Despite all the changes in the working world introduced by digital tools, the paperless office remains wishful thinking in many corporations. In this article we explain why this is the case – and what corporations should be changing now.
Digitalization has long since defined the working reality of millions of people: They work on the move, save their data in a cloud and benefit from automated processes.
Overflowing filing cabinets, which still dominate the physical appearance of many offices, represent a strong contrast to this. And this is still prevalent, even though the benefits of digitalization can already be extensively felt in many spheres: If corporations transform physical documents into digital formats, they are not only able to save space, but frustrating situations can also become a thing of the past: A spontaneous phone call from a colleague, who is working out of the office and cannot access a physical document; the long-winded search in enormous piles of papers for a document that is required; the unpleasant phone call with a customer because a paper document seems to have been lost.
But why is it so hard to bid farewell to paper? And how can we successfully complete the transition to a really paperless office?
The goal of a paperless office is to digitally map all the document-based processes. Information is no longer structured, stored and managed in physical files, but centrally through electronic solutions like document management systems (DMS).
In light of current developments in the working world, how realistic is the goal of turning an office paperless? A glimpse at how work will be organized in the future illustrates how much the relationship with paper is already changing – and where the journey is headed. According to the study entitled “Does paper still have a future?” conducted by the University of Applied Sciences at Münster and commissioned by Rhenus Office Systems, the following has emerged: Paper has a future, but will increasingly lose its relevance. Based on digital change and the influence of a young, technophile generation, corporations will have to come to terms with switching processes sooner or later in order to remain viable for the future and competitive – and to be able to fully exploit the numerous benefits of the paperless office.
Although the name suggests the opposite, a paperless office does not have to be completely paper-free – even managing physical documents digitally achieves tangible advantages in everyday work situations. Corporations benefit from the following benefits of the paperless office, to name just a few:
So there are enough reasons to start the journey towards a paperless office. “The amount of expenditure and effort depends on the size of the corporation,” says Jens Kumbrink, the Managing Director of Rhenus Office Systems, who is an expert in data management. In line with this, the progress being made in this field at this time is not at all homogeneous, depending on which sector is involved. Many startups operating in the IT sphere have very low needs in terms of paper from the outset. A digital structure and dispensing with paper are less problematic for them than for other sectors.
Regardless of how large or how forward-looking a corporation is, the hurdles needing to be overcome along the journey towards having a paperless office appear to be enormous at the beginning: Alongside the time and cost factors, there is a risk that important data may be lost. High-performance scanners are also required to convert the physical data into digital formats – and this technology is expensive and is not available at every corporation. Consideration should also be given to the fact that a completely digital office does not make sense for every corporation, and it is therefore necessary to adopt the correct strategy to meet the individual requirements. The Rhenus expert has some tips to consider to efficiently organize a paperless office with document management.
Introducing a paperless office does not successfully take place overnight. “Time and patience are required even before introducing the move, because the planning work is complex and requires in-depth communications within the corporation,” Jens Kumbrink urges. The greater the care adopted in the preparation work, the more efficient the implementation will be. Corporations should initially evaluate the situation: How much paper does each individual department create, and which processes are affected? They also need to bear in mind how many workers in the individual departments are available to complete this work.
Some progress has already been made in the early stages if parts of the office are digitalized and individual processes are reorganized. Employees can then gradually become accustomed to the new processes. At the same time, corporations do not incur the full costs directly. However, they need to be aware that particular processes, e.g., drawing up certificates, must currently be completed on paper to fulfil statutory requirements.
Members of staff often express misgivings when corporations seek to introduce the paperless office. Digitalization is viewed as impersonal, new procedures appear complicated and programs are perceived as being difficult to operate. In order to actively refute these concerns, specific training courses in IT and document management systems (DMS) are crucial. They familiarize employees with the new processes, create a sense of confidence and dispel any prejudices. “The role played by managers is also important: If they actively live out the principle of digitalization and communicate this topic effectively, this provides a sense of direction and increases the acceptance among employees,” the Rhenus expert adds.
Particularly if internal resources, special scanning infrastructure or digital archive solutions are missing, cooperating with experienced service providers can make all the difference.
Equipped with high-performance scanners and certified, digital solutions, experts like Rhenus Office Systems can digitalize paper documents quickly, reliably and in accordance with the law. However, any successful switch of processes requires more than just technology: It thrives if all-round assistance is available. Rhenus extensively supports corporations along their journey towards a paperless office with services like OCR text recognition, digital signatures or digital archiving. As soon as the data has been digitalized, the physical files can finally be put into storage at Rhenus sites and then be destroyed after the expiry of the statutory retention periods. So-called “master files” can also be formed during the digitalization process; they contain individual documents, like certificates, which need to be retained in paper form for a fairly long time.
As a result, there are no further obstacles to making an office paperless as well as implementing efficient processes and enhancing quality of work.
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