Guest Post: Is Your Business as Organised Offline as it is Online?

A new study from office experts Avery has revealed that an incredible 70% of UK workers admit to finding it hard to stay on top of organisation at work. Whether it’s getting paperwork in order, organising accounts or simply keeping desks and workspaces tidy, it seems that the task of being organised at work is a growing challenge for businesses today.
   
It’s clear that while cloud computing keeps us organised online and Outlook takes care of our inboxes and daily schedules, many businesses are struggling when it comes to maintaining offline order around the office. According to the Avery research, these struggles could seriously be holding back productivity in the workplace.  Nearly one in five people admit to losing important paperwork through not being organised enough, with the same number stating that important business tasks can often be delayed due to the time spent on looking for missing documents. The findings highlighted that in the most severe cases many staff are even working overtime to try and restore order, with one in ten people confessing they’ve had to work late simply to try and make their office a little more organised.

When it comes to essential offline organisation tasks that staff fall behind on, filing important hardcopy paperwork scored highly on the list, with 38% of workers admitting to this. It was closely following by the proper labelling of files and folders where it also emerged that just four in ten workers actually have a strict hardcopy filing system in place! 

Time pressures in the office were frequently cited by workers as the main reason for letting organisation slip, with a quarter of workers claiming there are simply so many other important things to prioritise that paperwork and organising always get left to one side. One of the first and most common consequences of this lack of time to get organised was a messy desk, with 43% of workers admitting their workspace was impacted by poor organisation.

So, you may have your online inbox in order but what about the intray on your desk? If any of the survey findings from Avery sound familiar here are some top tips to get you started on the path to better office organisation:

• If the amount of office clutter and paperwork that has built-up around you seems daunting and you don’t know where to start, the best thing to do is create a list of manageable tasks which address each area of the office. Break it down into smaller, more achievable jobs -never try to do too much at once or you’ll get disheartened.
• Start off by archiving documents that you don’t need on a daily basis and store them tidily in files and folders. Make sure they’re clearly labelled so you can easily find them again.
• It’s clear that a well labelled filing system needs to be put in place in order to promote better organisation and reduce the time spent looking for things. Once you have a filing system in place it’s much easier to encourage good organisation and
  ensure order is maintained long-term. Try Avery Organising & Filing Labels, available in a variety of sizes and colours, they fit perfectly on to all types of files, folders and binders. You can even customise your labels with logos and images for quick reference, using free online Avery Software & Templates.
• Consider implementing a colour-coded filing system to help make finding important documents more efficient. Studies have shown that the mind notices bright colours more easily than black and white text, making scanning and locating important files faster for everyone in the office.
• Implementing an efficient new filing system doesn’t have to mean buying all new folders either. Save on the stationery order by giving old files and folders a new lease of life with Avery’s opaque BlockOut™ Labels to completely cover over old text and labels.
• Remember not to let organising the office become a once-a-year nightmare. Encourage staff to leave their desks tidy and make time every few months for a good clear out as it’s very easy to let things build up. 
• Most people have a tendency to hold on to things ‘just in case’ – but this can lead to unnecessary clutter. Assess whether you are really ever going to make use of something and, if the answer’s no, get rid!

Put in place some of these tips and you’ll soon have your office organisation back under control. Some of the effects of an organised office might even pleasantly surprised you, from the positive impact on productivity and the speed at which administrative tasks get done, right through to the atmosphere in the office and staff’s overall morale.

For more information visit www.avery.co.uk/filinglabels

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