Weaning Your Office Off Paper

Going cold turkey when it comes to eliminating a habit from daily office life can be extremely difficult. The same principle applies when dealing with a document management software implementation. For many staffers, letting go of paper will be a difficult adjustment before full electronic workflow can be embraced.

These issues should be anticipated and addressed throughout the course of a transition, so here are some basic practices on how to deal with those who are a little stubborn when it comes to the new office normal.

Make sure all workers know the value of the switch

It’s human nature to be resistant to change, so it’s difficult to get a staff on your side when it comes to a routine adjustment if they don’t understand what value it poses to them.

When it comes to paperless document management, it’s not a hard sell at all—once an employee is adequately trained on the new cloud infrastructure, everything from time sheets to document security to the ability to collaborate with those around them gets better.

A good way to start this conversation is to hold an all-staff meeting to announce the office’s commitment to transitioning to paperless. Make sure workers understand that this doesn’t mean an immediate elimination of the stacks of paper that have plagued their workflow for years; rather, it’s a process that everyone is in as a team effort.

Proper training is key

Once an employee is game to learn more about paperless technology, project managers should ensure that there are systems in place that will begin to optimize electronic workflow as soon as the software is implemented.

Though the training module may be the same for every worker, an important factor is making project managers available by email or phone to address any concerns that individuals may have. When leaders show support for those experiencing the paperless transition, staff will be more likely to work with the changes instead of against them.

Enforce the new system or be at risk

Even the most well-intentioned employee can find it easy to fall back into old habits if they remain unmonitored, so project managers should regularly follow up with a paperless office to ensure they haven’t returned to their wicked ways.

Getting rid of old vices like the villainous copier and clunky printers of the past era is critical in making sure that these paper-hoarding habits don’t return. It’s more difficult to resist change if the devices employees are used to are no longer available!

Once staffers don’t need reminding to work with the document management software, the implementation can be considered a success.

There you have it, pioneers of the electronic document workflow effort. Getting an entire staff on your side will come naturally when they’re trained on the value and the technical specifics of the software that could transform your bottom line. Now all there’s left to do is to take the first step toward a more cohesive, productive office!