Central Filing System: How Remote Working Has Changed Everything

Jun 18, 2020 | 0 comments

Businesses have been forced to rethink internal operations in the wake of Covid-19. The traditional office-based central filing system where employees would previously go to for company data and information is no longer viable. Working from home has become the new normal, and the previously sluggish transition to a digital workplace has suddenly been fast-tracked. Just as well, because according to a survey by getAbstract: 43 percent of today’s full-time workers want to continue working remotely. And many commentators predict that the US economy has reached a ‘tipping point’ in favor of home working

In today’s rapidly-changing, unprecedented and competitive environment, it’s become apparent that businesses must to ready to pivot and plan for the future workforce. In this post, we focus on the shift to remote working, how previous practices (such as maintaining the traditional central filing system) are redundant, and what businesses need to do to keep up. 

Why A Central Filing System Is Important

According to multiple research, the average worker wastes around 20 percent of their time looking for internal information or tracking down colleagues to help with specific tasks. Specifically, the Panopto Workplace Knowledge and Productivity Report 2018 implied staff spend nearly six hours each week waiting for critical information from their colleagues or recreating institutional knowledge.  

lost filesAll that wasted time adds up to a high cost to the business. It could result in delayed projects, missed opportunities, or frustrated employees. All this time spent sourcing information and data is magnified further with staff working from home in today’s setting. If there is no physical central filing system that workers can go to when desks have shifted to dining room tables, it’s easy to see how work comes to a halt. 

Advantages Of An Online Central Filing System

These days, businesses need to ramp up their response to the increased demand for home working. Rather than a temporary Band-Aid solution, sustained telecommuting requires a more considered approach. This has led to a surge in small businesses seeking online platforms, specifically, a digital mechanism for a central filing system, as these have the potential to increase productivity and process efficiency. This digital system addresses the problem with time-wasting and duplication of effort.

Staff can take a self-service approach to source the information needed to get the job done. And because it’s online, they can do so 24/7 from any location, or any device. For remote workers, the benefits are obvious. But they apply equally to staff in non-desk roles or those who spend time out on the road.

Furthermore, moving to an online platform will mean physical space savings. This, coupled with the likely demand for more flexible working, could see employers reducing overheads or downsizing to smaller premises. 

Doing away with paper filing systems and cabinets frees up valuable office space.

filing cabinet hellAnother major advantage of an online central filing system is increased control and compliance. With personal filing or team-based systems, it can be hard to keep track of versions. Ensuring the most up-to-date document is available in every library is a challenge. And this can be critical in industries where legislative compliance is a requirement. 

A digital central system, however, means you can easily implement a system of controls. Because all corporate information is in one location, keeping a log for version control is more straightforward. Therefore, you can guarantee that all staff have access to the most recent, up-to-date assets. 

Intranet-Based Central Filing System 

A cloud-based intranet is an obvious solution to an online central filing system. Here are just some of the ways it can be used to support more flexible or remote working:

Document Exchange

Find, share, and collaborate on documents and files easily throughout the organization. Do away with team and individual hard drives with an accessible central one. You can share files both internally and externally. And you can bulk upload and download documents. 

Central Library Of Corporate Policies

The intranet is a virtual library housing all company policies and procedures. This will help to improve compliance rates and will enhance internal understanding as well as reducing the risk of non-compliance. 

Compliance And Control

The intranet’s easy-to-use administration makes compliance and control an easier task. Use the intranet’s management tools to assign edit or read-only access as required. You can grant or deny users, or even whole team’s access to specific pages. 

Automate Workflows

Use the intranet to digitize and centralize company forms, requests, and approvals processes. Whether it’s to order supplies, submit an expenses claim, or request a vacation online, digital processes make for faster, more accurate workflows. 

Notifications

Use the intranet’s integrated notifications to tag employees with tasks, reminders, or updates. You can subscribe to documents and receive notifications of any changes. 

Advanced Search

To be successful, a central filing system must make it easy to find information. And so along with easy site navigation, a smart search function is a must. With the intranet, employees will be able to quickly access data using tags and metadata for a powerful search experience.

