ANALYSIS & OPINION:BUSINESS CONTINUITY


THE REPORTS FROM THE OPERATORS LOOK POSITIVE, WITH SIRO, WHICH OPERATES A FTTH NETWORK COVERING 300,000 PREMISES IN IRELAND, SAYING IT HAS SUFFICIENT CAPACITY FOR AN INCREASE IN TRAFFIC


Field engineers should not share vehicles and should follow hygiene and social distancing guidelines


symptoms. As part of our disaster recovery planning, we had previously established the capability to work remotely. However, we had not tested the system at full capacity and – given that we have seen a 30 per cent increase in headcount since the beginning of the year – this was an area in which we invested some thought and preparation. We completed user testing and then scheduled a full remote working day for the business on what turned out to be the day that the schools were closed in Ireland. Tankfully, we had a successful transition and we have had a minimal headcount in our offices ever since. At present, 95 per cent of our office-based


staff are now working from home and we have protocols in place for all our field engineers to ensure they are not sharing vehicles and following hygiene and social distancing guidelines. Our IRT has also deployed a reporting


procedure should any employee display Covid-19 symptoms that uses our parent company’s 24/7/365 Global Service Centre (GSC).


Understand client needs We have liaised with all our clients outlining our incident response plan and conducted risk assessments on all projects to ensure we have the correct working practices in place. Now, more than ever, we need to


understand our clients’ priorities and ensure we are dimensioned and aligned to support them in achieving these.


www.fibre-systems.com @fibresystemsmag


Business continuity Job security ranks highly on our hierarchy of needs, so by implementing these new work practices and organisational set-ups we aim to protect staff jobs and incomes. Based on data from other countries, it is likely that we will see an increase in cases in Ireland and the UK and we are prepared for this eventuality to ensure that we maintain project run rates. We all need to stay well or at least not become ill at the same time in order to support the work that needs to be done.


Internal communication Anyone with an internet connection will have been subjected to ‘fake news’ surrounding the spread of the virus. Tat is why it is key to communicate verified information and share trusted news sources with all employees. Our IRT meets daily to discuss the current state of the outbreak, how our current practices are working and to discuss the queries staff have raised. Following on from this, we host a weekly Microsoſt Teams call with all staff to keep them informed with any new developments and to have to open questions and answers.


Key messages • Hand hygiene – wash for 20 seconds • • •


Social distancing of 2m is paramount Proper cough/sneeze etiquete


It is critical to follow government and HSE/ NHS guidelines


• No movement between buildings if your office has more than one premises


Best tools •


Email


• Microsoſt Teams - Use video! • Microsoſt Forms • • •


Phone Laptop iPads


What does the future hold for the industry? Most people are playing a bit of a guessing game, but we are in a fortunate position with our parent company, Indigo Telecom Group, sharing useful insights from other countries that have been impacted by the virus. I believe that the telecoms sector will


continue to be identified as a critical industry and even if further travel restrictions are implemented, we will be ready to support our clients to maintain network uptime and expand their network capacity which is even more critical by having the necessary permits and work practices in place. We advise any company who will require


their employees to travel in the near future to put similar contingencies in place, as we need to be ready for any eventuality. I hope our experiences of preparing for Covid-19 can be of assistance to others as we batle this once-in- a-generation event. Our key message is that we are all in this


together and the telecoms industry will have a vital role to play in supporting current work practices and paving the way for the recovery that will come. Stay safe.n


Niall Looney is operations director at 4site Issue 27 n Spring 2020 n FiBRE SYSTEMS 19


4site1


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