Are you looking to ditch the paper and convert your office to a fully paperless workplace in 2022? With sustainable living at the forefront of everyone's mind, now is certainly the time to engage your workforce with this task. While it won’t be easy to make the switch to digital processes and files, it will be worth it. Here, we explore the benefits of going paperless and how to implement the change in your office.
What Are The Benefits Of Going Paperless?
Save Money
Cutting down on our paper consumption also cuts our office costs. Did you know that businesses are spending up to $8 billion each year to manage their paperwork? Businesses must pay to purchase paper and printer ink and to store completed paperwork securely. Going paperless eliminates all of these costs.
Save Space
Just imagine being able to remove those bulky boxes and filing cabinets full of archived documents from your office. How much extra space would you free up? Well, if you go paperless you can do just that! Say goodbye to the dusty cabinets as you move to store your archived documentation in the cloud. You will also free up space where your office printers used to be.
Streamline Your Workflow
An efficient digitised filing system can help you to cut down on wasted time. How many hours have you wasted searching the filing cabinets for a lost document or printing out an agenda and circulating it to your colleagues? With a paperless system, you can seamlessly store, share and collaborate on your documents.
Support Remote Working
Before the age of digital documents and cloud storage, remote working left us dependent on paper files and slow fax machines. Going paperless helps to increase data accessibility, effectively supporting a remote workforce.
Increase Data Security
Do you find the need to constantly shred confidential paperwork tedious? Is it a hassle having to remember to lock the filing cabinets each time you went to retrieve some documentation? Cloud security measures, such as data encryption and one-time password authentication, ensure your digital documentation is always kept safe and secure.
Protect The Environment
If you are striving to make your office more eco-friendly, going paperless will go a long way towards achieving this. Think about how many trees have to be cut down to support the paper consumption in your office. Also, how much energy is consumed to produce usable paper from those trees. Going paperless can help to support a sustainable workplace and to protect the planet.
How To Make The Switch To A Paperless Office
With a bit of preparation, the transition to a paperless office will be smooth. The following tips should give you a good head start:
Train Your Co-workers
Before making the change to a fully paperless office, it is important to check that all of your colleagues are on board. After all, you are going to need their cooperation if this is to be a success. While it may prove challenging to change old habits if you provide patient and informative training, it will get everybody off to a great start. Give everybody a chance to voice their worries and concerns and make sure that these are addressed transparently.
Prioritise Digital Options
We are lucky to live in a digital age, where there is generally a paperless option for everything! Teach your workforce to opt for the digital option wherever possible. Small changes can make all the difference, for example using Sticky Notes on your computer instead of paper post-it notes or taking notes during a meeting on an iPad. You can even create a virtual bulletin board to keep everyone in the loop.
Remove Printers
If they are not there, they can’t be used, right? Instead, encourage your co-workers to share documentation digitally, for example using Google Docs. If you can’t get rid of your printers entirely, just keep one shared printer between the entire office and encourage everybody to limit their use of it.
Find Paper Substitutions
Consider substituting common paper office items with alternatives. Replace paper towels with reusable tea towels in the kitchen and hand towels in the toilets. These can be washed weekly and reused. Encourage everybody to bring in their own personal mugs so that you no longer need paper cups. When purchasing office supplies, always try to opt for a sustainable and reusable choice.
Make Use of Online Software And The Cloud
There are so many online file sharing and storage options available to support the efficient and seamless running of your company. From cloud-based visitor management systems to instant messaging apps and project management software, the technology is available to ensure a smooth transition to a paperless office. Make sure that you train your staff on how to use these tools effectively and it will be smooth sailing for all!
Closing Remarks
The most important step when making the transition to a paperless office is making a start! These tips should inspire you to start your journey to a paper-free workspace. Remember to get everybody on board from the start and everything will be seamless.
