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The whole world is going paperless! Didn't you get the memo?

Despite the fact that many people envisioned a "paperless" society by now, the world just hasn't quite evolved to that point. Mostly this has to do with some of our human tendencies, which involve a greater level of trust in things that we can see and touch. Still, in many realms organizations have made major strides in becoming paperless and there can definitely be some advantages. Here are a few thoughts on why people might think about initiating some form of paperless procedures in their organization.

Cost

There can be a definitive cost savings to going paperless. Rather than continuing to buy boxes and boxes of paper, documents can be stored in a digital format that is more fiscally responsible. Of course, getting rid of paper does not automatically get rid of all costs. Shifting to a technological infrastructure also carries a cost, as organizations may need additional storage space or equipment.

Space

Going paperless can also save a great deal of space in an office. File cabinets are usually the biggest culprits, as they can be rather bulky and difficult to move around the workspace. In a small workspace people are always looking for ways to make more room. Getting rid of some file cabinets is also a way to save money in the supply budget.

Environment

Depending on people's philosophy, there is also the benefit to the environment when people go more paperless. Paper comes from trees, which are arguably a limited resource. Granted, people have to again put "paperless" in context. Shifting everything digital is fine, but computers burn energy too, so going paperless does not completely remove a "carbon footprint".

Retrieval

Finally, there are the benefits of retrieval as it pertains to going "paperless." Rather than having to dig through a file cabinet or storage facility, paperless offices can theoretically have documents at their fingertips. Of course, this is assuming that everything has gone paperless and it also assumes that documents are organized in such a way that they can be easily found and accessed.

Overall, going paperless has some definite benefits, but there are still some challenges to overcome. Companies do not just go paperless overnight, and it often requires a strategy that is carefully planned and executed. Otherwise, people will tend to fall back into old habits and the office will again be filled with bulky file cabinets.

Learn more about this author, Todd Pheifer.
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