Achieving Improved File Management in 2013

As you reach the end of 2012, chances are you’ve already started looking forward to next year. It’s certainly a great time for looking back over the passing months, to take inventory of your accomplishments and set goals for the future. The resolution of getting better organized seems to be a common aspiration for most business owners. It’s a worthy objective to strive for; better organization can improve the efficiency of your organization, lead to improved productivity and strengthen your bottom line.

Disorganization and Lost Productivity

According to the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), the average executive wastes six weeks per year due to disorganization. That’s over a month of lost productivity! Think of it this way – if you were better organized, you could allot all of December to vacation time! Needless to say, it’s the mismanagement of files that creates the most headaches for businesses. Misplaced and misfiled documents are commonplace in a great deal of companies, so there’s no need to feel alone.

The Bbenefits of Improved File Management

If the impetus to recapture those lost six weeks and allocate them to vacation time isn’t enough, consider these advantages of improved file management for your business:

• streamlined business operations
• improved sharing of information
• better security for confidential documents
• advanced ability to meet regulatory requirements
• improved auditing capabilities
• reduced risk of data loss

Offsite Records Storage

There’s no denying that in addition to administrative knowhow necessary for proper file management, you also need the right amount of physical space for storing and organizing files. In fact, lack of space often leads to less than desirable storage solutions including:

• mini storage
• closets
• basements
• attics

The problem with these areas is that they do not meet the requirements for either Records Management or Disaster Recovery best practices. In addition to securing your information from privacy violations, files and documents need to be tracked and preserved throughout the retention lifecycle. A professional offsite records storage solution provides a secure environment for maintaining and protecting both active and archival business records.

Secure Disposal of Records

Part of your offsite storage solution should incorporate a method for the secure disposal of your corporate information. Prior to transferring records offsite, it’s important to purge those files that have exceeded the required retention period and thus are no longer needed. Since improper disposal can lead to confidential information being compromised, you’ll need a professional method for making sure that all of your records are destroyed securely and in a timely manner. Once you’ve gotten rid of the accumulation of expired records, a scheduled shredding service can provide your business with a method for eliminating data breach risks and freeing up valuable office space.

Records Management Center enables businesses throughout Augusta, Evans, Thomson, and Martinez, GA, and Aiken, SC and the Central Savannah River Area to achieve improved file management through a full range of records and information management solutions. To find out how we can help your business, please contact us by phone or fill in the form on the page.