Benefits of a paperless office

In the past couple of decades, organizational leadership has focused heavily on efficiency: operating lean and asking employees to maintain continuity with fewer and fewer resources. But cutting budgets only goes so far. In recent years, organisations have refocused on a far more pertinent question:
instead of doing the same with less (efficiency), how can we do more with the same (productivity)?

Paper is a serious drag on both efficiency and productivity. A worldwide survey conducted by industry analyst IDC shows that challenges with managing paper documents account for a 21% loss of organisational productivity. Not that you need numbers to convince you. You see it and feel it every day.

Email, accounting software, ERPs, digital publishing and a hundred other technologies promise to eliminate paper and usher in a golden age of digital perfection. But creating a paperless office eludes many of us. What is the best way to move toward a paperless environment without losing information? And how can you do it quickly?

 

Here are some of the reasons why organizations are working to make the paperless office a reality:

Cleaner office

Imagine no more filing cabinets, fewer printing devices, and shelves of storage reclaimed from paper and toner supplies. Less shipping, less photocopying, less filing and searching. The first advantage is a cleaner, brighter, more spacious office.

Greater agility

Your competitors are only going to get faster, and the agility that a paperless office gives you is vital to remaining competitive.

Streamlined workflows

Automated workflow makes the right content accessible at the touch of a button whenever and wherever you need it. It takes only seconds to route and share documents across multiple departments and systems.

Reduced business risk

Custom access controls and digital data security make it easier and less expensive to maintain compliance and reduces the likelihood that missing documents will result in fines or lost revenue.

Better customer relationships

Information is only seconds away with a quick search — no more putting people on hold to dig through folders. Deliver the speed and quality of support your customers and vendors deserve.

Positive environmental impact

If you have a “green” initiative in place, one of the easiest ways to reduce your carbon footprint is to print, ship and store less paper.

Increased visibility
Using digital workflows instead of paper results in greater transparency, allowing management to monitor business processes in real time for smarter decision making.