6 Advantages and Disadvantages of Paperless Office

In the past, offices were the embodiment of paperwork. Office workers were busy sorting and filing some “black and white” documents. You could see them going to work with brief cases filled with paper. Such has been the symbol of office work for a very long time.

However these days, things are very much different. Most offices have already gone digital. Instead of using the old school typewriter, office workers are now using word processor, spreadsheet, and more. In fact, these programs are also becoming obsolete as some companies start using some cloud-based programs such as Google Drive and CRM platforms.

Nowadays, it’s a bit more quiet inside every office. You will no longer hear some noisy typewriters or printers except some keyboard clicks. Is it something that is more advantageous for company owners and employees? For sure, a paperless office has its own pros and cons.

List of Pros of Paperless Office

1. Reduced Cost
Obviously, a paperless office will not any more require you to keep on buying paper. If you are working with tons of paperwork everyday, you can not recycle them for the same task in the same routine. You will have to order more paper so that you will not run out of supply. With the help of computers, software programs, and the internet, documents can be saved and edited electronically.

2. Increased Efficiency
If you rely on paper documents, you need to personally bring it to another person in the office to work on it. Moreover, only one person at a time can read, check, or edit it. This conventional method consumes much time. In a paperless office, documents are created electronically. They can be seen by all users in the same office at the same time and in real time.

3. Quiet Work Environment
It’s always nice to work in a quiet office. This will help you become more productive and accurate in your work because you will be able to focus on tasks with less distractions.

List of Cons of Paperless Office

1. Power Outage
Some office buildings have their own power generators in case of power outage. Although such occurrence is rare, you should not disregard the damage it can cause when it happens. Sudden power disruption may cause you to lose unsaved data or transactions online.

2. Malware Attack
In conventional paper-based offices, malware attack is not a concern except fire hazards. However, the same level of risk awaits a paperless office that is electronically vulnerable to malware.

3. Technical Issues
Even if there is no malware attack, there are times your system will go through some technical issues. This could mean disruption of work or loss of data. Aside from that, frequent issues can greatly reduce your productivity.