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‘Tidy desk, tidy mind’ is a common quote among tidy office workers. And it has been proven that tidy desks and offices do have a positive effect on workers. Despite this, many office desks are more reminiscent of teenagers’ bedrooms than sleek, tidy spaces that will instil a focussed work ethic. We understand that in busy offices it can be difficult to keep workplaces clean and tidy, but with a little bit of effort, you can have the workspace you’ve always dreamed of. Just follow these simple tips:

Dedicate 10 minutes each week to have a clear out

Whether it be on a Monday morning before the caffeine kicks in, during that Wednesday lunchtime lull, or on a Friday afternoon just before home time, dedicating 10 minutes to get rid of scrap bits of paper that are of no use, food wrappers, out of date files and ancient post-it notes can really make a difference when it comes to freeing up your desk space.

Invest in folders

Is paperwork imperative for a specific job? Then file it away in a dedicated folder. You’re less likely to spend time filing useless pieces of paper away than you are important documents. So not only will this cut down on the amount of paper clutter you have around you, but you’ll also be able to put your hand to said documents when you need to.

Get a desk tidy

Desk tidies are great for keeping pens, pencils, paperclips and notebooks in one place. Not only will you be reaping the benefits of a tidier desk, but you’ll also be the office hero when someone suddenly wants a pencil sharper or a hole punch.

Get a bin

If you have a bin at the side of you, you’re infinitely more inclined to use it than if you have to trek to the opposite side of the office to dispose of your rubbish. It may need emptying a few times a week, but your desk will look always look spick and span.

Operate a paperless office

Although computers can get clogged up with files and folders, it is much easier to sort through these as they  are labelled clearly and concisely. Therefore, saving work on computers instead of printing them off to physical pieces of paper can save you valuable time sifting through what is relevant and what isn’t. Files on computers are also much less distracting as they aren’t on show all the time so are less likely to pique your interest and attention away from the job in hand.

Do you have any tips for those struggling to keep their desk in order? Let us know!

Document scanning and the goal of going paperless has been one of the biggest talking points for businesses over the last few years. The incredible benefits offered by simply scanning existing documents and moving towards a digital way of working has allowed businesses in all sectors and sizes to reap the productive and financial rewards of this modern way of working. However despite offering up a range of advantages, some businesses are still reluctant to make the switch due to the initial financial outlay.

But exactly how much does it cost for a business to go paperless?

Essentially, and somewhat frustratingly, for business owners there is no set price. All businesses have different needs, wants and goals, therefore, we accurately say, “It will cost £XX to make your company paperless.” Depending on the size and requirements, document scanning can cost as little as a couple of hundred pounds, and rise up to thousands of pounds, with potential additional hardware investments on top of that. And although this may seem like a lot of money, the initial outlay and cost of going paperless is by far eclipsed by the incredible savings that can be made.

Reap the financial paperless rewards

Those who have embraced the paperless revolution have reaped the rewards; in fact the number one drive for businesses to go paperless is the potential cost saving. YouGov states that SMEs in the UK waste over £42.2M per day on finding and retrieving information. But once a company relies less on physical documents, this figure drops significantly.

So with that in mind, why haven’t more businesses taken the leap and looked into paperless solutions? Essentially, the human race is against change. As a species, we resist change whenever and wherever we can, only taking small steps at a time. And overhauling a workplace in order to embrace the benefits of a paperless environment is often seen as one step too far for many. Yet with such high levels of inefficiency, it’s astounding that so few businesses have rebuffed the idea.

The YouGov survey mentioned above also suggested that 65% of UK SMEs are still to take this very step, while 31% of respondents highlighting that if they weren’t looking for documents, they could use the time to work on business growth and development.

With such incredible statistics, it really is unbelievable that businesses are still focussed on physical and paper documents – and particularly striking that SMEs, which are usually seen as pioneers, are putting off these developments.

What are you waiting for?

If you’re thinking about taking the leap towards a paperless working world, get in touch with us and see how we can help your business improve its efficiency and give it room to grow with our document scanning and management services. We offer free, no obligation quotes and can work with you to meet your needs, on your budget.

A survey carried out by YouGov recently found that the UK’s small and medium-sized enterprises could be throwing away as much as £42.2m every single day in revenues looking for paper documents. 82% of financial services are still printing documents just to get a signature, and 31% of respondents also said that if they weren’t looking for documents, they would be spending time on business development.

This overreliance on paper – an outdated method of communication by any standard – could be costing the UK’s SMEs big. Switching to paperless solutions might not simply be a great option to protect the environment – it could end up protecting businesses in the long-term. Here are just a few ways digitising documents could end up supporting and protecting a small business:

Time savings

In the world of business, time is money. Time spent searching for archived documents or files in storage is time that could have been used more productively for business development, as mentioned above. A study in Australia found that workers can spend as many as five hours per week looking for documents, with three and a half hours also dedicated to filing and organising – if we assume these stats are replicated in the UK, that’s a lot of valuable time that could be used to support and grow the business in other ways.

Security reasons

What’s more secure – a filing cabinet or a cloud server? A physical archive or a password-protected hard drive? The answer these days is almost always the digital solution. Physical files can be lost, stolen or damaged in fire or flood. Going paperless means these documents are protected more robustly, with excellent security solutions that are more reliable and permanent.

Audit trails

Many businesses have to adhere to very string compliance policies with regards to document management and storage. Digital document management systems can simplify this process, with every document having a unique number and creating its own audit trail that can be followed with ease. Paperless documents can also be duplicated and amended while still keeping the original, which is another bonus when it comes to audits and compliance.

Accessible archives

Digital archives are far more accessible and user-friendly than physical ones. Sorting files by name, date or size can be accomplished with just a few clicks or taps, and managers can also password-protect confidential or restricted files, so that only authorised users can access them. Going paperless is also ideal when staff at different sites need to access the same documents – rather than the lengthy and expensive duplication of physical files, digital documents can be brought up from any location if they’re stored within the cloud, for total ease of use across multiple sites.