports the story.
Check the date. Reposting old news stories doesn’t mean they are relevant to current events.
Is it a joke? If it is too outlandish, it might be satire. Research the site and author to be sure.
Check your biases. Consider if your own beliefs could affect your judgment.
Ask the experts. Go to the source, or consult a fact-checking site.

While you are checking for fact or fiction, beware of confirmation bias. "Confirmation bias is the tendency for people to selectively search for and consider information that confirms already held beliefs. People also tend to reject evidence that contradicts their opinions."

Hopefully these will help you regarding information you may be receiving. Think before you share.

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Crisis Communication Plan

Understand Your Audience
Script Your Messages
Create a Contact & Information Center

When an emergency occurs, the need to communicate is immediate. If business operations are disrupted, customers will want to know how they will be impacted. Regulators may need to be notified and local government officials will want to know what is going on in their community. Employees and their families will be concerned and want information. Neighbors living near the facility may need information—especially if they are threatened by the incident. All of these “audiences” will want information before the business has a chance to begin communicating. If your business doesn’t get info out fast, or if people don’t know where to get accurate info, then people will begin to absorb rumors spread by others.

An important component of the business continuity program is the crisis communications plan. A business must be able to respond promptly, accurately and confidently during an emergency in the hours and days that follow. Many different audiences must be reached with information specific to their interests and needs. The image of the business can be positively or negatively impacted by public perceptions of the handling of the incident. James W. Burchill with Crisis Management Techniques said, “The public forgives accidents, but it doesn't forgive a corporation if its response to the public is inadequate.”

Understanding potential audiences is key, as each audience wants to know: “How does it affect me?”

Guidance for scripting messages that are specific to the interests of the audience is another element of the plan.

How to establish a Contact & Information Center as the operational component of the plan will also be discussed.

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Identify Your Audiences�

How does this affect them?

Customers
Employees and families
Company management
Investors
Distributors and suppliers
News media
Government officials and regulators
The community

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Key Contacts

Accountant
Administration
Attorney
Bank
Billing/Invoicing Service
Building Manager
Building Owner
Building Security
Electric Company

Emergency Management Agency
Fire Department
Gas/Heat Company
Hazardous Material
Insurance Agent/Broker
Insurance Claims
Key Customers/Clients
Local News
Local Radio

Local TV Station
Mental Health/Social
Police Department
Public Works Department
Payroll Processing
Small Business Administration (SBA)
Telephone Company
Other?

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Contact Information

Compiled
Accessible
Updated regularly
Secured
Remote access
Hard copies at alternate location

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Customers

Top priority

Keep informed

Redirect calls to secondary center
Voice message indicating temporary problem
Staff normally assigned to work with customers are best to use.

60 days after Hurricane Katrina, businesses reported that their number one concern for business resumption was establishing their customer base.

Customers are the life of a business, so contact with customers is a top priority. Create a backup of customer lists so you can stay in contact and provide updates to them. Bad news is better than no news. They may not be aware of your situation. Customers may become aware of a problem as soon as their phone calls are not answered or their electronic orders are not processed. The business continuity plan should include actions to redirect incoming telephone calls to a second call center (if available) or to a voice message indicating that the business is experiencing a temporary problem. The business continuity plan should also include procedures to ensure that customers are properly informed about the status of orders in process at the time of the incident.

Customer service or sales staff normally assigned to work with customers could be assigned to communicate with customers if there is an incident. If there are a lot of customers, then the list should be prioritized to reach the most important customers first.

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Suppliers

Procedure for contacting when and how

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Management

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Government Officials & Regulators

Know the regulations and the triggers
Senior manager assigned to speak to officials.

Communications with government officials depends upon the nature and severity of the incident and regulatory requirements. Businesses that fail to notify a regulator within the prescribed time, risk incurring a fine. OSHA regulations require notification to OSHA when there are three or more hospitalizations from an accident or if there is a fatality. Environmental regulations require notification if there is chemical spill or release that exceeds threshold quantities. Other regulators may need to be notified if there is an incident involving product tampering, contamination or quality. Notification requirements specified in regulations should be documented in the crisis communications plan.

A major incident in the community will capture the attention of elected officials. A senior manager should be assigned to communicate with elected officials and public safety officials.

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Employees, Victims & their Families

60 days following Hurricane Katrina, the United State Department of Homeland Security conducted a briefing with the local businesses who were still in the area. Approximately 1000 companies attended and reported that one of the top concerns they still faced was locating their employees. Not because they were necessarily needed for business continuity or resumption, but that their employees were like family and they wanted to know if they were okay.

