When looking at records and information management (RIM) programs, we often talk about the four C’s of information management: Control, Collaboration, Compliance, and Cost optimization.
With hybrid and remote work setups maintaining prominence in professional settings, adapting your records management processes to support remote employees is a necessity. Upwards of two-thirds of employees say they would consider looking for a new job if asked to return to working in an office full-time. This is where Collaboration comes in as an important factor in your RIM program’s functionality.
How Collaboration Can Benefit Your RIM Program
The benefits of improved collaboration include:
- Reduced information silos
- Fewer handoffs
- Scalable processes
- Documents are easier to locate
- Less reliance on paper
- Reduced on-site storage needs
When looking at new collaborative strategies to improve your RIM program, there are four factors to consider:
Beyond Storage – A Comprehensive Information Management Checklist
Organizations of all kinds and sizes are finding themselves faced with an array of information management challenges. Some of these challenges, like the transformation of information technologies and the growth of data sets, have remained relatively unchanged for years.
Going Digital First
Paper makes collaboration more difficult when your employees are working in a remote or hybrid environment; therefore, greater access starts with digitization.
When developing a physical-to-digital strategy to guide your transition, partner with an expert– be it an external vendor or internal department– to ensure smooth execution specific to your business needs. Set a goal to be digital-first and paper-light, with incremental digitization.
Make Technology Work for You
From meetings on Microsoft Teams, to chats on Slack, to Zoom conference calls, technology helps us do our jobs better. It’s the same with RIM– make thoughtful investments in a solution that works for you, and your records management system can enhance your business functionality.
The right tech solution should:
- Keep you compliant – More organizations are looking at where their records live and how they align with regulations and policies.
- Be easy to use – An intuitive interface ensures broader employee use and a smoother transition.
- Automate as much as possible – A streamlined process will ensure that nothing falls through the cracks and free up employees’ time to focus on other projects.
- Tailor access – Designating authorized users and levels of access is key to achieving and maintaining compliance.
- Meet the needs of every department – Use a self-survey to look for hidden challenges and find a solution that caters to different departmental needs.
Get Everyone on Board
Streamlining records management for collaboration requires a mindset shift. Make sure your employees know the value driving your management procedure changes. Some employees may have a physical document comfort zone, and they’ll need to be led out of it incrementally. Showcase the benefits of the shift, whether it’s efficiency and access upgrades, an easier way to search for what they need, or a quicker turnaround time. Make sure your tool is easy to use to best encourage buy-in.
To start out, look at how your organization has historically thought about records management and decide what you can do today to improve on it. Deploy first across departments with the greatest needs according to organizational goals and priorities.
Ensure Privacy and Security
The world generates 3.5 quintillion bytes of data every day, and across the world, there are companies responsible for every piece of it. Today’s businesses are required to be more transparent than ever and are held accountable for lapses in privacy and security thanks to improved laws and regulations. The right storage solution can ensure data in your control has a lifecycle that includes the necessary security, retention, and destruction protocols, no matter where records and employees reside.
View our recent on-demand webinar, The 4 C’s of Information Management: Collaborating in the Work from Anywhere World, for additional information on collaboration within RIM.
See how a partnership with Access can help your employees better collaborate with appropriate information lifecycle management solutions.
