2020 and 2021 showed the world how important it is to not rely only on paper. It is time to digitise and go paperless! Even Japan had to adapt to the new era and digitise. Traditionally in Japan, contracts and official’s documents have had to be stamped using Hanko (personal identification stamps), which requires going into a physical office. With the pandemic, companies had to review this tradition and start using electronic signatures and paperless contracts.
Creating a paperless environment can be challenging. You will face resistance when changing protocols. However, you’ll gain organisational improvement, easy storage and savings in time and money. According to Forbes ‘The typical office worker spends an estimated 30% to 40% of their day searching for printed documents. And corporations spend some $120 billion annually on printed forms, which typically become outdated in just three months.“
If you need some help on how to digitise your company, we have compiled some steps to go paperless in 2022:
Get employees on board!
Having your employees on your side is probably the best way to start. Change might bring fear and a bit of resistance. But the last two years showed all your employees the advantages of digital (documents, digital signature, shared working documents) to continue to work from home and promote collaboration. Traditions are sometimes hard to break. So, if your processes historically require printing or physical signatures, it is essential to have your team on board before starting the process by highlighting the benefit to their individual roles and team goals. It will make the journey to digitise and go paperless easier for everyone.
Plan with clear steps
Don’t rush. Yes, you need to transition to digital quickly as relying on paper in the current world adds complexity to collaboration and increased risk of loss and quality of information. The key to a safe transition is to plan and outline your steps. It will be easier for you, your employees and any external clients or suppliers to get along and understand what you are doing if it is clearly proposed and communicated. The first step is to complete an internal audit of current manual paper-based processes and prioritise which ones have the highest risk to your organisation. E.g., What is the risk of having a manual sign in sheet at reception vs digital? Then create a clear goal that is timely and reasonable. Do you know SMART goals? This will support moving through your steps without forgetting anything along the way.
Transform your process into a digital process
After you scan and digitise your existing paper documents, the first step is to establish new digital processes. If you don’t change your processes, they won’t support the new way of doing things. If you are currently using a paper-based visitor book in reception and change to an electronic sign in, a new process will need to be implemented and communicated toto your workforce. Aligning your processes to support your move to go digital is one of the most crucial steps in the digitalisation process.
Find the right digital tool for your business
In the same spirit as digitalising your processes, you need to find the right software solution for your business and activities. There are plenty of software solutions on the market aligned with your business needs.
A digital visitor management tool like Sitepass by INX allows you to digitise your entire visitor management process. With Sitepass, you can replace your paper-based site attendance book by setting up a kiosk for visitors, contractors, employees, and other personnel to sign into the site or reception. With Sitepass you can monitor the safety of everyone across your entire organisation.
Track new paperless processes and improve them
Finally, the last step is to constantly improve your processes. It is not because you changed them that the work is done. Your team is trialling the new digital processes and will probably have some comments or remarks on how to improve them. Keep your team on board and improve everyone’s busy day with some improvements to your newly created processes. With your new digital processes and paperless office, you’ll start to see the benefits. No more storage of paper or difficulties finding a document in a pile. You will see time and cost savings, increased data accuracy and security.
With a digital tool like Sitepass by INX, you can easily start your paperless journey and transition efficiently. The choice to digitise and go paperless is an easier one to make today.
Take the first step towards a paperless company with Sitepass by INX.
Book a free demo with us today!
