How to Reduce Paper Waste in Your Office

Most organizations produce a lot of paper. There are marketing materials, internal memos and reports as well as documentation. Paper waste is a lot more than an environmental issue, however. In addition to the trees lost, a lot of paper waste at your office can mean increased overhead costs and paper and printing costs. It can also mean less efficiency, since managing and handling all that paper can take time away from more mission-critical tasks.

Paper can also mean a lot of time wasted, since lost pieces of documentation can mean spending time hunting for a specific form. Paper can even be a security risk. Just about anyone can access a file cabinet or drawer, meaning your data could be vulnerable. In the event of a natural disaster or a fire, paper records can mean irretrievably lost crucial data.

There are several ways to reduce paper waste in the office while also going digital to realize some security benefits:

• Digitize your receipts and invoices: This will make it easier to organize them for tax season and will allow you to keep track of spending more easily. Digitizing also makes it easier for you to buy from and sell to overseas and remote customers and vendors. Online systems today allow you to send receipts and invoices over text and email with an extra copy stored in your computer or cloud system for later reference.
• Use electronic payroll: It helps keep you compliant by ensuring all payroll documents are online and accurate and can make it easier for employees to access self-service when they need information or want to print a form. Online payroll services even have some great features, such as integration with HR, which can save you time.
• Use electronic business systems and project management systems to minimize waste: Chat features, email, electronic file sharing and online calendars can help reduce paper generated through internal memos and sharing between offices. You can even reduce the number of sticky notes everywhere by using reminder features in calendars and project management systems to stay on task.
• File electronically: Whether you’re filing employee data, business reports or something else entirely, digitize everything and place it in the cloud. Not only can it be more secure — especially once you use encryption and passwords — but it will also be easier to find with search functions. You will also free up a lot of real estate in your company. Generally, if it is in a storage or filing cabinet, it can be digitized.

Keeping Things In Check

Now that you know how to reduce paper usage in your office, do you need help going digital? For custom, digitized payroll designed to save you hassle and effort, contact BCM Payroll Services Inc. With customized payroll throughout South Central, Pennsylvania and Western Maryland, we help you stay on top of payroll while reducing the number of pay stubs, checks and other papers you need to wrestle with. Contact us today to help tame the paper deluge.