We are all in this unprecedented situation together and as a business we are experiencing the same issues that most of our clients are facing.
Fortunately, we have the portfolio of solutions, along with some innovative ideas, that can help you ensure documents continue to flow efficiently and securely around your organisation.
Read on to discover some of the challenges facing today’s new workplace as well as the 7 steps to ensuring a safe and secure workplace and workflow.
The challenge for the Workforce
With the first cautious steps of returning to our offices, social distancing rules, travel restrictions and staff welfare are influencing the evolution of the “workplace“.
For many, home working remains the preference let alone the new norm.
Communication has never been more important. Tools such as Zoom and Teams have become part of the essential Agile Toolkit, but what about documents?
Businesses still need to capture, manage and distribute documents just as effectively to support their Agile Workforce.
Digital tools for inbound and outbound workflow are now a must for effective communication with clients and colleagues, be that paper or electronic.
Easy to use and easy to deploy solutions are key.
The challenge for the Workplace
As offices slowly open up, the safety and wellbeing of staff is paramount.
Minimising touch points and ensuring safe use of shared areas and office technology such as printers and MFDs (Multifunctional devices) is part of that design and service delivery challenge.
Businesses need a balanced approach to support the users, maximising productivity and flexibility whilst minimising touch points and risk. Workflows for print and scan services need to minimise the time spent at a device, while supporting agile or roaming users and encourage greater use of central or outsourced (hybrid) services.
Security, compliance and data loss prevention remain key considerations in agile document services for both remote and office based staff.
A joined up approach is required.
7 Steps for ensuring a safe and secure workplace and workflow
1. Office layout & management
- Encourage the use of more robust and ideally “contactless” enabled (see below) MFDs, ideally in open areas away from desks or in pods with distancing markers
- Ensure shared MFDs are supported with regular paper top ups and cleaning of touchpoints by the facilities team, and clear communication on or by the device for safe use, including disposable wipes after each use
- Encourage greater use of central services (print room/mailroom)
- Remove desktop printers – high risk of distancing challenges as shared space resource and frequent tray/stock changes means regular touchpoints. Covid-19 can last up to 3 days on plastic
2. Minimise touchpoints – Contactless Technology
- Use proximity cards or key fobs to authenticate and release queued print jobs as well as enabling personalised scan workflows, minimising time at a device and mitigating the risk of multiple menu and screen touches
- Use mobile apps to select print jobs and release from a selected device
- Use stylus pens not fingers to drive menus
3. Secure your devices & documents
- Use intelligent secure print and workflow tools to protect against accidental data loss and unclaimed printing, while driving smarter habits and cost control
- Ensure secure print and workflow tools support remote submission and delegate release – via supporting staff or diverting jobs into a central or Hybrid service
- Simplify workflow with personalisation tools to enable a true roaming experience for all print, copy and scan services – greater flexibility for users and optimising facilities
4. Centralise services
- Encourage larger print and scan jobs away from the local MFDs to a central service or team
- Deploy tools for easy submission of jobs (ideally with eTicketing for tracking and management) to a controlled access centralised print and post room
- Utilise on demand outsourced print and mail services (Hybrid) to support mobile or agile workers and office staff
5. Digital Mailroom
- Envelopes can carry Covid-19. Ensure safe procedures for opening and distributing post – Switch to far safer and more secure Digital Mail services
- Digitise inbound post and bulk scanning services to ensure fast delivery to disparate workers and avoid risk and challenge associated with multiple touchpoints, paper distribution and management
- Digitise outbound post with Hybrid Mail services. Send PDF not print (see below)
6. Collaboration
- Capture and share documents with teams quickly and securely with audited, collaboration platforms such as SharePoint or Quickdrop (from the MFD or Mailroom). Alternatively scan to secure network folders/FTP, but be cautious with scan to email, it’s a high risk channel (compliance challenge in process and cyber security threats)
- Capture paper and electronic streams directly into cloud or on premise ERP or document management systems such as SharePoint, iManage, NetDocs, MFiles, Documentum, Peppermint, Proclaim etc
7. PDF Tools
- Simplify the conversion, editing and assimilation of documents from multiple sources, including signature tools and electronic stationery, minimising the need for print
