A paperless office not only runs smoother, but also a healthier and more environmentally conscious business system. When companies digitize their records, it is usually because a large number of documents, even very large ones, have created inefficiencies in the work environment.
This inefficiency eats away at the productive time of employees who, instead of doing what they’re paid for, spend up to an hour or more each day searching for files or documents.
Reclaim Your Office Space
Going paperless can free up more office space than you know what to do with. Many offices that are full of physical documents are also full of file boxes, bookcases, filing cabinets, and other storage media, taking up valuable office space. Freeing up that space for employee activities, floor space, or new equipment can greatly improve workflow in the office. The extra space means employees can walk around more freely, without feeling claustrophobic surrounded by filings.
Paperless Office for Productivity
Productivity improvements for paperless office usually significant, and there are several reasons why. Employees in a messy office are often frustrated by the number of files. Some may find it cramped because the storage space required for files encroaches on their reasonably sized office. All of them may not like archiving and they may not like searching for files which may or may not be stored properly. It’s also typical that most employees in an office are too qualified to file – they’re worth more doing something else, right? Going paperless allows your employees to focus on doing what they do best.
Going paperless removes the constant burden on employees of having to physically find the documents they need to get the job done. Employing a searchable database model instead allows employees to search for any document required and access it instantly. It also reduces the burden of having to file and re-archive documents at the office, an activity we found to be a real pain in the neck for productivity in most settings.
Paperless for Guests
It’s impossible to keep your filing system looking neat all the time. After all, it is used by every employee in your office! What’s more, employees in your company may prefer to do all of their filing at once, and documents may often sit in the workspace. It is clear that physical filing systems are always changing, with some items missing and some waiting to be added. This system can never really be “cleaned up” because people always need files. When guests in your office see the space in this condition, they may hesitate to do business.
The office behind the filing looks untidy and disorganized compared to a paperless office. Also, an abundance of documents may make the office look disorganized even when it really isn’t! Going paperless means your office will make the best impression every time. What’s the point of renting a fancy, expensive office space only to mess it up with a filing cabinet?
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Going paperless improves productivity and workflow in your office, frees your employees from stressful and tedious filing tasks, and helps you appear as part of your guests. Obviously, a paperless office is a winning combination.
Andy Morley working for Clear Data, one of the UK’s leading document management companies. Cleardata can help free up extra space in your office by reducing the number of paper documents.