It is important to have a way to communicate to your employees, or have your employees communicate with you. A photo could be helpful for identification purposes or to locate a missing person. If evacuation is necessary, Human Resources or HR does not generally have the contact information for a relative outside of the local area. Have a printed employee emergency contact list with each employees cell number and email that HR can use or could be used in a calling tree.

HR is responsible for the day-to-day communications with employees regarding employment issues and benefits administration. HR management should assume a similar role on the crisis communications team. HR should coordinate communications with management, supervisors, employees and families. HR should also coordinate communications with those involved with the care of employees and the provision of benefits to employees and their families. Close coordination between management, company spokesperson, public agencies and HR is needed when managing the sensitive nature of communications related to an incident involving death or serious injury.

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The Community

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News Media

Authorized spokespersons
Talking points
Press releases

If the incident is serious, then the news media will be on scene or calling to obtain details. There may be numerous requests for information from local, regional or national media. The challenge of managing large numbers of requests for information, interviews and public statements can be overwhelming. Prioritization of requests for information and development of press releases and talking points can assist with the need to communicate quickly and effectively. Messages for public release to the media can be prepared and scripted in advance and then simply tailored on the spot for clarity and uniformity for distribution.

Develop a company policy that only authorized spokespersons are permitted to speak to the news media. Communicate the policy to all employees explaining that it is best to speak with one informed voice.

Determine in advance who will speak to the news media and prepare that spokesperson with talking points, so they can speak clearly and effectively in terms that can be easily understood. Careful consideration should be made to the person(s) assigned as the official media contact for the organization. If the authorised spokesperson is not available, then be sure to plan for secondary and tertiary authorised spokespersons.

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Pre-script Your Messages�

Use info from risk assessment
Scenarios based on impacts not on disaster type

During and following an incident, each audience will seek information that is specific to them. “How does the incident affect my order, job, safety, community, etcetera?” These questions need to be answered when communicating with each audience.

After identifying the audiences and the spokesperson assigned to communicate with each audience, the next step is to script messages. Writing messages during an incident can be challenging due to the pressure caused by “too much to do” and “too little time.” Therefore, it is best to script message templates in advance if possible.

Pre-scripted messages should be prepared using information developed during the risk assessment. The risk assessment process should identify scenarios that would require communications with stakeholders. There may be many different scenarios but the need for communications will relate more to the impacts or potential impacts of an incident, such as: accidents that injure employees or others; property damage to company facilities; liability associated injury to or damage sustained by others; production or service interruptions; chemical spills or releases with potential off-site consequences, including environmental; and product quality issues.

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Needs of each Audience

Customer –

“When will I receive my order?”
“What will you give me to compensate for the delay?”

Employee –

“When should I report to work?”
“Will I have a job?”
“Will I get paid during the shutdown or can I collect unemployment?”
“What happened to my co-worker?”
“What are you going to do to address my safety?”
“Is it safe to go back to work?”

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Needs of each Audience

Government Regulator –

“When did it happen?”
“What happened (details about the incident)?”
“What are the impacts (injuries, deaths, environmental contamination, safety of consumers, etc.)?”

Elected Official –

“What is the impact on the community (hazards and economy)?”
“How many employees will be affected?”
“When will you be back up and running?”

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Needs of each Audience

Suppliers –

“When should we resume deliveries and where should we ship to?”

Management –

“What happened?”
“When did it happen?”
“Was anyone injured?”
“How bad is the property damage?”
“How long do you think production will be down?”

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Needs of each Audience

Neighbors in the Community –

“How can I be sure it’s safe to go outside?”
“What are you going to do to prevent this from happening again?”
“How do I get paid for the loss I incurred?”

News Media –

“What happened?”
“Who was injured?”
“What is the estimated loss?”
“What caused the incident?”
“What are you going to do to prevent it from happening again?”
“Who is responsible?”

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Pre-script Your Messages�

Allay concerns – emerge intact

Pre-script messages as templates
Approve in advance
Make accessible after disaster
Designate & train multiple spokespersons
Use multiple mediums
Be consistent with all audiences
Be transparent
Update as possible – as needed

Messages can be pre-scripted as templates with blanks to be filled in when needed. Pre-scripted messages can be developed, approved by the management team and stored on a remotely accessible server for quick editing and release when needed.

