I
recently read an article that had some interesting but not surprising
statistics. Harte-Hanks published a survey in December, 2001 which reported
that 96% of businesspeople interviewed were frustrated by their companies'
information management. It's no wonder. An IDC white paper published in
August, 2001 told us employees can spend up to two and half hours a day
looking for information.
It's about retrieval
The truth of the matter is that information in large organizations is stored
in huge electronic databases and archival files. However, a great deal of it
is also found in the individual employee's workspace…on their desktop, in
their file cabinets and in their heads. Coopers and Lybrand estimates U.S.
Executives spend one hour a day just looking for misplaced files. But as I
tell my clients, it's all about finding files, not just storing them. Can
the information you are looking for be retrieved quickly? If needed, can it
be found when the employee is absent from work? What if the employee leaves
the company...does the ability to find information leave also?
Systems to the rescue
Taking the time to create a workable filing system works to the advantage of
an organization. They become strategically prepared for the future and can
maintain a competitive edge. However, development, management and
maintenance of a filing system at the individual desktop level seems to be a
hurdle for most. The truth is that it doesn't have to be difficult…it just
takes focus and time. A well thought-out filing system simply provides a
user-friendly structure or path. Better yet, the same key elements for
developing a paper files can be used for digital files as well. The rewards
include increased personal performance, productivity and reduced stress
levels. If employees took the time to begin developing a customized,
workable system, their retrieval problems would be greatly diminished. And
so would that of the organization.
Technology to the rescue
There are at least two software products in the marketplace that help
employees retrieve information stored within their own workspace. The
programs aren't particularly complicated or expensive however they take time
to set up. But let's face it--a workspace in disarray didn't get that way
overnight. So the 'fix' most likely won't happen that quickly either. After
investing the required time, management and maintenance of the system tends
to be easy and painless. And the productivity gain enormous.
As Neil Larson said…'the value of information lies in how it is organized.'
Can you find your organization's valuable information quickly?
About the Author: Copyright 2001 Cynthia
Kyriazis. All rights reserved.
Cynthia Kyriazis is a Professional Organizer, trainer, consultant, speaker,
coach and author with over 20 years management experience in multi-unit
corporations. She is President of Organize it, Inc., an organizational
consulting firm serving Fortune 500 clients since 1995. Cynthia has worked
with over 150 companies and hundreds of professionals to help improve
performance in the areas of time, information, space and electronic file
management.
Cynthia has appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Kansas City Star and the
Legal Intelligencer. She currently serves as Secretary on the Board of
Directors for the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO),
member of the National Speakers Association (NSA), member of International
Society for Performance Improvement – Kansas City chapter (ISPI-KC) and
consultant to the American Coaching Association.
How-To-File.com