The 4 Top Benefits of Going Paperless

Image credit: Florian Pircher from Pixabay

As the world rapidly approaches a climate disaster, it is more important than ever for organizations to step up and do their bit for the planet. After all, it is businesses who are largely responsible for the damage inflicted on the natural world over the past century. Even if you're a small startup with minimal impact, there is still a lot you can do to display corporate social responsibility and reduce your carbon footprint. One highly effective method being adopted by an increasing number of businesses is the practice of going paperless.

Going paperless means taking steps to fully eradicate the use of physical paper from your company’s processes. This practice will look different for every business, but will almost certainly involve digitizing documents, utilizing cloud storage, and relying more heavily on mobile devices.

Many traditional business owners are understandably hesitant to adopt such an approach. But there are countless reasons why ditching paper is a smart move for businesses. Here are just four of the most compelling benefits.

It’s good for the environment
Every year, approximately 15 billion trees are cut down in their prime. Rainforests in the Amazon and other parts of the world are being destroyed and disfigured by deforestation, and this is having a huge impact on natural ecosystems and local communities. Not to mention the enormous quantity of greenhouse gas emissions produced during the manufacture and transportation of paper and other stationery. Going paperless reduces the need for these practices and allows your business to operate in a sustainable way. 

It Reduces Waste
The average office worker uses around 10,000 sheets of paper each year. A lot of this paper ends up in the bin, which creates mountains of unnecessary waste in landfill. And that’s not even considering the amount of plastic packaging, unrecycled printer ink cartridges, and other office paraphernalia that ends up in the oceans and polluting the environment. If you go paperless, you can dramatically reduce the amount of waste your business produces. Not only will this help the planet, but it will also directly benefit you and your team by reducing the amount of unsightly clutter in your workplace.

You'll Save Money
Office equipment is one of the biggest expenses for any business. It costs a great deal of money to buy paper, stationery, and printer inks, and these costs can add up over time. If you go paperless, you won't have these expenses to worry about. You’ll instantly reduce your overhead costs and have more money leftover to feed into the company.

It's More Efficient
Having a paperless office can help you to streamline your operations and become more efficient. You'll be able to find documents more easily, and you won't have to waste time dealing with physical files. Everything you need will be stored in the cloud or on internal servers, and instantly accessible at the touch of a button.

In conclusion, there are plenty of reasons to consider going paperless in your business. Hopefully, this list has given you some food for thought. Making the switch to a paperless office could save you time, money, and help you to do your bit for the environment. What's not to love?