Another important element of the crisis communications plan is the need to coordinate the release of information. When there is an emergency or a major impact on the business, there may be limited information about the incident or its potential impacts. The “story” may change many times as new information becomes available.

One of the aims of the crisis communication plan is to ensure the consistency of the message. If you tell one audience one story and another audience a different story, it will raise questions of competency and credibility. Protocols need to be established to ensure that the core of each message is consistent while addressing the specific questions from each audience.

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Be Empathetic

Online communication may not always convey a persons intended tone.

Be aware of how a recipient might interpret an electronic message.

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Manage your strategy�

Management develops strategy
Crisis Communication Team implements strategy
Emerge with reputation intact

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Communication Strategies

Establish a schedule
Set expectations
Determine a cadence that all can stay in step with.
Use software to track and send updates

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Communicating with a distributed workforce

Check in on team members,
Conduct virtual meetings,
Publicly acknowledge employees efforts,
Make sure team maintains internet connection and power.
Consider how a major weather event could impact work-from-home employees.
Consider investing in products for critical employees to stay online and powered up.

When creating your communication strategy, also consider how you might communicate with a distributed workforce. The workforce may be distributed as more people work from home on a regular basis, or after an incident where the workforce has to evacuate and be relocated for some time until normal operations can resume. Working remotely can lead to feelings of isolation or a lack of connection between team members. As Gallup research noted, isolation under normal circumstances can decrease work efficiency by 21%. Here are some ways to help maintain effective communications with a distributed workforce:

Encourage managers to check in on team members, conduct virtual meetings, and publicly acknowledge employees efforts to deliver projects;
Make sure your team can maintain an internet connection and power;
Consider how a major weather event could impact work-from-home employees;
And consider investing in hotspots and generators or products for critical employees to stay online and powered up, no matter where they are.

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Contact and Information Center

A Communication Hub

Communications before, during and following an emergency is bi-directional. Stakeholders or audiences will ask questions and request information. The business will answer questions and provide information. This flow of information may be managed through a communications hub.

Contact and Information Centers form the “hub” of the crisis communications plan, and operationalizes the communications plan. The Contact and Information Centers can exist as a physical space or a virtual space. The centers receive requests for information from each audience and disseminates information to each audience. Employees from multiple departments may be assigned to communicate with a specific audience.

The Contact & Information Centers may house members of Management, Community Relations, Human Resources, Sales, Purchasing, Media Relations, Regulatory Affairs, and Emergency Response Team Leaders. The Contact & Information Center will liaison with elected officials and public agencies, community and neighborhood leaders, employees and families, customers, suppliers, news media, regulators, and incident command.

The Contact and Information Centers use existing resources to gather and disseminate information during and following an incident.

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The Contact Center

Fields inquiries:

Customers
Suppliers
News…

Equipped and Staffed
Scripts & FAQ doc

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The Information Center

Push info out

Website
Call center
Bulletin boards
Social media
Mass text
etc

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Crisis Communications Team

Gathers information about the incident
Monitors questions posed to contact center
Monitor social media and news media
Inform management about issues
Generate messages with input from management
Disseminate approved info

The crisis communications team, consisting of members of the management team, should operate in an office environment to support the contact and information centers. The offices may be clustered near the emergency operation center or at an alternate site if the primary site cannot be occupied. The goal of the crisis communications team is to gather information about the incident. This should include monitoring the types of questions posed to call center operators or staff in the office, emails received by customer service, and social media chatter or stories broadcast by the news media. Using this input, the crisis communications team can inform management about the issues that are being raised by stakeholders. In turn, management should provide input into the messages generated by the crisis communications team. The team can then create appropriate messages and disseminate information approved for release.

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Communications List

Template for Business Continuity Communications List and Contact Info

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Communications Resources

Available at primary and alternate site

Dedicated phone lines
Calling tree networks (internal)
Recorded phone messages
Email lists based on audience
Fax machine – for in and outbound
Websites
Text messaging
Social media
Digital billboards
Satellite phones
Ham radio – local two-way radio

Resources should be available within the primary business site and provisions should be made to set up similar capabilities within an alternate site in case the primary site cannot be occupied. Many communication options should have a 24/7 capability. Here is a list of some communications resources to consider making available:

Telephones with dedicated or addressable lines for incoming calls, and separate lines for outgoing calls;
Access to any electronic notification system used to inform employees;
Calling tree networks are primarily use as an internal notification system;
Electronic mail with access to “info@” inbox and ability to send messages;
Fax machine, one for receiving and one for sending;
Webmaster access to company website to post updates;
Access to social media accounts;
Access to local area network, secure remote server, message template library and printers;
Hard copies of emergency response, business continuity and crisis communications plans;
Site and building diagrams, as well as information related to business processes and loss prevention programs like safety and health, property loss prevention, physical and information or cyber security, fleet safety, environmental management and product quality;
Copiers;
Forms for documenting events as they unfold;
Message boards like flipcharts, white boards, etc.;
As well as pens, pencils, paper, clipboards and other stationery supplies.

