Staffing Shortage? Document Scanning and Management Can Help

Increased efficiency may be just the solution your business needs

Document scanning and document management are the unsung heroes of the recent hiring crisis. It is easy to recognize that many employers are facing a severe staffing shortage. “Help Wanted” and “Now Hiring” signs can be seen just about everywhere. In March 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 8.1 million job openings. It was an all-time high, and a 43% increase from March 2020, when COVID changed the business landscape.

The truth is, while most businesses want their staff to work harder during these tough times to make up for staffing shortages, they simply need to work smarter. Document scanning and document management can make a world of difference.

Short on staff? Consider scanning services

Being short-staffed creates significant business challenges and puts strain on existing staff. This is compounded if you have paper-based information and manual processes. Just how inefficient is paper? A global survey of workers and IT professionals in 2012 conducted by International Data Corporation (IDC), revealed that document challenges account for a 21.3% productivity loss.

A 21.3% productivity loss is like hiring five people, but only four come to work. The fifth person is always searching for information and not adding significant value to the business. Implementing solutions to address these inefficiencies not only helps the staff that you do have to “work better,” but can also reduce the need to add new staff.

How document scanning and document management can help

The method for addressing the hiring crisis is unique to every business, but document scanning services and document management strategy can ease the hiring pains and create lasting operational efficiencies in your organization. Here's how to get started.

Identify the Source of the Problem

1. Identify Processes that involve a lot of people, or a lot of paper – maybe even both. Partner with trusted process improvement professionals, like those at EO Johnson Business Technologies, to perform process mapping. This will give you an unbiased, and invaluable look at where time and resources are being consumed.
2. Dig deep into your paper-based records to understand exactly how and how often they are being used. How often does staff go into file cabinets? How many times each day is paper copied, shared, or scanned to email? And most importantly: how much time is being spent on each of these manual tasks? The answers will reveal your opportunity.

Address the Problem

1. Document Scanning enables vital business information to be accessed by anyone, from anywhere, at any time. As an added bonus digital data is secured and backed up, providing disaster recovery. Space once occupied by file cabinets and shelving can be reallocated for other use. Scanning services can be an enormous game-changer for your business.
2. Where the data goes is the most important part. A document management system provides the ability to not only scan, store and retrieve information but also to apply automation and workflows. Digital communication between staff and business applications drives productivity and helps manage processes better.

Scanning services and document management: The key to
the hiring crisis

EO Johnson Solutions and Document Scanning can work with your business to identify and address inefficiencies and develop a strategy to reduce or eliminate paper-based records. By increasing productivity, we can help your business to reduce costs and help your existing staff to work smarter.