The Absolute Worst Business Busts While You’re On Holidays (and how to avoid them)

You’d rather not be thinking about a security breach, broken pipe or defamatory news story right now, but stop packing and get prepared before you leave work for the holidays.

You’ve drafted an out-of-office multiple times by now (from the very professional, board-friendly version to the “Sayonara, Susan – wait for those receipts until 2020!” feel-good initial rough draft) and have already mentally checked out. But there are a few essential things to do before officially exiting the building. Have you considered the following? 

• Contacts
  Do you have the phone numbers AND personal email addresses of all of your direct reports? You’d better be sure they won’t be logging into Outlook, so ensure you know how to reach everyone from Susan (ugh) to building maintenance and security, third-party contacts and contractors, and your press office/media liaison (if a story hits the news and it regards your business, mutual support is a must, even if you’re on opposite sides of the country or ocean). 
• Cyber Security
  The Australian government is now able to levy $10m fines on local companies for gaps in their systems that allow hackers access to information they shouldn’t have. When’s the last time you’ve done a robust IT/security health check? Sure, it’s been on the to-do list for … months … but it’s one of those things you need to prioritise before your HR or client data is hacked. Schedule one of the experts at Centrix now to conduct a free thermometer check as soon as you’re back in the chair. There’s nothing to lose if you do and only your most valuable info and cash if you don’t. Regardless the size of your IT team, an outside expert can often identify things overlooked by internals. 
• See You Next Year
  If you’re planning to go way off the grid, it’s important to take extra care in your handover. It isn’t enough for those left behind to have a number you won’t be answering and a spreadsheet of what needs to be done in your absence – instead, play a game of “worst case scenario” with yourself, decide who would know how to solve the problems your way, and spell everything out clearly on a document or documents that consider confidentiality. It’s annoying enough to get a call from your home security agency when you’re on holiday and the alarm’s gone off due to a summer storm – but if a storm’s hit your office (or intranet!), there will be far more bills to pay. Allow an extra hour of prep before this season’s holidays and you’ll truly learn the value of the phrase “rest assured.”