More and more offices are going paperless to support a cleaner environment, reduced clutter, collaboration, and increased privacy—just to name a few important reasons. Adopting a paper-free system and getting your employees onboard requires a well-planned paperless office strategy. If you’re considering going paperless in the office, here are some tips to help you get started!
How to Go Paperless
Store Documents and Files Digitally
Before scanning physical documents into the digital cloud, you’ll want to create a unified and sensible organizational system for your employees to follow. You can store and back up important files on an online cloud storage platform like Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive or DropBox. You can access files at any time, share files with employees and customers easily, and add security and control over who can access certain files and documents when you want to.
Avoid Notepads and Printed Presentations
Going paperless goes beyond document storage. Eliminate paper usage by replacing notepads and printed presentations with information-sharing technology. Sharing presentations and notes with meeting participants through the cloud will make the notes more timely, readable and accessible, especially for remote workers!
Use Electronic Communication
One of the easiest ways to transition to a paperless office is by switching to electronic communication. Electronic communication not only saves paper, but it also keeps a record of your conversations and receipts available at any time.
Rather than sending letters through the mail, send an email. Use project management software, such as Monday or Trello, and instant messaging platforms, such as Slack, and electronic calendars for internal communication and collaboration. Shift to paperless billing statements and payments for your phone, Internet, utility and office supplies to reduce paper waste!
Develop Paper-Free Workflow Habits
It’s time to develop new habits at the office to support your paper-free workflow! Streamlining daily business processes can help you and your employees get into the habit of eliminating paper usage. You may want to consider picking a day of the week to scan any hard documents you have and recycle them once they’re digitized. Use e-signatures for contracts, agreements and transactions with your clients. Task management apps, such as Google Tasks, can also help you get into a paper-free routine!
