Good business filing is always important, but this time of year is a good time to have a good old-fashioned cleanout to set yourself up for the year to come.
Other than the nice feeling you may get from getting a fresh start, a business can suffer a lot from this kind of clutter. Not only is wasted time and stress but the amount it costs in cold hard cash. An employee on $50,000 a year that wastes an hour per day costs the business $6,250. It pays to clean house!
“Clutter is not just the stuff on your floor. It’s everything that stands between you and the life you want to be living” Peter Walsh
Setting up an online filing system that can flow can be challenging, but is very achievable. So what makes for a good filing system? Let’s look at the key elements you will need:
Be stored in the cloud to access fast from anywhere:
A effective filing system needs to be stored in the cloud. This simply means that your key managers and leaders, all of your team members, will be able to find everything that they need too, wherever they are. When all of your files are stored in the cloud, everyone can get what they need from anywhere in the world.
Be user friendly:
An effective filing system also needs to be user friendly. It needs to be super easy to navigate. The folder system needs to be simple and clean and clear. Importantly, the names of your files also need to make sense, so when your people are searching for the files they need they can find them quickly and easily.
Have a cheat sheet to help users:
Set up a single document that outlines what each of the different sections of your filing system contains. So if you’ve got a new user using your filing system, they can look up and see, “ooh these sorts of files are in that place!” It truly makes a difference for your team members to navigate the system quickly, regardless of their level of experience.
Use smart names to find files easily:
Good business filing relies on naming files well. This is essential for finding your files easily. Developing a system of naming conventions is a really simple yet clever way to make sure people don’t waste precious time searching for the files they need. When you use a smart system for file names, productivity will naturally increase.
Put every file at your fingertips in 10 seconds:
There’s a little rule that I keep for myself: if I can’t find what I need in no more than 10 seconds, it means that either my internet is having a moment, or I’ve got a problem with my system. Why don’t you see if you could keep that standard in your business? Your team members will love you for it.
Be maintained as a routine part of the daily business:
Using an effective filing system is not a set and forget sort of thing, it requires daily diligence to keep your filing system up to date and crystal clear. This routine will flow on and create a wonderful experience for the people working in your business.
Be protected by encrypted passwords:
The good business filing also prioritises security by using password software that encrypts your passwords. So you can make sure there are no passwords saved on sticky notes, saved on desktops, or shoved to the back of a drawer. And you can make certain there are no passwords that are too easy to guess!
Control levels of access:
A good filing system will also control levels of access. This means access to required files is given to each member while restricting access to other files they don’t require. As a result, the privacy and security of others are maintained. Real security means your clients will build trust in you, so make sure you’ve got good access control to have a great filing system.
Record who has access:
Finally, record who has access to your filing system as well. If different team members, collaborators, and business partners all have access to different parts of your filing system, make sure you know who can see what files and who can access them. It’s a really important part of maintaining a safe, secure online work environment.
With so many people working remotely now, a good filing system is now even more important to maintain confident productivity and enthusiastic engagement. I hope you can use these elements and see the difference it makes.
