With the summer here, it's time to start thinking about a little rest and relaxation. You deserve a break! With all the paper coming through the HR department, the whole team could probably use a vacation. In fact, why don't we make that a permanent vacation from paper! Here's how you can move to electronic employee files this summer quickly and easily, along with some of the benefits you'll notice once all that paper is out of the way.

Making the Switch Should Be Simple

Scanning your employee files in-house is a great way to keep costs low. However, the manual method of scanning every document to your desktop, naming each file and then finding the correct location to save it is simply too time-consuming. A paperless HR solution can help your team take a shortcut to electronic employee files with scanning automation tools. Solutions like this are great because once your files are converted, you can use the system going forward to easily manage files and start using paperless workflows. 

Barcode Cover Sheets

A good method for automating the conversion of your employee files is the barcode method. Just slip re-useable barcoded cover sheets in front of each section of the employee folder as you're getting ready to scan it. Put one more barcoded page that is unique to the employee as the first page in the folder and then scan the entire folder at once. The system will receive the scan and know exactly how to file everything based off of your barcoded cover sheets. It'll even create all of your folders for you automatically. 

Batching Processing

If you have a bunch of paper documents for different employees, batch processing can be very helpful. Just scan the whole stack of paper into the system and you can break it down into multiple documents for different employees right on your screen. The system will automatically file the documents away in the correct location once you're done. If you happen to need to split a large scan apart after using the barcode method, you can also break those down from the same screen at any time.

Outsourced Conversion

If doing the conversion in-house is going to be too large of a project, you can always use a scanning service company and let the pros handle it. Most paperless HR solutions will partner with scanning companies to help you get the initial back-file project done as painlessly as possible. It's ideal to go with this method rather than simply having a company scan all of your files to PDF and hand you a disc. Since the scanning company can utilize the same automation features, your project can typically be completed faster and cheaper. Best of all, you receive all of the benefits of using that HR solution going forward.

Long-Lasting Benefits for HR

Replacing paper with electronic employee files is a huge step forward in efficiency for the HR team. You can access files instantly from anywhere, replace pen-and-paper processes like employee onboarding with paperless workflows, keep required documents in staff folders up-to-date, control access for different roles, securely share files with auditors, and so much more. Organizations like San Diego Zoo report that, "On paper alone, the cost savings is in the thousands and possibly t...”

Read more - Give HR The Permanent Paper Vacation They Deserve.