Pursuing the possibility of a paperless office.

• Author: Stratton, Anna
• Position: RIM FUNDAMENTALS

There are many advantages to going paperless: electronic files allow better access and information sharing, cost less in terms of physical space and personnel, and can increase productivity--all of which add to the bottom line.

Why, then, have so few organizations fulfilled what many have set as a goal: a paperless environment? For many, it may be the cost --not only the cost of converting paper to electronic files, but also the cost some employees fear they will pay in giving up paper.

Understanding the People Problem

The irony is that these same people likely use smart phones and tablets to manage every aspect of their personal lives, embracing the ease of electronic transactions and the advantages of mobility. But the office is one area of their world where paper still works.

Although they use electronic documents in the office, they often don't manage them well. They have folder structures that go 10 deep, which made sense when created but are now the cause of carpal tunnel syndrome for all the clicks required to get to the needed documents.

So, they resort to saving their electronic documents to the desktop where they know they can find them--except soon their monitors become mirrors of chaos that make them long for those paper file folders. So, when they finally find the documents they want, they print them so they can finally get to work on what started their searches. For a single moment, they feel a sense of control and inner peace. It's no wonder they meet the idea of a paperless office with such resistance.

Getting to the Root of the Problem

In many organizations, the introduction of a new technology is not a good experience. Employees are frequently given access to it, but they are not provided training or a succinct model to follow. This leaves them feeling lost and frustrated.

Their questions about converting paper to digital files will likely include very fundamental ones: "What do I call it?" "Where do I store it?" "How do I access it later?" and "How is it secured?"

They may also be confused about compliance issues. They might ask: "Is the digital version a copy--or a record? If I destroy the paper, is the digital version now considered the original?"

Therefore, as organizations begin to talk about going paperless, employee paralysis may set in. This is natural. People often dig in their heels when they perceive that something is being taken from them. Some will cling tightly to their desire to keep paper just because they...