Solutions to the Top 4 Issues Tying You to Paper
The Association for Information and Image Management’s (AIIM) most recent report delved into why businesses still use so much paper. Take a look at these top 4 reasons organizations shared and see if they align with your reasoning (or that of your boss, department, company, etc.). There are plentiful ways to overcome these roadblocks, and we can help!
1. Lack of Management Initiatives or Mandates to Reduce Paper
The Issue: AIIM found that two-thirds of organizations have no effective policies to drive out paper or reduce usage for environmental reasons. Without that will for change, your company won’t progress.
Our Solution: Look at your organization’s use of paper. Are there inefficiencies or bottlenecks in any of your paper-intensive business processes? Seeing these numbers and how other companies have benefited from going paperless could inspire your company to take the leap.
2. The (Perceived) Need for Physical Signatures on Paper
The Issue: 50% of AIIM’s respondents agree that signatures are the biggest single impediment to the wider use of paper-free processes, and 55% admit that they print copies of files just to add signatures.
Our Solution: E-signatures! The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN) passed in 2000 allows for electronic signatures to be legally binding. Electronic signatures made through an integrated document management solution expedite business processes. Plus, they keep documents secure. As AIIM points out, interrupting “an otherwise all-electronic process simply to collect a physical signature on a piece of paper . . . frequently presents a greater confidentiality risk than the electronic original itself.”
3. Staff Prefer Paper for Handling or Reading
The Issue: 50% of AIIM’s respondents print copies for reading out-of-the-office, and nearly 60% print personal paper copies to take to a meeting. But how many times have you printed out documents for a meeting, only to find that a secretary or coworker has also printed out a copy for each attendee, just in case? That “just in case” amounts to caseloads of wasted paper—or 10,000 sheets per U.S. office worker each year!
Our Solution: Change is often resisted, and this preference for physical copies may be hard to overcome. Well, the New Year is all about embracing positive change, isn’t it? If you plan to break those bad food- and exercise-related habits this year, make sure you cross your paper habit off the list as well. You know you’ll be glad you did.
4. Lack of Understanding of Paper-Free Options
The Issue: AIIM found many companies to lack of training and knowledge regarding paper-free processes.
Our Solution: This issue can be remedied easily! Raise awareness amongst your coworkers by sharing informational articles such as this. Sign up with fellow employees up for our webinars on document management. If you are seeking a more effective way to tackle everyday business tasks in 2015, you will no doubt appreciate this informational webinar, where you’ll also have the opportunity to connect with presenters and ask questions.