There may be additional communication resource to consider to meet your specific needs.

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Calling Tree

Link to Calling Tree Template

There may be instances where you may need to establish voice contact with others to see how they are doing and to make sure they know what's going on. It can be very time consuming for one person to try to contact everyone. A calling tree may be used to involve others in helping get in contact with everyone as fast as possible. In this image you can see how an individual would communicate back up the line when someone was unable to be connected with. To mitigate against anyone not being contacted, if you called me and I was not available, then you would assume the responsibility of contacting everyone under me. Calling trees could be used to divvy up the call load to communicate with customers, suppliers or vendors, or other stakeholders, or to communicate internally to all staff. When a calling tree is used, it is usually coupled with a clear message or talking points that go with it, to make sure everyone is getting the same info.

What circumstances would you use a calling tree for?

TheContinuityAdvisor.com provides a free phone tree template as an idea that you can access at the link provided: https://www.thecontinuityadvisor.com/business-continuity-templates/phone-tree-template/

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How often will you test your systems?

Annual Training and Events Schedule template

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Notification for Effective Response

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Continuity of Authority

Orders of Succession
Delegation of Authority

In this next section we will discuss continuity of authority best practices and principles. Continuation of leadership, including communications and directions from established authorities, is critical for business continuity during and after any business interruption. Succession and delegations of authority identifies lines of succession for the organization head and key positions required to authorize and approve communications and operations, and to maintain financial and legal responsibilities. For each position that requires legal documentation to enable successors to assume responsibilities, a delegation of authority document should be created. Successions and authorities is more than just a top management concept, but will also apply to each person involved with any essential function.

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Orders of Succession

Process of identifying and developing leadership personnel
Should be designed to ensure continuation of essential functions
Enables an orderly, predefined transition
Should run at least three positions deep

Succession planning is the process of identifying and developing essential personnel to assume responsibility to ensure continued leadership and decision making. It allows the continued performance of essential functions during an emergency when key personnel are unable to fulfill their obligations regardless of the reason. A smooth transition of decision makers decreases the potential for disruption of services. Planning and detailed written documentation of lines of succession are called orders of succession. These orders include establishing, promulgating, and maintaining orders of succession to key leadership positions. Orders of succession should be designed to ensure that the organization could manage and direct its essential functions and operations throughout any emergency, especially in the case of an agency or department head being unavailable (Cashen, 2006). Orders of succession enable an orderly and predefined transition of leadership within the organization. Since leadership and employees are the most vulnerable, they should reach to a sufficient depth (at least three positions deep), and have sufficient breadth (including geographically dispersed where feasible) to ensure that essential functions continue during the course of any emergency.

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Orders of Succession Cont.

Three deep for each essential function and critical operation
List successors in order
Include devolution counterparts
Include geographically dispersed individuals
Described by position titles
Reviewed by legal department
Is an essential record

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Establish a Succession Program

Establish succession development best practices
Identify succession triggers
Determine roles for succession
Follow activation best practices

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Succession Development Best Practices

Designate an acting head of the organization
Establish geographic dispersion
Consider candidates outside the potential impact area
Include all key leadership positions
Describe orders by title or position

There are a number of best practices to consider when establishing and activating orders of succession during an emergency. Key leadership and other positions not only must be identified, but the activation conditions must be specified. Each organization should consider how these best practices can be tailored to support their mission. In developing orders of succession, consider the following best practices:

• Designate an available manager to serve as acting head until that official is appointed by appropriate authority based on the essential functions of the position.

• Establish geographic dispersion. The dispersion should include regional, field, or satellite leadership in the line of succession, because it helps ensure roles and responsibilities can transfer in all contingencies.

• Look at personnel located outside of the impact region when a suitable field structure exists.

• Establish orders of succession for all key leadership positions. This includes administrators, key managers, and other key mission-essential personnel or equivalent positions.

