The demand for paper and cardboard continues to grow, with a global increase of 2.2% annually according to Planestoscope, but many companies are opting for a paperless office to simplify document retrieval and save on time and materials. A successful paperless transition requires addressing three key areas: tools, access to documents, and habits.
Tools are crucial for digitization. If the scanning process is slow and complicated, people will resist the change. A simple solution such as Adobe Acrobat can make all the difference, making it easier to join PDFs.
Access to documents must be possible from anywhere and on all platforms. A good example is Google Drive, which allows selective sharing and has OCR capabilities for efficient document searching.
Habits are the most difficult to change, but they can be adjusted if the process is simple and provides tangible benefits. For instance, employees can be shown how to quickly snap a photo of a receipt with their phone, upload it to the right location on the company server, and share it with the appropriate people. This eliminates the need for paper receipts and saves time previously spent collecting and organizing stacks of receipts at the end of the month.
A paperless office offers numerous advantages, such as improved research time and cost savings, and it provides a competitive advantage for companies looking to modernize. Making the switch to a paperless office is an important step for any company looking to move into the future.
