Threat Landscapes Continue to Evolve for Many Fortune 500 Companies
July 12, 2021
Threat Landscapes: Plan for the Unexpected Post-Pandemic
Threat landscapes are unpredictable for several reasons. Many businesses were caught off guard by the COVID-19 pandemic, scrambling to maintain operations, having to adjust their supply chains, and transitioning to a digital workspace overnight. However, if there is one lesson to take away from the ordeal, it is that businesses, including Fortune 500 corporations, must constantly be looking ahead while expecting the unexpected. In 2021, the threat landscape for many industries continues to evolve, and careful planning and emergency response plans could save corporations hundreds of thousands of dollars should a disaster or other labour stoppages occur.
Business continuity planning, utilizing highly experienced professionals can be extremely beneficial. Here’s what threats many Fortune 500 corporations, including manufacturers of consumer goods, healthcare, technology, oil and gas, auto industries, transportation, grocers, and more, should be planning for post-pandemic.
Threat Landscapes Include Natural Disasters and Unexpected Disruptions
Many corporations learned that their supply chains were highly vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic. The global supply chain proved to be highly delicate, with disruptions from workforces becoming sick, lockdowns, and other border restrictions that upset the free flow of goods through different parts of the supply chain. As one part of a supply chain was impacted by the pandemic, other parts faltered, ultimately hurting the productivity of many businesses.
Heading into 2022, major suppliers of consumer goods that rely heavily on same-day delivery should plan for natural disasters, including flash floods, hurricanes, and even future pandemics. In addition, business continuity planning for major Fortune 500 companies should speak to the possibility of sudden disruptions, how they can leverage temporary labour shortages and emergency base-camp services in serious emergencies. Further, a careful inspection of your supply chain can identify key suppliers and specialized labour you rely on and offer solutions should one part of the supply chain be suddenly interrupted.
Is Remote Working Environments Part of the Threat Landscape in Your Industry?
Remote work environments continue to become a significant trend for many large businesses. New best practices and HR policies for remote working environments had to be developed on the fly, and many workforces continue to adjust to this nature of work. For some industries, the transition has been simple, but for others, it comes with critical privacy and IT issues.
Many industries will have to revise their HR policies regarding remote or hybrid work environments. Further, some other corporations will need to consider planning for remote work to be a permanent part of their industry and the complications that come with this change.
Printing sensitive documents on home networks already poses issues, along with the potential for cyberattacks, due to many professionals bringing their own devices to both secured and unsecured networks. Continued planning is necessary for remote workforces to ensure they remain productive and resilient to outside actors attempting to breach your workers’ home offices. Despite remote work being embraced by many, the ongoing threats and challenges will need to be continually addressed by business owners.
Threat Landscape: Will Workers be the Ultimate Threat to Business Viability?
One threat to productivity could be workers themselves, as many businesses might have to adjust their offerings to continue recruiting and retaining low-cost workforces. Many industries rely on low-skilled, low-paying roles to ensure the ongoing profitability of their business. These workers might ask for so much more from their employers, including a continuing commitment to health and safety, increased PPE (personal protective equipment), and other health benefits.
Additionally, the emergence of the PRO Act in the United States might complicate relationships between worker and employer, and some workers might opt to pass on returning to the job site until they are satisfied with an employer’s offerings. The PRO Act could cause the creation of more unions that ultimately demand more benefits, increased wages, and more job security. The expected changes in the relationships between employer and worker throughout the United States will be significant, and business owners should plan for strikes, difficult union negotiations, absenteeism, and walk-offs.
Ongoing business continuity planning should speak to all these possibilities, including how an employer will respond to these issues along with the role temporary labor will play should entire workforces choose to head to the picket line.
Address Your Corporation’s Threat Landscape With AFIMAC
Fortune 500 companies should plan for absolutely anything after a challenging pandemic. Many threats against your business continue to evolve in 2021, and consistent planning ensures that you can maintain operations throughout any sort of emergency, including strikes, walk-offs, and other labor shortages.
Business continuity services offered by AFIMAC ensure that your business maintains its levels of productivity through any disruption, whether it be a worker strike or natural disaster. Ensure that your business can maintain its operations with innovative solutions for challenging labor disruptions of all kinds and protect your supply chain by any means necessary. Leverage business continuity planning, temporary labor, and strike security services with the professionals at AFIMAC.
Contact us directly to learn more about our solutions for employers, leaders of post-secondary spaces, religious institutions, healthcare facilities, and much more. Fill out the form below to speak with an AFIMAC representative directly.
Updated January 4th, 2024: Event in a post-pandemic world, threats against business and operations remain persistent. Risks include work stoppages, political unrest, natural disasters, and so much more. Lean on AFIMAC to help you, as an employer, plan for risk in all its different forms.
