Why processes should be a priority

How often are you put on the spot and then hesitate when asked for the location of a document? Have you ever been delayed from completing a project because you can’t find a particular folder?

We’ve all been there. It’s a common issue in today’s collaborative workplace, where employees work from the same files. With nearly three quarters of employees saying that their organisation has central systems for storing files, clearly it’s not the lack of infrastructure that’s causing this problem. 

It’s actually because 41 per cent of employees are still saving documents to a personal device. People tend to find a process that suits them – which is not always what suits the business. Often they’re also simply not aware of the consequences of their actions.

It doesn’t mean that nothing can be done. To overcome this challenge, CIOs must introduce standardised processes. As dull as it may sound, it should be a priority for them, as over half of organisations still lack consistency and clear processes. 

However, it’s all very well introducing systems, but they are redundant if employees don’t know about them or are not provided with guidelines. This, in turn, causes employees to lose trust in their organisation’s capability to store and retrieve documents, perceiving them as unorganised and inefficient. It’s also part of the reason why they use their own devices.  

It’s not just employees that will suffer from this lack of clear process, it also has a direct impact on profitability and productivity. We’re currently spending an average of 25 minutes a day locating documents saved here, there and everywhere. It’s alarming when you consider the value that equates to. 

Ultimately, CIOs need to step up in order to regain their employee’s trust. There’s a clear need for them to assume responsibility by devising and implementing company-wide protocols, which will improve productivity and, in turn, reinstall faith in the company’s systems. Once these processes have been created, you’ll be amazed at what can achieve with that extra 25 minutes.