Whilst a lot of companies are now offering to go “paperless” for their customers, you will be surprised at how much we still depend on printed documents to make sure our organisations run smoothly. Whether it is printing information about clients, to-do lists, or spreadsheets… you name it: we rely on paper to communicate.
So, what happens to all this paper when it is no longer of use? Here are some reasons why it’s crucial paper should be disposed of correctly to keep a healthy workplace environment.
Legal
It is now the law that companies dispose of any paper documents, so that they can remain sensitive to their clients’ rights of privacy. Under the Data Protection Act, papers that hold personal details have to be shredded to ensure confidentiality is maintained. This can range from information about a person’s salary to their medical records. Shredding is the safest and most efficient way to dispose of paper. Paper shredding Essex is a good example of how a mobile company can come to you to confidentially remove waste, so it doesn’t become another task within the workplace.
Safety
Businesses are the biggest target for criminal behaviour as any waste containing important information can be used to their advantage. Identity fraud becomes more commonplace when we leave a paper trail behind us. Shredding is a simple way to stop people from having access to these details.
Reputation
Paper shredding is important to withhold the company’s reputation of being reliable and trustworthy. Customers will feel relaxed in the knowledge that none of their credentials will be at the subject of prying eyes. It is this relationship that you have with clients which is the deal-breaker for many businesses.
Space
If there is not someone who can take responsibility for getting rid of paper, it starts to build up, until sooner or later the office is crammed with a mix of both useful and unwanted documents. Maintaining a practice of paper shredding is valuable to the upkeep of the office environment – to help increase space and clarity. Keeping on top of these tasks can mean having more storage space. This could make all the difference, especially in small offices.
Protection
Are you an innovative business continuously striving to create new material? It may be that you have competitors on the market that are willing to stand on the shoulders of giants. Ideas, research, and works-in-progress that fall into the wrong hands can cause damage to a business if they are developing something new for their target audience.
Hazardous
It can be dangerous having so much material in a building that can easily set on fire. Storing fewer paper documents improves your building’s safety.
Fast and recyclable
Shredding paper is the quickest way to remove paper as the shredding machine does what human hands can do within a matter of minutes. Even better, it is much easier to recycle your waste this way. For an organisation that wants to promote its sustainability, this is a great action that shows responsibility and presents the company to be environmentally friendly.
