Do you ever wonder how you can save paper in the office? Then you've come to the right place. Our paper consumption is incredibly high, especially at work. So it's time for a change. How you can save paperless office switch, what the benefits and obstacles are, and how to keep your office in the spirit of the Zero Waste Lifestyle I'm going to show you how to digitize your photos.
Here is another short Table of contents about the article:
Advantages of the paperless office
Not only our plastic consumption (see Plastic waste statistics) poses a problem for the environment. Germans consume around 20 million tons of paper a year.₁ For the conventional 500 sheets of paper in DIN A4 size, 7.5 kilos of wood are required. In addition, 130 liters of water and 10.5 kilowatt hours of energy are required.₂ Paper consumption in the office accounts for a large proportion of this. By going paperless in the office, you're doing something good for the environment. Another advantage of saving paper in the office is the cost savings. Even if paper initially appears to be quite inexpensive, from a long-term perspective it is a major expense. After all, in addition to the paper, there are also the costs for the printer cartridges, which run out faster than you might think. To sum up: Saving paper is environmentally friendly and good for your wallet.
Obstacles to saving paper in the office
In addition to the many advantages for the paperless office, there are also some obstacles. The IT skills of many workers are still inadequate. The solution to this would be training courses that specifically teach the required EDP skills. However, this is usually associated with a high cost, which many employers do not want to pay. Another point is the lack of the necessary equipment, which is required for electronic signatures, for example.
Paperless - Is it possible for every office?
A completely paperless office is difficult to achieve. Reducing paper consumption by quite a bit, on the other hand, is very easy. Of course, it also depends on what kind of work you have. An employee in a start-up will have an easier time making his office paperless than a doctor. However, each of us can save a little paper.
Save paper in the office
Below, I'll give you some tips on how to save paper in the office.
1. weigh and save paper in the office
Do I really need to print the e-mail? Do I have to print out the whole report, or are a few pages already enough? A reflective look saves a lot on paper. Before you print something out next time, ask yourself if it's really necessary, or if a digital copy is already enough.
2. print double-sided and save paper
A great tip that is often underestimated. After all, double-sided printing can cut your own paper consumption in half. Many companies and even customers appreciate thinking about the environment. And at least for your own use, double-sided paper shouldn't be a problem. It's best to set double-sided printing as the default setting on your computer.
3. choose smaller font and save paper in office
Here's another simple tip that isn't used too often: Selecting a smaller font takes only a few seconds and can save a lot of paper and printer ink.
4. use printout without graphic and save paper
Photos and other graphics are not needed on most printouts. By omitting the graphics and making the text more relevant, the document retains its expressiveness, but many resources can be saved.
5. introduce paper parmonate in office
Many workers did not use so much paper on purpose - they are simply unaware of the magnitude of the problem. A paper parmonat draws attention to the paper problem. Doesn't your company have a month like this yet? Then why not suggest it! Alternatively, a paper saving day or a paper saving week would also work.
6. use recycled paper and conserve resources
If you must use paper, why not buy recycled paper instead of regular paper? Through the recycling cycle, paper can be reused and resources can be saved. Recycled paper is usually quite inexpensive.
Save paper in the office through digitization
Since the dawn of computers, the future was announced: a paperless office should no longer be a problem within a very short time. Nowadays, several decades later, the opposite is true. Although we are in the midst of the digital age, we use significantly more paper than we used to. And paper consumption is on the rise. However, digitizing your office is actually a great way to reduce paper consumption. A digitized office also makes for more order and faster document retrieval.
1. the first steps
Of course, for a digital and paperless office you first need the necessary equipment. A reasonably new computer model, smartphone and a good scanner are the must-haves of the digitized office. The first step is then to digitize the "paper clutter". For this, you need a good scanner that can digitize the documents. PDFs are a good file format. Admittedly, it's a lot of work, but it's worth it.
2. save files online
After you've digitized all your documents, it's time to find a new place to store them. While you can easily store files on your computer, it's not a bad idea to have a second backup. An internal cloud is a great place to store documents and other files. Alternatively, you can use an external hard drive.
3. write emails instead of letters
Writing e-mails instead of letters has many advantages. Besides saving paper you also save some money and time. Nowadays, an e-mail usually gets just as much acceptance as a normal letter.
4. digitize accounting
Especially a lot of paper is used in accounting. If you write a lot of invoices, you should also think about digitizing your accounting. Nowadays there are many good software and programs that allow you to do just that. Many self-employed people write their invoices one way or another with a software or writing program on the computer. So the obvious step is to run everything else digitally as well. Given this fact, you can even work with a clearinghouse if necessary. They receive your invoice in their online portal and send it on your behalf.
Tip: Suppliers like Lexoffice are pioneers in this field and save masses of paper waste in the office through simple digitization. With modern business software, for example, invoices and incoming payments can be linked and receipts automatically recorded.
5. use a digital calendar
How often do you find yourself making phone calls while taking notes on a piece of paper? By using a digital calendar, you save a lot of paper. You can find digital calendars everywhere these days. You can use the pre-saved calendar on your PC or smartphone, or you can use a specific app or software. By turning on notifications, you will be informed about current appointments on time. Handy, isn't it?
6. online banking
Nowadays, almost every bank has online banking. Online banking saves you the thousands of folders of statements that flutter around your office or home. Whether you're at home, in the office, or on the road, online banking lets you manage your banking affairs anywhere.
7. use practical apps
There are plenty of apps that make it easier for you to go paperless. With Evernote, for example, you can save everything that comes up in terms of documents and papers. The files are stored in a cloud. You can access these files from any device you use. There's also Google Drive, PDF Office, Sign Easy and many other handy apps. With the Admin app for paperless payment there will soon also be an app system that can make receipts at the supermarket checkout superfluous.
Paperless office - basically no problem!
Saving paper in the office is easy if you know how. Especially with the digitalization of your own office, saving paper is no longer a problem. I hope these tips could help you. I'm sure that in the future we will learn to manage the environment's resources better.
By the way: Are you still looking for a job with real added value for you, the environment and society? Then take a look at the new Job portal for sustainable jobs by CareElite.
What important tips for a paperless office do you think are still missing from this article? Leave me your tip in a comment below this post.
Love greetings
PS: You can get even more tips and tricks for saving paper outside the office in the article 18 tips for saving paper. Enjoy reading!
References:
₁ https://www.focus.de/wissen/weltraum/odenwalds_universum/tid-21460/waldschutz-deutschland-ist-spitze-im-papierverbrauch_aid_602679.html
₂ https://www.pro-regenwald.de/hg_papier