• And also, describe orders of succession by positions or titles, rather than by the names of the individuals holding those offices. Individuals can leave, change jobs, and otherwise become unavailable, so it is important to identify the position, rather than the person. Job descriptions and skill requirements should determine the order of succession to ensure continuity.

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Identify Succession Plan Triggers

Identify loss of communications
Discover serious injury, incapacitation, or death
Receive notice of mental incapacity of a key leader
Receive notice of an incarceration or a promotion/ termination/resignation

The next step is to identify succession plan triggers. The assumption of key leadership positions may be triggered by various conditions. A planner may encounter one of the following triggers:

• When you identify the loss of communications. Loss of communications may very well prohibit communications for an extended period of time. Since critical decision making may require quick actions to maintain essential functions and protect life, extended loss of communications may require a leadership change.

• When you discover serious injury, incapacitation, or death. In the event a key leader falls victim to serious injury, illness, or death, the successor identified in the orders of succession can immediately assume authority and responsibility. This will be the most common trigger during an emergency.

• When you receive notice of mental incapacity of a key leader. In the event a key leader is injured or falls ill, and medical personnel have determined that the injury prevents that leader from fully controlling his/her faculties, the plan can promulgate the change in leadership by orders of succession.

• When you receive notice of an incarceration or a promotion, termination, or resignation. These circumstances are more broadly used in normal operations where the crisis event is not the primary justification of the change in leadership. However, the orders of succession still must indicate the change in leadership and delegation of authority.

There may be other triggers that are unique to your organization to also consider.

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Determine Roles for Succession Using Essential Functions �

Responsible for one or more essential functions
Develops and implements budgets
Develops and implements policies and standards
Develops information for public dissemination
Purchases equipment and improves the facility
Hires, promotes, and terminates staff
Coordinates operational response and allocates resources
Establishes the rules and procedures to follow when facing succession issues

The next step is to determine the roles for succession using essential functions. The Business Process Analysis discussed in a previous unit can help you identify the essential functions roles for succession.

When determining which positions should be identified in the orders of succession, consider the responsibilities of each position that:

• Holds responsibility for one or more essential functions;

• Develops and implements budgets;

• Develops and implements policies and standards;

• Develops information for public dissemination;

• Purchases equipment and improves the facility;

• Hires, promotes, and terminates staff;

• Coordinates operational response and allocates resources;

• And establishes the rules and procedures designated managers should follow when facing the issues of succession to office.

Smaller organizations in rural areas may have challenges in establishing depth in lines of succession as promoted by these best practices. In many cases, these organizations tend to assign their roles with broader powers and more duties than larger organizations. Organizations may have to spread or diffuse roles across several people or positions in order to adequately cover the responsibilities. For example, one position may be responsible for budgets, policies and standards, and communication; where in larger organizations, those roles may be held by several individuals. In these cases, service agreements with vendors and competitors can assist in creating more depth for key leadership positions; thereby creating a more robust succession plan. Planners should always have a lawyer review the succession plan.

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Succession Activation Best Practices

Determine the channels of notification
Determine limitations to granted authority: Conditions, exhausted communication methods, time missing
Include orders of succession in vital records
Establish an emergency personnel roster
Train successors on responsibilities

The last step for establishing a succession program is to follow succession activation best practices.

A succession plan only works when it is properly activated. Here are a number of best practices that work in accordance with applicable laws and procedures to ensure proper activation.

For example, determine the methods of notification. How will leaders communicate that succession has been activated?

Also, determine any geographic or organizational limitations to the authorities granted by the orders of succession. This includes identifying the criteria or conditions that must be present in order for a leader to be succeeded, as well as identifying the communication methods that must be exhausted before a key leader is succeeded, and determining how long communication with a key leader can be broken before a transition occurs.

Another example is to include orders of succession in vital records and ensure they are available at the continuity facilities or other backup locations. The plan must provide for personnel accountability throughout the duration of the emergency.

Also, establish a roster of fully equipped and trained continuity personnel with the authority to perform essential functions. Revise the orders of succession as changes occur and distribute the revisions promptly, and have a program plan in place for systematic reviews of the succession plan and periodic updates to reflect changes in the organization.

And lastly, train and provide refresher training to the designated successors, explain their responsibilities, and describe provisions for their relocation. Designated successors should receive annual refresher briefings. Training should include how to respond during non-work hours. Once the lines of succession are identified, a written plan that sets the range and scope of authority must be incorporated into the continuity plan.

