Step 1: Identify your risks.
From multiple perspectives, you want to identify your risks. Think stakeholders, but you can also scrutinize your organization's goals and business processes. Sometimes it is difficult to visualize these risks directly. One method to get more input into your risks is the so-called Nominal Group Technique (NGT). NGT is a kind of brainstorming session in which you have everyone write down risks individually. Then you list all the risks and discuss and rank them together. This provides more input than a traditional brainstorm and prevents "strong-willed" employees from just doing the talking. Furthermore, it is crucial that you take the time for this to create even more awareness within your organization.
Step 2: Set assessment criteria based on the risks
After you have identified the risks, it is important to establish assessment criteria for the risks found. Questions such as:
- How urgent is a risk?
- And what criteria do you attach to that?
- Based on impact or frequency?
Impact (Large, medium and small) and frequency (continuous, daily, weekly, etc.) are often used, but don't hesitate to add your own criteria.
Step 3: Establish a treatment procedure against the established risks
After establishing assessment criteria, you, as an organization, should implement a treatment procedure as part of your risk analysis. A handling procedure can be seen as a kind of intervention for handling the risks within your organization. In it, measures are written that determine who, what and when to do regarding the risks. This is important to encourage ownership.
Remember: if everyone is responsible, no one is responsible. Furthermore, this ensures that you do not overlook risks and know how to address them.
Step 4: Stay critical of your risk analysis!
Finally, it is important (as always) to remain critical. It is advisable to schedule set times to reflect on the functioning of the risk analysis and related procedures. This ensures a pragmatic and effective approach to risk analysis.
In short, risk analysis is an important part of ISO standards. It appears in every standard, and it can be a fundamental part of your operations. Especially in turbulent and radical times. Sometimes you have to change course as an organization, but this has to be done responsibly to create awareness within the organization. Failure to stay aware of the obstacles and dangers can have crucial consequences for your business continuity. So all in all, stay alert and always analyze your risks in order to be aware of what is happening around you as an organization. This way you are always one step ahead of any potential danger, after all, prevention is better than cure!
