A famous article in Business Week predicted that the “paperless office” would be the way of the future. Clutter would be minimised, and millions of trees would be saved. This was in 1975, and we are still as far away from the ideal of a paperless office as we were then, despite rapidly evolving technologies. What happened? Why are we still so attached to paper?
Despite Technology, Paper Still Rules the Workplace
According to industry figures, use of paper has gone down just slightly in North America, and has actually increased globally over the last 10 years. Employees still print emails, presentations, proposals, and many other necessary documents. Paper diaries and datebooks are the norm on most desks, and post-it notes are ubiquitous in the office.
There are many reasons why paper is still the preferred technology for businesses. Quite simply, everyone can use it. A business does not have to worry that a client’s software will be incompatible or that someone will not understand how to operate the technology. Paper is easily transported, too. Tablets or computers restrict the amount of a document you can see at a time – some people prefer to print out long reports because they are just easier to read that way. Also, many companies still need to retain documents that have been signed by hand. This leads to the printing, signing, and finally scanning of documents. Many businesses have hardcopies as backups for digital files, in case something happens to the digital version. There are many laws regarding document retention, and most businesses save hardcopies of documents to make sure they are in compliance with government regulations.
In the 1970s, we thought we’d have paperless offices by this time, but clearly, we don’t. In some ways, it’s good to have the security of a physical document. However, working with both paper and digital files means that document security is twice as complicated.
Document Destruction As Important As Ever
Because most businesses are still using reams and reams of paper for anything from personnel information to proprietary business reports, it is essential to develop a document security strategy and document destruction plan. You don’t want to hang on to all of that paper forever. When it is time to dispose of paper files, our mobile shredding unit can come to you at your office. We can help with anything from a one time office clean-out to a weekly shredding service.
Even though the dreams of the past regarding saving trees have not come to pass, we at Shred On Site are committed to minimising our environmental footprint by recycling all of our shredded materials. We also try to operate our offices in an environmentally friendly manner.
Ready to shred some of your many piles of paper? Call today or request a quote online. You won’t even need to use any paper to do it!
