[OR] [BSN] [E2] [C17] Implementing Training and Awareness

Chapter 17

 Implement Training and Awareness – Stage 3 of the Sustain Phase of BSN’s Operational Resilience Planning Methodology

Overview

As part of the "Sustain" phase in Bank Simpanan Nasional’s (BSN) Operational Resilience Planning Methodology, the "Implement Training and Awareness" stage ensures that all stakeholders — from frontline personnel to executive leadership — are prepared to respond effectively to disruptions.

Training and awareness initiatives foster a culture of resilience by embedding knowledge, responsiveness, and preparedness across all layers of the organisation.

Given BSN’s critical role in Malaysia’s financial ecosystem — particularly in delivering essential banking and government disbursement services — this stage is essential to operational continuity, regulatory compliance, and stakeholder confidence.

Objectives of Training and Awareness

• Instil a resilience mindset across all departments and functions.
• Ensure personnel understand their roles during disruptions.
• Validate the readiness of recovery teams.
• Promote familiarity with incident escalation protocols.
• Reinforce knowledge of critical business functions (CBFs) and their interdependencies.

Implementation Steps

1. Stakeholder Identification and Role Alignment

BSN must first identify all relevant internal and external stakeholders involved in the resilience framework.

Example

For CBS-6 (Agent Banking), this includes both BSN branch officers and third-party agents who serve rural customers. These agents must be trained on backup procedures when connectivity is disrupted.

Key Actions

• Map roles to critical functions.
• Identify key personnel in CBFs and support functions.
• Confirm contact details and escalation hierarchies.

2. Develop Training Curriculum and Materials

The training content should reflect BSN’s operational structure, existing incident response plans, and sector-specific resilience challenges.

Custom Modules May Include:

• Operational Resilience Overview
• Crisis Communication Protocols
• Cybersecurity and Fraud Awareness
• Regulatory Compliance (e.g., for CBS-10 Regulatory Reporting)

Example

For CBS-4 (Digital Banking), training includes response protocols during online service outages and cyber incidents, including rapid communication to customers via social media and SMS alerts.

3. Conduct Scenario-Based Training Exercises

Simulation and tabletop exercises help evaluate the effectiveness of procedures and individual performance under pressure.

Example

A cyberattack scenario disabling CBS-3 (ATM and Self-Service Banking Infrastructure) can test coordination between IT, Communications, and Retail Banking teams.

Key Types of Exercises

• Tabletop exercises for leadership teams.
• Functional drills for frontliners (e.g., branch personnel, contact centres).
• Technical simulations for IT and cybersecurity teams.

4. Leverage E-Learning and Microlearning Platforms

To reach all staff efficiently — including those in remote branches and agents — BSN can deploy digital learning platforms.

Example

An online module on “Responding to Government Aid System Outages” (CBS-2) enables agents and staff to complete training asynchronously, with built-in quizzes to test comprehension.

5. Evaluate Training Effectiveness

Assessment mechanisms help BSN gauge training impact and identify areas for improvement.

Methods

• Pre- and post-training assessments
• Employee feedback forms
• Incident response metrics (e.g., response time, error rate)

Example

After a drill involving CBS-9 (Customer Complaint and Dispute Resolution), measure how quickly frontliners reassured customers and escalated unresolved issues to the central team.

6. Communicate Lessons Learned and Best Practices

Post-training reviews and knowledge-sharing sessions promote continuous improvement.

Example

Following a joint training exercise between CBS-7 (Treasury and Liquidity Management) and CBS-8 (Core Banking System), document integration challenges and circulation improvement notes were circulated through internal newsletters.

7. Institutionalise Regular Training Cadence

Training must be recurring, not one-off. Annual refreshers, role-based onboarding modules, and periodic incident reviews should be part of the bank’s resilience culture.

Recommendations

• Schedule annual enterprise-wide simulations.
• Integrate resilience modules into employee onboarding.
• Align refreshers with BSN’s audit and compliance cycles.

Training and Awareness by Critical Business Function

Summing Up ...

A robust training and awareness programme is the cornerstone of BSN’s ability to operate through disruption. With tailored, role-specific training initiatives and regular simulations, BSN can ensure operational resilience across its diversified service offerings.

The emphasis on preparedness not only meets regulatory expectations but also builds internal confidence and external trust in BSN’s ability to withstand and recover from crises.

By institutionalising these practices, BSN ensures that resilience is not just a framework, but a lived reality embedded into the daily operations of every function, employee, and partner.

Gain Competency: For organisations looking to accelerate their journey, BCM Institute’s training and certification programs, including the OR-5000 Operational Resilience Expert Implementer course, provide in-depth insights and practical toolkits for effectively embedding this model.