Databarracks warns crisis plans ignore remote working

Databarracks has issued a warning that a significant number of UK organisations are still relying on crisis management plans tailored for office-based teams, failing to account for the permanent shift toward remote and hybrid working.

According to their data, two-thirds of the UK workforce now operates outside a traditional office setting for at least part of the week. Despite this, business continuity and incident response processes often remain tethered to outdated assumptions of physical presence.

Databarracks cited findings from its Data Health Check survey of UK organisations. It said 85% of organisations report having business continuity plans. It said many have not adapted those plans for distributed teams.

Planning gap

Databarracks said remote crisis management introduces additional risk factors. It highlighted reduced situational awareness, fragmented communications across multiple tools, and challenges in recognising stress in staff who are not physically present.

"Managing a crisis in person is hard enough. Doing it over a screen adds layers of complexity that can quickly derail a response. You lose the situational awareness of a shared office, communication becomes fragmented across too many digital channels and the mental toll on isolated staff is much harder to spot," said Chris Butler, Resilience Director, Databarracks.

Databarracks also raised concerns about preparedness testing. It said 77% of organisations reported confidence in their ability to respond to a crisis. It questioned whether that confidence reflects real-world readiness when teams have not rehearsed a remote response.

Seven practices

Databarracks has outlined seven essential practices for remote crisis leadership, covering preparation, exercises, communications, and staff welfare, alongside post-incident improvement strategies. The primary recommendation involves developing a crisis management plan tailored for remote teams; specifically, organisations should define responsibilities and decision-making authority across various locations, while establishing clear protocols for identifying, assessing, and escalating incidents.

"A plan is the foundation. It must clearly define responsibilities and decision-making authority across remote locations. It should also set out how crises are identified, assessed and escalated, and include pre-approved communication templates to save time and help coordinate responses when pressure is high," said Butler.

The second recommendation addressed training and exercises. Databarracks said teams need to know how to locate the plan and use it. It said organisations should train staff to identify early warning signs and escalate them promptly.

Databarracks highlighted the role of deputies and backups in response teams. It said organisations often over-rely on a small number of specialists. It also described how exercises can reflect remote conditions.

"A plan only works if the team knows how to find it and how to use it. Everyone should be trained to spot early warning signs of a crisis and escalate them without delay. Training and exercising should include not only primary responders but deputy responders as well - crises don't wait for the right people to be available. We recommend regular simulations that mirror reality: this means running virtual exercises where facilitators stay in the background with cameras off to maintain realism and ensure the team relies on their remote protocols. Studying from real-life crises in your sector and learning from them is also key," said Butler.

Leadership pressure

Databarracks' third recommendation focused on leadership behaviour early in an incident. The guidance said leaders should avoid rushing decisions and should communicate clearly. It framed calm decision-making as a factor in maintaining response discipline while events develop.

"Panic is contagious. In the early stages of an incident, leaders must pause. Moving too quickly leads to rushed decisions that often cause more harm than good. Act decisively when needed, but stop for deeper analysis when it matters. Focus on what you know and lead by example through calm and clear communication," said Butler.

The fourth recommendation addressed resource planning. Databarracks said incidents can span multiple shifts. It said organisations should reassess tasks regularly and spread work across teams. It also pointed to scheduling considerations for global teams and the role of asynchronous updates.

"Crisis response is demanding. Incidents typically span multiple shifts, so longer-term planning around people, time and workload is essential. It's very easy to over-rely on a few key individuals, particularly in technical teams. You have to distribute the load by reassessing and adjusting tasks regularly. For global teams, deliberate scheduling and asynchronous updates help maintain momentum without exhausting staff," said Butler.

Comms and welfare

Databarracks said communications need specific structure in a remote crisis. It called for a single source of truth and a consistent rhythm of updates. It said leaders should keep visibility across team channels and in one-to-one conversations.

"Without the corridor conversations that happen in an office, information gaps can grow quickly. Organisations need a single source of truth, and establishing a consistent update rhythm is vital. To do this, centralise communication, ensure leadership is visible through team channels and one-to-one conversations, and encourage staff to provide feedback to leadership as the crisis unfolds. It's also important not to leave wider teams in an information vacuum. Regular updates help reduce uncertainty and anxiety," said Butler.

The sixth recommendation focused on staff wellbeing. Databarracks said remote settings make it easier to miss signs of stress. It called for structured check-ins that focus on the person rather than only task progress.

"In remote settings, signs of stress are easy to miss. It's vital to lead with empathy: hold regular, structured check-ins focussed on the person and not just the task and actively maintain morale by being honest with staff and providing reassurance and praise for their work," said Butler.

The final recommendation covered lessons learned after an incident. Databarracks called for a blame-free post-incident review and updates to plans and training.

"After the crisis, the focus must shift to improvement. A blame-free post-incident review allows teams to walk through what happened and update their plans and training for next time. It's then important to recognise everyone's effort and celebrate the recovery, to build morale, trust and a sense of collective achievement," said Butler.

"The ultimate goal is a crisis-ready culture. Our data shows that 77% of organisations feel confident in their ability to respond to a crisis, but that confidence is only justified if you have practised under the conditions you'll actually face. Resilience isn't just about technical skills, it's about leadership, empathy and coordination," concluded Butler.