Security

Another huge advantage of an intranet is that you can be confident of security when sharing sensitive and confidential files. The intranet comes with the latest online security features, as well as the ability to restrict internal access when needed. Two-way SSL-encrypted connections along with a secure hosting environment (HIPPA) are standard. 

Businesses Using An Intranet-Based Central Filing System 

MyHub’s customers are putting to good use the central filing system feature. Here are just some examples of how the central filing system is supporting productivity and more streamlined processes. And these examples work just well for teams of distributed home workers as they do for office staff. 

worker accessing central filing systemFor one client, access to the latest price lists, sales deck, and sales agreements has been critical to the success of the sales team. What’s more, their sales personnel spend most of their time visiting clients. The mobile-friendly intranet means they have at their fingertips all the information needed for responsive customer service. Any queries from a customer can be swiftly dealt with by using the intranet’s search. Alternatively, a quick instant message to a colleague back at HQ and the issue is resolved in no time. 

As you would expect, the work of UK-based recruitment consultancy, Kenect Recruitment, involves a great deal of form-filling. From job requirements, client profiles, and interview notes to references and employment contracts, every task requires a form! And often, the information collected is confidential. Kenect has made extensive use of an online library of forms. Data is now more accessible, and staff can be confident information is shared securely.

Another recruitment agency client of MyHub, RWR Group has offices in several countries. For them, the intranet has made it much easier to share documents and files throughout the business. Before the intranet, the company had been using a shared hard drive. However, it had become too big and unwieldy, making it no longer fit for purpose. Their MyHub intranet is now the go-to resource for RWR Group’s staff. It works as a central library of information with all the company’s how-to guides, policies, processes, and HR forms. Since the introduction of the intranet, RWR Group has seen an improvement in productivity. And there’s been a marked reduction in the amount of email and paperwork within the office as employees source data from the intranet directly. 

It works as a central library of information with all the company’s how-to guides, policies, processes, and HR forms.

Intranet-based central filing systems are increasingly used in healthcare settings. Organizational learning is critical for hospitals. And an intranet provides a far more efficient and accessible way of sharing data. It could be insights into improving the quality of care for patients or revised treatment options for specific conditions. An intranet ensures staff are accessing the latest information every time.

It’s a similar story at Turnbill Hill Lawyers. They are using their MyHub intranet as a central library for all internal policies and procedures. Using a self-service approach, employees can source information or data as well as training materials and case law. 

Local governments is another sector that’s making extensive use of intranet-based central filing systems. With such a broad range of functions and responsibilities under one roof, local governments’ information needs are enormous. Data on the intranet can be organized on a business unit level, as well as by department or team. There will also be information shared at a government-wide level. An advanced search functionality supports all of this. Users can search by page, file names, subjects, or text within documents and content. Whether it’s voter turnout at the last election, the road maintenance program, or the municipal government’s constitution, staff can find it within seconds. 

Another industry with lots of paper processes and information needs is real estate. The real estate transaction process involves completing several paper forms. From listing a property, ordering photos, and marketing collateral, or identifying potential buyers from the contact database to finally closing the transaction, there’s a vast amount of paperwork to be completed! Central filing systems help to streamline processes and enhance the productivity of agents who often work from their car.

Additional Business Benefits Of An Intranet

The intranet, however, is much more than just a central filing system. In fact, there’s a whole host of other business benefits available. Here are just some of the ways MyHub intranet can add value to your business. 

Improved Internal Communications

Build a culture of engagement with the intranet’s news feeds, blogs, forums, and instant chat. Connect employees working remotely, flexibly, or in non-desk roles.

Support Collaboration And Joint Working

Create an environment that encourages staff to communicate, share ideas, and collaborate. Set up private and secure digital spaces for staff on the intranet. Employees can use these to brainstorm ideas and share insights, collaborate on documents, and create a library of relevant files. 

Create A Digital Workplace

The intranet brings together in one platform all the tools staff need to get the job done faster and more efficiently. With a single access point, employees can access corporate calendars, document exchanges, staff directories, content libraries, and automated workflows for a comprehensive solution.

And the good news is the MyHub intranet is super-easy to set up and manage. You don’t need a college degree in computing to get started!

Sign up today for a free demo or 14-day trial and discover what a difference an intranet can make.

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