Did you know that the average employee spends up to 40% of their time simply searching for the information they need to do their jobs? That’s a lot of time (and money) that could be allocated towards tasks that help improve business performance.
Often, this wasted time is a result of poor paper records management. When employees need to dig through a large inventory of physical files, can’t recall if the document was born analog or digitally, or otherwise have issues locating certain records, this is an indication that your current paper records management system is sorely inefficient.
However, implementing certain changes can help to significantly improve your paper records management, so that every person in your organization spends less time searching for documents and more time attending to role-critical functions. Here are 3 ways that you can improve your paper records management to increase the efficiency of your business.
1. Identify your Records
According to the EPA, only 25% of the paper in most offices is program record materials that need to be managed in the office. This means that 75% of paper records can be stored using an alternative method. Begin by identifying which records fall into each category. Once you have separated the documents that can be managed in alternative ways, you can begin to decrease the mountains of paper that contribute to your paper records management issues.
2. Analyze the Needs of Your Business
While paper records management issues may be fairly standard across the board – poor organization, high volumes of paper files, etc. – solutions to these problems will differ based on the particular needs of your business. Implementing a new system that works for one industry may not be suitable for the next. Identify what the needs of your business are in order to help frame the best paper records management solution. This includes addressing what the needs of your employees are, and what you will need in a new system.
3. Invest in a System that Addresses Your Records Management Needs
There are myriad solutions available on the market that can help your significantly improve your paper records management. This could involve media conversion (paper documents to digital images), implementing a paperless office solution, or even something as simple as installing a desktop scanner. It may also extend to encompass integrated electronic document management systems, setting up workflow software, and more. When making the decision to implement a system to improve your paper records management, be sure to choose an experienced vendor who can support you in the transition and provide the expertise you need to make your project successful.
The importance of improving your paper records management is often undervalued by organizations. However, taking the steps that can help your team perform better and increase productivity is an opportunity that cannot be ignored. Through improved records management, your business will run more efficiently and produce higher quality outputs – an outcome that is indeed valuable.
