Your business probably has a lot to accomplish, and it all starts with having an organized office. Files are still a staple of many businesses, and they can easily become a disorganized mess if the necessary measures aren’t taken. Here’s how to keep up with an office filing method, so operations can run smoothly in the new year.
Explain the System
To keep a system in place, you need to have one in the first place. Once you have an effective filling system figured out, it’s critical that you explain the system to the employees in your company. This can be done by having a meeting and by placing a cheat sheet next to the filing cabinet to minimize the chance for a mistake.
Be Consistent
The main reason why you want to thoroughly explain to your employees how the office filling method works is so that it can stay consistent. If employees aren’t on the same page when it comes to how files should be labeled, what color it should be, and where it should be placed, disorganization begins. To make matters easy, have the necessary tools like color coding dot stickers readily available. Knowing how to keep up with an office filling method means that the system needs to be as consistent as possible by those who use it.
Look It Over
A company can explain the system and preach consistency to their employees all they want, but mistakes may still happen. Establish a time of the month, or any downtime, to have someone look over the office filling to ensure that everything is in the correct place.
Get Rid of Unnecessary Files
When someone looks over the office filling method, not only should this person make sure everything is in place, they should get rid of unnecessary files in the process. The last thing you want is clutter in an office cabinet. This not only creates a mess, but it reduces the available space for new files. Staying on top of important files and those you can discard is another way any business can keep up with their office filling method.
Update from April 2021
Organizational systems will need to be updated to keep up with the changing work flow. Sometimes a simple color coded system is enough to keep things organized. If you have a need for a more complex filing system, you can easily have custom labels made, or check out Chromalabel's wide selection of stickers!
