Backups and Contingencies

Sometimes we don’t realize how critical an employee is until they leave. Has this happened to you?

Maybe they had access to a particular file or system, or maybe they knew what buttons to press in a process, or maybe they knew who to talk to or where all the critical information could be found.  The bottom line is that now that person is gone, what do you do?  At a minimum, it is annoying.  At worst, it is crippling.

Let’s not have that happen to you.

Ideally, you want to ensure your team is insulated from such upsets.  By identifying critical processes and information, then sharing that information amongst your team, not only will you minimize the disruption if someone leaves, but you also build training material for when someone new joins.

Here are the three steps you need to take to ensure you have sufficient back-ups and contingencies in place:

1️⃣ Discovery: Take the time to understand your team's workflows and processes. Identify critical junctures where a single point of failure could disrupt operations. By pinpointing these "pinch points," you'll be better equipped to anticipate challenges and implement proactive solutions.

2️⃣ Documentation: Documenting processes is a game changer in maintaining continuity, especially when team members transition roles or leave the organization. Host a collaborative session with your team to create detailed documentation outlining workflows, critical steps, and responsibilities. Having this roadmap readily available ensures seamless knowledge transfer and empowers your team to navigate tasks effectively.  This could take the form of process-flow diagrams, lists of step-by-step instructions, or even back-ups of key operational documentation.

3️⃣ Cross Training: Ensure team members are cross-trained on critical processes or functions.  And encourage employees to share knowledge and train each other on essential tasks. This proactive approach not only mitigates risks associated with employee turnover but also strengthens team cohesion and resilience.

Creating suitable back-ups and contingencies will take a bit of work to put into place.  But once it is ready, you will not only be ready to handle any upsets on your team but you will have the resources ready to train the next generation of employees.  Nothing communicates your effectiveness quite like having a back-up plan in place.

How do you create back-ups on your team?