Going paper-less isn't just for tree-huggers anymore. Businesses are realizing that reducing their paper use isn't only environmentally responsible. It's also extremely economical and efficient.Associated paper costs such as copying, printing, postage, disposal, recycling and storing can be as much as 31 times the purchasing cost. Translated, a $5 ream of paper could actually cost up to $155—and that doesn't include labor. There is also the purchase cost of filing cabinets, shelves and folders, which require space, thus increasing overhead costs.
Check out these statistics from industry studies:
- American companies spend an estimated $20 on labor costs to file a document, $120 on finding a misfiled document and $220 to reproduce a lost document.
- Companies typically misfile almost 20% of their records.
- Approximately $14,000 of productivity is lost per worker per year due to their inability to find necessary data.
- Citigroup found that it would save $700,000 each year if each employee used double-sided copying to conserve just one sheet of paper per week.
- A four-drawer filing cabinet costs about $25,000 to fill and $2,000 per year to maintain.
- Every year 7.5 billion documents are created and 15 trillion copies are made.
- The average office worker uses 10,000 sheets of paper each year.
- Approximately 90% of business information exists on paper.
- A typical company can cut its paper consumption by 25% by increasing the use of e-mail, on-line forms and reports, double-sided copying, and lighter-weight paper.
There are many, many uses for paper that cannot and should not be replaced. However, there are numerous businesses that still have inefficient paper systems in place that could be revamped. On a personal level, every employee can give thought to their habits and do whatever possible to incorporate better ones that are more conscious and less wasteful. For example, in cases where paper is a necessity, simply proofread everything on screen before hitting the print button and use only 100% recycled paper.
When a hard copy isn't necessary, trust your computer (assuming you have a reliable back-up system!). We have the luxury of computers with massive memory storage, sophisticated organizational software, and fast processors making it effortless to find information in seconds.
Yes, there are costs associated with digital storage such as energy for servers and cooling. However, the knowledge and technology now exists for companies to implement alternative energy sources and more energy-efficient data centers. As an example, check out all of Google's clean energy and efficient computing initiatives.
The bottom line is that paper production and usage is extremely destructive and continues to be a large contributor towards pollution and the depletion of our natural resources. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
Event Announcements:
March 5: For those of you that missed the Oscar nominated documentary when it was in town, "Food, Inc.," there will be a free showing this Friday at Shorewood High School. For more details go to Slow Food Wisconsin Southeast.
March 13: Find out more about Milwaukee's food community at the Local Food and Farmer Open House being held at the Urban Ecology Center. For details go to Slow Food Wisconsin Southeast.
PHOTO: Michael Maggs
*/?>
These statistics are great! I'm pushing our non-profit to move towards paperless in every way and I'm hitting a wall with the older supporters. Thanks for the ammo, Kathleen
Paperless office? Having electronic records does make it easier and cheaper to run reports or look for patterns, but it is a 2-edged sword. That's why so many workplaces will not use it.
Most company legal policies really and truly despise electronic records. No company has perfect execution, all people make mistakes, all systems have breakdowns, all have imperfections to correct. Electronic records make it too easy to find a "smoking gun" when sued or audited (and they all fear this, even if it does not happen). Paper will always be used for short-term because it is easy to discard, and the expense of searching through it makes others think "Is the cost worth what I might gain?"
Another is the push for Lean work practices, making progress immediately visible at the point of work... aka clipboards on the wall. Allows the manager to check progress or note trouble without interrupting the work to ask. Especially common when the writer and reader do not like each other or do not trust each other. But, I have yet to see any of this fast-track info be later transcribed into electronic form or even filed. All that info is quickly discarded after the work moves on, bill is paid, or problem fixed. No records retained, easy for company to say "There is no record of any problem". We do not live in a perfect world.
Many offices are now trying to use less paper. It is true that there is more costs related to purchasing, filing and storing files. Aside from these, there are a lot of information printed on paper that are not safe by just keeping them in file. For the paper used with confidential information they should be shredded so as to not release information:
For shredding important confidential files: http://www.sanantonioshredding.com
In order to lessen cost on paper and to reduce paper usage it is important to have a strict office policy that will be helpful to the whole organization.
While it is true that we can increase business productivity and adopt a more eco-friendly work environment by having a paper-less environment, some businesses still find paper records indispensable. To make your office more environmentally-friendly, you can have paper shredders that allow you to dispose your paper waste and send tehm to recycling facilities. Here's another resource I found useful for managing records at work and paper shredding -- http://www.shreddingdallas.com/.