Benefits of ditching paperwork without compromising workplace compliance

Bethan Foston Date published: Nov 17, 22

What does it mean to ‘go paperless’?

Put simply, a paperless workplace implements efficient processes that don’t rely on paper. In other words, these organisations are usually the ones that have embraced the digital transformation and ditched the filing cabinets.

Depending on your sector, a fully paperless office may not be a possibility. There may sometimes be legal necessities where paper documents are required, or even a governmental obligation to keep physical records. In this case, going ‘paper-light’ may be the way to go; a healthy mixture of the essential paper documents you need to remain compliant, and efficient paperless processes to eliminate document overload.

The benefits of using a mobile inspection software to create a paperless workforce…

1. Streamlined reporting process for successful audits

It’s no secret; audits are stressful. Well, more truthfully, they can be a complete nightmare if you haven’t got efficient processes in place or transparent health and safety records.

With The Paperless Project finding that a document is lost by a large organisation every 12 seconds, digitalising your checklists, workflows and reporting is essential for improving accuracy and guaranteeing compliance. A checklist and inspection software gives you all the tools for a successful audit, right at your disposal.

2. Valuable time saved by centralising information

It takes an employee 18 minutes, on average, to find a document. Whether it be hidden deep down in a cabinet or stored on the other side of your office, being able to access resources, on-the-go is bound to save your employee’s precious time.

Digital documents and reports are notoriously easier to manage. If documents are more accessible, the time taken to retrieve them is decreased, improving employee productivity.

3. Better quality reports for improved workplace safety

Identifying problems before they become expensive mistakes is vital. Relying on paper-based procedures can be costly, especially if documentation and audit trails are lost.

Ensuring the right people are notified and take ownership of corrective actions keeps your workforce safe and ensures mistakes are not repeated. And when you need to prove regulatory compliance for important standards such as ISO 45001, records can be accesses at the click of a button rather than scattered amongst dozens of paper-based files.

4. A single source of truth to boost collaboration

Regardless of your sector, chances are, effective collaboration amongst your workforce will be a necessity. This can be tricky when you have multiple versions of documents or are unable to access important reports on-the-go.

Sharing files digitally allows for employees to work together, in real time. With a paperless inspection solution, manually archiving and updating files is a thing of the past, allowing your employees to work from anywhere whilst accessing files securely.

5. A cost-effective switch with a high ROI

In the US alone, companies spend of 120 billion dollars, per year, on printed forms. 45% of these documents end in the trash after just 3 months. Quite literally, businesses are throwing their cash away when, really, they don’t need to.

Here are just a few of the costs associated with paper-based procedures:

• Printing, toner, and maintenance
• Document storage and maintenance of updating files
• Legal fees if a document is mishandled
• User support
• Reduced productivity amongst employees

The cost of an automated solution is far less than the expensive of paper, in the long run.

6. You’re doing your bit for a greener planet

The environmental impact of relying on paper for procedures and reporting will be detrimental in reducing your organisations carbon footprint. The paper and pulp industry is the 4^th largest contributor of greenhouse gas in the world and one sheet alone requires gallons of water to make.

Moving your processes to an automated solution prevents further deforestation, the engagement of species and reduces waste pollution. If saving the planet is not enough to convince you, tailoring your brand to value sustainability is a great way to attract a wider audience of eco-conscious customers and improve your brands reputation.

Our paperless solution…

Our mobile inspection platform is a great first steps to digitalizing your business. With powerful functionality and the ability to tailor the system to best suit your needs, our solution is an easy way to safe and compliant paperless operations.

• Checklists & Audits
• Business workflows
• Issues & Actions
• Staff Guidance & Training
• Dashboards & Analytics