Consider how many pieces of paper you come across during your workday. Whether it be receipts, reports, or memos, you can't go a day without using paper in some form. The idea for a paperless workplace has existed since 1975. In this increasingly digital age, why do businesses continue to wastefully use millions of pieces of paper? How can you transition your business to be paperless?

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Drawbacks of Using Paper

While individual sheets of paper are inexpensive, purchasing multiple reams per week becomes costly for your business. Nearly half of all printed documents end up in office trash by the end of the day. Employees spend an average of 10 minutes per day sifting through papers in search of a document. Additionally, communication via memos and letters moves slowly both in-office and with clients. 

Benefits of Going Paperless

Businesses that ditch paper benefit in many ways. Operating costs are reduced substantially when businesses go digital. Companies save an average of $80 per employee during the first year after going paperless.

Documents are much easier to organize on a computer than they are in a filing cabinet. You can expedite communication between your business and clients and save office space when you store documents digitally. The environmental impact of just a few organizations going paperless is tremendous. The benefits of going paperless abound. How can your business begin the process of going paperless? 

Where To Begin?

Transitioning from paper to digital is a massive undertaking that needs to start at the top. If you aren't going paperless, your employees most likely won't either. One study concluded that 47% of employees who don't go paperless cite that their bosses did not implement the practice nor mandate it. 

Implementing small changes can ripple into huge differences. After you've integrated paperless processes into your work ethic, make sure your employees are on board. Encourage team members to take meeting notes using tablets and laptops to curb paper consumption. Implement digital sign-in practices at your front desks and encourage digital communication among your teams. 

Update Your Technology To Organize Existing Documents

Invest in updating your technology to streamline the transition to paperless operations. Once you've converted all your files to digital ones, you'll need to implement an organization system that works for your business. Merge PDF to combine multiple related PDFs into one file. This will save you time when finding documents. You can use a storage system as simple as Google Drive or Dropbox to store company files or utilize the storage system built into your company computers.

Going Paperless Is Good for Your Brand

Your business's brand will reap the rewards of being environmentally conscious. Business deals will happen faster electronically, improving your clients' perception of your company and your brand image. While the process may take time, there is never a better day to ditch paper in your business than today.

Begin Phasing Paper Out Today

Your business benefits in multiple ways by going paperless. Going digital can save your business time, money, and manpower. You'll elevate your company's brand and open up office space once those old filing cabinets are retired.