Have you ever thought about moving towards a paperless office? It’s not just about helping the environment (although, that is amazing!), but there’s more to it. Going paperless can actually make your work processes more efficient. Plus, it gives your company a fantastic image that customers love!
Paper to Pixels
Take notice of how your interactions with paper have changed in the last 20 years. For example buying things like car insurance used to mean getting all your documents in the post and signing lots of paper. Did you do that this year? Probably not, most insurance companies email their policies and gather your personal details through their website. Buying a plane ticket used to involve waiting for your ticket to arrive in the post, car tax was a disc of paper, reading a book meant buying it in paper form only. All of these things can now be done digitally and in some cases you don’t even get a choice, your only option is a digital one.
Let’s take a closer look at how to make a positive impact on our planet, and improve our working lives too!
Small Steps
Think about how you use paper and whether there is a viable digital alternative. If you can’t make immediate changes to a digital system, examine how you recycle the paper and cardboard that you currently use, and consider using recycled writing paper and toilet paper. It all helps!
Project management software
Using a project management tool will enable you and your team to see at a glance what tasks are currently being worked on. Individuals can log their own workload and keep track of progress. You can share the information within a chosen team and see the progress of others in the team. It’s a great way to plan your workload efficiently and you will naturally use less paper as all the information you need is on a screen.
There are other hidden benefits too. If you are in the habit of using printed material in meetings, a project management tool is a good replacement. Use it as a presentation during staff briefings and totally negate the need for paper. Each worker will see what needs to be done and have no need for print outs as they will have equal access. Some programs can even be used as apps, so staff can view the information where ever they are.
Human Resources
Many big corporations have now adopted HR apps, which prove to be an amazing innovation in software. Employees can conveniently download these apps onto their phones, granting them instant access to their payslips as soon as they are issued, along with other valuable HR features. Through the app, staff can easily review their past payslips, monitor pension payments, request holidays, and keep track of their working hours and shift patterns.
These apps also work wonders from an HR standpoint. They help track sickness and absence, schedule back-to-work interviews, and securely store all those confidential records that would otherwise clutter up filing cabinets. And don’t forget that embracing these applications will lead to significant paper savings, making a positive impact on your carbon footprint.
Invoicing
Sending an electronic invoice via email is such a breeze, and if your customer pays by bank transfer, it’s a total win for the environment—completely paper-free! If you haven’t checked out accounting software yet, you’re in for a treat. It’s a game-changer that’ll reduce your admin time to the bare minimum. Plus, you’ll love how it lets you keep a close eye on your finances, giving you that sense of total control over your business.
If you ever struggle with late-paying customers, this software will be a big help. It’ll highlight overdue payments, so you can stay on top of things and handle any annoying bad debts. Your accountant will love you too when it’s time to look at your tax and annual accounts. Just give them access to your online system and there’s no need to visit their offices with a boot full of paperwork.
Emails
Sending emails instead of posting your correspondence is probably becoming an overused communication, but think about how you can save paper when you receive them. If you are in the habit of printing them out, ask yourself if you really truly need to do this, and why you are printing it in the first place. If it’s because you want to share it with a colleague, just forward it on. If it’s because it needs actioning, make a note on your ‘to do’ list, or keep an email folder that’s just for ‘pending emails’.
Encourage others to save paper by incorporating a brief but impactful paragraph into your standard company email signature. For example:
‘Please consider the environment before printing this email.’
‘Save a tree. Don’t print this email unless it’s really necessary.’
Social Media
Embracing positive changes will certainly help your brand shine brighter. Instead of simply promoting products and services on social media, why not actively share your eco-friendly initiatives? By doing so, it won’t feel like a sales pitch; instead, it’ll be like sharing exciting news. Of course, you can still keep your audience updated on the latest products and services, but when you blend in some planet-saving news, you’ll see a heart-warming boost in shares and likes. This approach will undoubtedly enhance your brand’s reputation and create a warm and friendly perception among your audience.
Caring about the environment is a great reason to be paperless, but you’ll also improve your reputation, and your customers are more likely to trust you if you are actively reducing your paper usage.
Here at Xpert Technologies it is our aim to improve the working lives of our customers by providing time saving (and paper-free) solutions. For the full range of online business solutions click this link… Xpert Technologies – Accountancy software for small businesses (xpert-technologies.co.uk)
