For the last decade or so, we have all been trying to go paperless. Has it worked? No. Will it ever work? Who knows, but for the short-term at least, it looks unlikely.
Whether we ever actually manage to reach that holy grail of being paperless completely, we still need to think very carefully about how to store information. This can be data, reports, legal documents, papers which pertain to how the business is run, or records on staff, which are highly confidential. Whatever it is, we need to think about how to store it safely and securely.
There are really three main options to look into:
• Electronic storage, e.g. everything being kept on computer, either on a hard drive, USB stick, or in the Cloud. This is often recognised as a secure business storage method in the modern office.
• Manual storage, e.g. the regular paper-based filing system which is kept locked up in a filing cabinet
• Both systems running together
Currently, the majority of businesses tend to run a mixture of both. Whether this is because they are attempting to go paperless and haven’t quite reached the target yet or not, we will never know, but it could also be because that option really suits most workplaces best.
When considering office design, revamping an office, or having a total reorganisation, it is vital to think about comfort levels, but it is also important to think about security information. There are many office storage units you can look into, and all have various different features, such as key locks, digit locks, different heights, etc. It’s really down to the workplace to consider which is best for them. It’s vital to look into office furniture UK choices before making a final decision, as this could make or break your paper-based, manual filling system in terms of ease of use.
The main areas to consider in terms of which system to choose really boil down to the following:
• Data/information security
• How easy it is to access for those who need to
• Editing ease
• Back up methods
The problem with electronic storage is that there is always the risk that you might have a malfunction of your computer, or it could be stolen. In this case, your data is lost too. You will need to look into methods of backing up your information to ensure that nothing vital is lost, but even that has its possible loopholes. In addition to this, you need to train your staff on how to access the information and how to save it properly. Even Cloud storage has its downsides, as we see more and more accounts being hacked over the last few years. Is this something you can afford to happen to your business?
Obviously, not all is well with manual filing systems either. You can easily lose a piece of paper, there might be a natural disaster which damages all your filing cabinets and paper, such as a fire. In addition, most people have access to filing cabinets, so someone getting a hold of information they’re not supposed to, from a security point of view, is high. Whilst you can choose various different types of manual office furniture choices for this, such as tambour cupboards, nothing is without risk.
So, that really leaves us with the option of both. This might seem like the safest choice, and in many ways it is, but surely it is more confusing to run two systems, and doesn’t that mean that you have two sets of disadvantages to deal with? You have the risks of both systems running together, and that means more to worry about.
For now, it seems that running both together is probably the best choice for many businesses, but it really boils down a personal choice, and how you safeguard against any potential problems and loss of information. When you’re shopping around for your new office furniture, perhaps new office desk chairs, or collaborative office desks, be sure to check out various options for storage at the same time. Investing in quality is really the only way to ensure that less risk is involved with any type of data storage.
What do you think? Which option do you deem to be the best? Or, are you like the majority of businesses these days, and consider both systems to be the best happy medium? Let us know your thoughts and open up a real discussion. Perhaps we can pick out a real winner after all!