Exploring Telework as a Business Continuity Strategy:
A Guide to Getting Started

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When Disaster Strikes: Telework as a Business Continuity Strategy

ITAC conducted research in 2004 that revealed that less than half of the private and public sector organizations contacted by ITAC had included telework in their business continuity plans. This finding was surprising since nearly one in five U.S. companies suffered a disaster in 2004 that caused their companies to cease operations for a period of time, according to a Partnership for Public Warning study commissioned by AT&T. Other research has shown that 43% of companies hit by severe crisis never opened their operations again.

ITAC research found that business continuity planning often focused on corporate infrastructure without taking into account the human factor - the employee. As a result, ITAC launched the Telework/Business Continuity Project, a groundbreaking study that explored telework as a business continuity strategy. Through this project the following information resources are now available.

Comprehensive Report: ITAC has released a 120+-page, research report, “Exploring Telework as a Business Continuity Strategy: A Guide to Getting Started.” This report provides eight detailed steps on how to incorporate telework as part of an organization’s business continuity strategy. In addition the report describes Technology Solutions that enable people to work remotely at anytime, and provides tailored strategies for federal agencies and business case studies to survive disasters. ITAC is providing a free PDF download of the report.

Free Executive Summary: An eight-page executive summary of the full report is available for free as a PDF download. This summary explains why business continuity should be a priority, the effects of disaster on businesses, and why telework is critical for a successful business continuity plan.

Free Webinar: One-hour webinar (PowerPoint Presentation and Audio of Speakers) on the report’s findings that explains how telework can be incorporated into an organization’s continuity of operations and identifies the full employee and employer benefits of telework. The webinar features presenters, Robert Smith, ITAC’s Director; Jennifer Verive, Research Chair for ITAC; and June Langhoff, the author of “Exploring Telework as a Business Continuity Strategy.”

Directions to access the webinar are as follows:
Windows PC users can access the webinar at http://www.worldatwork.org/itac
Mac users need to have Microsoft's Windows Media Player, and open the following URL (mms://media.worldatwork.org/ITAC/ITAC.wmv) in the Windows Media Player.

A press release is also available for the media.

Telework as a business continuity strategy is one of many benefits businesses and government agencies can realize when enabling their employees with the flexibility to work from anywhere. These many different benefits are presented by ITAC in other research, such as the 2003 report “Teleworking Comes of Age with Broadband,” and during its September 13 & 14 Annual Conference.

Bredin Business Information, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based consultancy, conducted the research and wrote the report.