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