Paper costs have risen substantially over the past 20 years as businesses have doubled the amount of paper they use. This has forced businesses to recognize the need to cut down on paper use. If you are a manager of a small business, you can take a number of steps to reduce the amount of paper you use.
Before you start your paper saving campaign, you should make sure that you understand the challenges you are likely to face. The biggest problem is that many other workers and managers are resistant to change. The first step in moving towards a paperless office is convincing your colleagues and managers of the benefits of a paperless office. You may not be able to create a completely paperless office, but you can dramatically reduce the amount of paper your office uses.
Here are some of the key selling points:
- You can save as much as $20 per document on printing, storage and transportation costs.
- It is much easier to send documents.
- You are much less likely to lose documents in a paperless office. The cost of losing a document is typically between $350 and $700.
- You will have more space in your office to store other resources or retain more staff.
- Paperless offices are more secure.
You will have a much easier time building a paperless office if you can convince everyone that it will be a good idea.
If you can get the key decision makers to agree that a paperless office is the right way to go, then you will need to plan how you will plan how to make it happen. The first step is setting a timeframe that you want to work in.
You will need to set a strict deadline to migrate to your new system. Without a deadline in place, everyone involved in the process is likely to keep procrastinating. Make sure the deadline is realistic, but not so far away that people will keep putting it off.
During the transition process, you will need to take a number of different steps. These include:
- Utilizing a paperless invoice system such as Curdbee.
- Storing all of your important documents electronically.
- Assign new roles and privileges.
- Rearranging your office.
Many businesses find that they need an outside company to attain their goals. Other firms have experience restructuring offices and can help you set a realistic schedule and understand the process better. They will also keep you accountable to those goals and the promises you have made. However, you will need to have an idea of what you are looking for and work closely with an outside contractor if you hope to create a paperless office in a reasonable timeframe.
Creating a paperless office can be a daunting task for many businesses, but the rewards are well worth it in the long run. Take the time to set out your goals and a set of plans to help you attain them.
Kalen Smith writes about green business and green living. He shares information on Grow Lights from Advanced LED Lights.