We're going paperless. Didn't you get the memo?

The idea of a "paperless" society is intriguing to some and frightening to others. There are certainly benefits and advantages to an all-digital world, but the concept is not without difficulties. Going paperless is not just about changing infrastructure; it is also about shifting culture. The culture part is what makes it a challenge and companies that strive for a paperless environment will have to overcome issues that are sometimes more personal that procedural. Here are a few thoughts on the pain of going to a paperless office.

VISION

Whenever you make an organizational change, you have to have support. Today we call it "buy-in" and it refers to enough people "being on board" (another catch-phrase) that it will work. This has to occur all the way up the "food chain" (still more business speak). If people are not in support of the concept, particularly in management, then it will difficult to implement. Also, people need to not only support the idea but they need have a sense of what it will look like when it is done. In other words, we say that they have to be able to "picture" it.

COMFORT LEVEL

I have known people who print out every email that is sent to them. They three-hole punch those emails, and put them in large binders that sit on their shelves. Some people find this to be ludicrous behavior but for them it is perfectly logical. For them it is a backup mechanism in order to protect themselves and their information. For the office that is pondering the paperless world, this type of person must be considered. In other words, is the office going to let people make choices or are they going to force the issue? In this modern society, people still like paper. They like the fact that they can touch it and lock it in a safe place. The bottom line is that if a company waits for some people to be ready to embrace technology, they are going to be waiting a long time.

LOGISTICS AND DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS

The concept of going paperless is good, but what does it look like? Does the office go completely paperless, or only in selected areas? Will there be a directive to stop putting memos in the mailboxes? Should all meetings be conducted with laptops or with a projector that shows the agenda on a screen? Will everyone take notes on a tablet computer? These are the types of questions that an office needs to answer. It isn't as simple as going paperless. All the logistical questions must be answered and the office must determine the most cost-effective and most efficient way to accomplish their goal.

With dwindling natural resources, it may be that a paperless society someday becomes a reality. Along the way, companies need to figure out how to get from vision to daily reality. The idea of going paperless sounds really good to some people, but technology is not always the most convenient, nor is it always the cheapest solution. The office that wants to go paperless must be ready to engage procedure and culture if they want to reach their vision.

Learn more about this author, Todd Pheifer.
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