Hard drives, the cloud, cashless retailers, digital tickets, and e-books — it’s hard to deny the world is becoming increasingly electronic and paperless.
A paperless world offers many benefits and opportunities for the workplace, including increased organisation, collaboration, and productivity. But as with any significant change, it also brings challenges.
The Microsoft Suite is your digital office solution, with all the tools you need in one place. It’s an investment that will streamline your communication and workflow, support your people and customers, and address growing concerns about sustainability and limiting your carbon footprint.
The Importance of Going Paperless
For those used to hard copies and filing systems, it may seem complicated to imagine that going paperless will improve workplace productivity. But what about the time wasted looking for important documents or letters that weren’t scanned or were filed incorrectly? Or the queue for the printers or photocopier in the office?
For a business, reducing paper waste increases cost savings and limits space pressures within the office, especially at busy times. Now, employees can share, access and edit their work from anywhere, at the click of a button, using systems like SharePoint.
A paperless world is also kinder to our environment. With clients and stakeholders increasingly concerned about how companies manage their environmental footprint, reducing this physical impact can only strengthen these relationships and demonstrate that you’re all working towards a central goal.
Overview of Microsoft Suite Tools
- Microsoft Word: The most prominent text application used worldwide. Create, edit, review and share any digital document with tables, images, headers, footers, comments, and page numbers to any colleague or internet user.
- Microsoft Excel: A digital spreadsheet software for data management. Data can be quickly sorted, filtered, and displayed as graphs in Excel for everyone to read.
- Microsoft OneNote: A dynamic digital note-taking tool. OneNote allows for efficient organisation and coordination with team members in a versatile configuration that syncs across devices.
- Microsoft Teams: The ultimate collaboration application. Teams brings your office space online, allowing workspace chat, video meetings and file storage.
- Microsoft SharePoint: A solution for centralised document management. Offices can use SharePoint to share and store files and content and establish a company website or intranet. SharePoint allows for real-time collaboration, regardless of the size and type of Microsoft file shared.
Integrating Microsoft Suite with Other Tools
Gone are the days when software and systems operated in isolation. Now, cloud storage solutions are integrated.
Your Microsoft files can be accessed on Teams and SharePoint, OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud, and more.
Internal business processes, like document approvals and sign-offs, waste time and paper in a fast-paced office environment. Consider adding Microsoft Power Automate to your repertoire of apps for increased workflow automation. Approve, reject, and sign forms and documents in the app or as an email.
Tips for a Smooth Transition
Like any new integration, transitioning to a paperless office should be done as smoothly and comprehensively as possible for the best results for your company’s workflows.
Rushing the process or overestimating your employees’ capacity to shift to the digital workplace can not only cost excessive money and time but can also have disastrous consequences for confidential data and client communications.
Training employees
You can purchase the best software and apps, but the technology is wasted if your staff can’t use them.
Consider investing in corporate training that targets your employees’ needs, such as effectively using technology for project management, invoicing, accounting, and note-taking.
At Priority Management, we understand that efficiency looks different for all businesses. So, our Microsoft Suite training resources are tailored to you and how best to help your team.
From beginner to advanced Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote and Teams courses, all team members can enhance their skills regardless of their prior experience.
Gradual implementation
There will be hiccups along the road to reducing paper use. Consider generational gaps; system changes will be harder for people with analogue work preferences and styles.
Ensuring consistent and transparent communication throughout the process will yield the most compliance.
Ensuring data security
Scams and viruses continue to be challenges that workspaces have to manage as they embrace the digital space.
Invest in a large enough cloud storage to securely store your files and educate your employees on cybersecurity to mitigate any data or privacy breaches. Antivirus and anti-spyware software are worthwhile, tax-deductible products for your organisation to install on laptops and digital equipment in the office.
Ultimately, digital literacy and awareness are knowledge that needs to be learnt and refreshed as data security becomes increasingly complicated.
Take Your Microsoft Suite Skills to the Next Level
The digital age is here. Want to up-skill and stay ahead of the curve?
Priority Management Australia is at your service. We provide a wealth of digital resources and Microsoft Office Suite courses designed to support managers and employees alike in adapting to this digital work culture shift.
With 40 years’ experience in the professional training and development industry, Priority Management are the trusted leaders in your workspace solutions. Contact Priority Management’s friendly team to help determine which courses are best for your business and how they can be adapted to suit your unique needs. The future of productivity is in your hands.