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Delegation of Authority �

Pre-delegates authority
Specifies what a role has the authority to do during a crisis event
Ensures legal authority to carry out essential functions

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Delegation of Authority Basics �

Takes effect upon channel failure or trigger event, and terminates when channels are reestablished or conditions are met
Does not require a succession event
Is a routine part of daily operations
Runs at least three positions deep and geographically dispersed
Documents the legal authority to make decisions

Delegation of authority is the process of granting authority to carry out specific functions. It specifies, in writing, the range of decision making a position holds during a crisis. It determines when the authority starts and when it ends. To ensure legal sufficiency and clarity, delegation of authority should consist of the following characteristics:

• It takes effect when either normal channels of direction are disrupted or an event trigger is activated, and terminates when these channels are reestablished or event-trigger conditions are met.

• It does not require a succession event and can be activated and deactivated by specific triggers assigned to a role or roles.

• It is a routine part of daily operations that enables an organization to function efficiently.

• It is an essential part of a continuity plan and should reach a sufficient depth and breadth—at least three positions deep and geographically dispersed—to ensure essential functions continue.

• And it documents in advance (where designated) the legal authority to make decisions during a continuity situation.

Delegation of authority does not always include succession. An example of delegation without succession might be automatic authorization for managers to grant paid overtime hours for the first 72 hours after the onset of an event or declared emergency.

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Delegation of Authority Program Considerations

Ensure that essential functions are performed
Set the limits of authority
Communicate the limits of authority
Define circumstances delegation of authority takes effect or is terminated
Train anyone expected to assume authority

Here are some considerations when creating a delegation of authority program.

Organizations, partners, and community stakeholders should consider several factors when documenting the range of authority during an emergency. As a best practice, organizational planning for delegation of authority should span all levels of an organization. Each organization should consider the following practices and questions based on their essential functions and geographic dispersion.

Establish a plan that addresses delegation of authority to ensure that all required essential functions are performed. Is the plan in place before an event occurs so that it can be implemented seamlessly? Is each essential function covered?

Set the authority (including any exceptions) of a manager designated to exercise the authority of another, or to re-delegate functions and activities. Is the level of authority and decision making clear, including any exceptions to that authority? Is the direction clear for both functional and event-based authority?

Communicate the limits of authority and accountability for each position. Does each position understand the scope of his/ her authority during a crisis event? Does each position understand his/her individual liability for their decisions?

Define the circumstances under which delegation of authorities would take effect and would be terminated. Are risk mitigation strategies being used to determine which events are ranked as high priority and what triggers would cause a transfer of authority? Where does an infectious disease outbreak fall in this ranking system?

Train anyone who might be expected to assume authority in a crisis event, so that they can carry out their assigned responsibilities. Is training conducted at least annually? Is the completed training documented and included in vital records? This is especially important when the organization is geographically dispersed.

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Summary

7 Parts of a Communication Plan

Knowing your contacts
Knowing yours and their procedures
Having different ways to communicate
Knowing what your employees need
Knowing what your customers need
Having multiple avenues of communication
Knowing what your message will be and when you should communicate it.

Best practices

Pre-scripting messages
Designating authorised persons
Use multiple systems
Test the plans
Establish a Contact and Information Center
Create a Crisis Communications Team
Establish a Successions Program
Establish a Delegations of Authority Program

In summary, your crisis communications plans are vital for business continuity and is commonly rated as one of the most important areas of need for improvement in business continuity management. A good business continuity plan will still fail if you cannot communicate through the process.

A communication plan consists of the following 7 parts: One, knowing your supplier, vendor, employee, and other contacts; Two, knowing your business crisis or emergency procedures as well as the procedures of your suppliers and vendors; Three, having different ways to communicate with each recipient; Four, knowing what your employees need to know and when; Five, knowing what your customers and the public need to know, and when; Six, having multiple avenues of communication to deliver your message; And seven, knowing what your message will be and when you should communicate it.

Also some of the best practices to prepare for crisis communications include: pre-scripting messages, designating authorised spokespersons and persons authorised to initiate notifications, utilizing multiple notification systems, testing the communication plans; establishing a Contact and Information Center, whether physical or virtual, which operationalizes the communications plan; Creating a crisis communications team, which consists of assigned personnel to conduct the work associated with the communications plan; Establishing a successions program; And establishing a delegations of authority program.

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