The holiday season can be very enjoyable as we get together with family and friends, take a vacation, plan fun activities, or just relax. However, it can also create staffing challenges. Winter and the holidays traditionally coincide with cold and flu season, and in recent years, the threat of other respiratory illnesses like COVID and RSV have joined the mix. According to a recent article in the New York Times, “The infectious disease climate in the U.S. right now is not a picture of Covid’s going away, but of its falling in line alongside other endemic respiratory illnesses.”
A New Kind of Disaster
The typical cold and flu season are not typical anymore and this means illness-related absences can happen more frequently among your staff. Compound that with the already stressed labor market, and your business recovery plan has a different kind of disaster to deal with this season. It’s a bit sneakier than the larger weather events that we can forecast, during which times we can anticipate labor shortages as people choose to stay home and avoid travel on icy roads.
At Mail-Gard®, we understand that timing is everything. This time of year means more frequent scheduled days off and vacation time, as well as an increase in illness-related absences. Add to this an increase in volume as businesses try to make their sales goals for the year, and now meeting demanding service level agreements (SLAs) becomes a challenge.
Over the past 18 months, Mail-Gard has experienced more declarations related to staffing and capacity-constrained organizations than at any time in our 26-year history. Mail-Gard never defines what constitutes a disaster for our clients, we simply partner with each one to be as prepared as possible when the time comes.
Business Continuity Plans and Business Recovery Plans Should Never Take a Holiday!
Our experienced associates at Mail-Gard know disasters never take a holiday, so neither should your Business Continuity Plan (BCP) or Business Recovery Plan. As I stated in a recent blog, disasters strike twice when you don’t have a plan, so you need to be prepared. In these trying times, it feels like the next disaster event is never far away, so take a deep breath, try to find some stress relief, but don’t put off business continuity and recovery planning.
Mail-Gard Helps Businesses Prepare for Any Disaster
Whether it’s severe weather, labor shortages caused by illness, or anything else that winter throws your way, Mail-Gard is here to help your business survive, and even thrive, during the holidays and all year long. Contact us today. We’re here to help.
