| Many of us have heard about it, the fact that | | | | this quickly turns into excess requiring |
| you are reading this article shows that you | | | | massive amounts of storage space. To |
| are interested in it. "Is it realistic to | | | | accommodate this need, we tend to pack it |
| have a "paperless office"? What are the | | | | into file cabinets, desk drawers and other |
| benefits of a "paperless office"? Besides, as | | | | crevices we find that will get it out of our |
| you read this you are more than likely | | | | way until it is needed again. Since paper |
| surrounded by paper. Paper has blossomed | | | | does not have the ability to automatically |
| into an integrated part of our everyday | | | | delete itself theses piles grow quickly. |
| business and personal life, and has become | | | | Remember when you had just one file cabinet? |
| woven into our mental framework. So is it | | | | Has that one cabinet now morphed into a |
| really possible to achieve a "paperless | | | | dedicated file room and offsite storage |
| office and why should you? Please join me in | | | | facilities? What about your own personal |
| examining these questions in a 3 part series | | | | workspace. Has your working area transformed |
| "So You're Considering a Paperless Office." | | | | into the paper monster? |
| In part 1 we talk about what you should | | | | |
| consider when thinking about a paperless | | | | While paper's physical properties makes it |
| office. Part 2 examines if it is realistic to | | | | easy to lose, misplace, destroy or piled up, |
| have a paperless office and the true | | | | it also requires person to person |
| expectations you should have. Part 3 | | | | interactions to transfer. Have you ever |
| discusses finding the right paperless office | | | | needed a file from a co-worker who was out of |
| system for your organization. | | | | the office that day? What do you do? Like |
| | | | many, you probably raided their cubicle or |
| SO WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF PAPER? | | | | office hoping to locate the necessary files. |
| | | | Or have you ever worked outside of the office |
| You can touch it, write on it, and easily | | | | or moving between multiple office locations |
| pass it along to others. For the most part | | | | and realized that you forgot an important |
| it is relatively inexpensive and very | | | | file? Sure you can have the information |
| abundant. We all use it, from business | | | | faxed to you but is that really an optimal |
| interactions to grocery list, without a doubt | | | | solution? In most cases, the answer is no. |
| paper has become an integrated part of our | | | | |
| everyday life. Paper appeals to our sense of | | | | |
| touch, we can grasp it ("put our finger on | | | | I remember several years back while working |
| it") and proclaim we "have it in black and | | | | as a manager for a healthcare management |
| white." It requires very little training to | | | | company that had an entire room dedicated to |
| use and is extremely easy to manipulate. So | | | | file cabinets in addition to several of the |
| why stop a good thing? | | | | hallways. My daily duties involved sharing |
| | | | confidential files with several people |
| Actually, the same qualities that make paper | | | | throughout the organization and locating |
| so favorable causes major disadvantages. For | | | | information scattered throughout the mass of |
| example: | | | | file cabinets. While the job was very |
| | | | rewarding and challenging, few days would |
| - Paper can be Easily Lost or Destroyed | | | | pass by that were not hampered by the |
| | | | inability to find files that were either |
| - Over Time Paper Requires Massive Storage | | | | misfiled, sitting on someone else's desk or |
| Space | | | | just flat out lost. Although we had |
| | | | instituted the use of a sign in and out sheet |
| - Although Paper is Easy to Physically Move | | | | when taking files, this was rarely used. As |
| Around, It Requires Person to Person | | | | a result, we lost valuable time on a daily |
| Interactions | | | | basis. |
| | | | |
| - Paper is Exceptionally Easy to Copy | | | | THE REAL BENEFITS OF A PAPERLESS OFFICE |
| | | | |
| PAPER DISADVANTAGES EXAMINED | | | | While it is relatively easy to calculate |
| | | | savings from going paperless by looking at |
| The very trait that makes paper appeal to | | | | your current offsite storage cost, employee |
| our sense of touch is the same trait that | | | | time spent transferring and locating files, |
| makes it a liability. Just think about that | | | | and rediscovering office space previously |
| last time you've misplaced or lost an | | | | used for storage, the real benefits of moving |
| important document and the time spent | | | | away from a paper based operation far |
| frantically trying to find it (not to | | | | outpaces these calculated cost. To truly |
| mentioning others who have assisted you). | | | | understand these benefits and what they mean |
| Was it thrown out? Accidentally shredded? | | | | to you and your organization, ask yourself: |
| Placed back in the wrong spot? The ease at | | | | |
| which we use paper makes it very susceptible | | | | ? How important is our data? What if we |
| to the fast moving environment we work in. | | | | lost it all tomorrow, could we maintain our |
| The physical properties of paper, its thin, | | | | operations? |
| lightweight and flexible nature are highly | | | | |
| desirable traits, yet these make it very easy | | | | ? Is our data worth protecting from |
| to lose, misplace or destroy. Once a paper | | | | unauthorized usage? Should all employees |
| document has been destroyed you can never get | | | | have access to all information within our |
| that document back. Of course you can | | | | organization? Is it important to have the |
| re-create it or use back up paper copies. | | | | ability to know who as "accessed" our data? |
| But is having duplicated copies a good thing? | | | | |
| Sure it provides you with a backup "in | | | | ? Are we able to quickly access and find |
| case", but there are several associated | | | | information? Is it necessary to have remote |
| hazards with having that. A major problem | | | | access to our data? |
| with this involves documents that contain | | | | |
| confidential information such as client or | | | | ? Can we benefit from never losing a |
| employee records. In these cases a strict | | | | document to an accidental deletion? |
| accountability of all copies is needed, and | | | | |
| maybe required by state or federal law; | | | | All these questions point to one main |
| therefore each individual having a copy must | | | | question: |
| adhere to the same standards for securing | | | | |
| this information. Getting people to adhere to | | | | Is it Important to Have the Ability to |
| these security measures may prove difficult | | | | PROTECT, LOCATE and ACCESS your Data at All |
| if not impossible at times. A serious | | | | Times? |
| violation could be something as innocent as | | | | |
| leaving an open file on a desk or leaving it | | | | If your answer is yes, then the paperless |
| unattended in a conference room. Even the | | | | office is something you might want to |
| highest levels of our government experiences | | | | strongly consider. But is it realistic to |
| problems controlling the release of | | | | have a paperless office? In part 2 of this |
| confidential information. Remember, all it | | | | series we examine the hurdles to having a |
| takes is one careless or disgruntled employee | | | | paperless office and the true expectations |
| to open the door to disaster. | | | | that should be established. |
| | | | |
| For the majority of us, the paper we use is | | | | In part 3 we will discuss "Finding the Right |
| very thin and occupies very little space when | | | | Paperless Office System for Our Needs" |
| kept within moderation. However, over time, | | | | |