How to Go Paperless
In the growing digital age, the abundance of paper in the office seems to be a waste – one that many companies are eager to cut back on. Not only is it bad for the environment, but it is also a drain on budgets that could be put towards better things.
However, is it possible to actually go fully paperless? What steps would need to be taken to do so?
Reduce Number of Printers
If a task is inconvenient, people will be less likely to do it. Limiting the number of printers in an office, to as few as one if possible, makes it much more of a task to print than pressing a simple button. Reducing the amount of paper available for printing to coincide with this also works well.
Paperless Statements
Requesting paperless statements from banks and other service providers is also a smart way to reduce paper waste. Why receive a letter in the post when you can receive it via email? It is much more convenient and less likely to be mislaid, making your statements an entirely online affair.
Introduce Recycling
An efficient recycling system in your business may not reduce the paper used, but it will go a long way towards helping reduce the impact. Identifying key areas of the business that use a lot of paper would be the first step in this process. From there you can start implementing policies to help this high usage become less wasteful. Placing dedicated recycling bins in these areas is a great first step to help encourage your employees to recycle.
Internal File Sharing
Uploading documents that need to be shared throughout the company to cloud storage is a simple and easy way to reduce paper usage. This method is also convenient for allowing your employees to work from anywhere – not just at one desk. Projects between multiple employees can be shared instantly, reducing the tedious back and forth that wastes time on a daily basis.
So, is it possible to make your company an entirely paperless affair? There may always be a need for paper in some situations, even if it is just a post-it note reminder on a computer screen. But, it is certainly possible to reduce the paper that an office uses. It is not a one-time overhaul, however; steps must be taken periodically to reduce paper waste over time enabling you to work towards a paperless office.
Have you decided to implement a greener office policy? Do you need help creating an IT strategy to support this? Then contact us on 01524 581690 to discuss your options with our friendly team here at Q2Q-IT, or you can email us at [email protected].
