Many organisations have seen the benefits of having a “paperless office”, from the reduced clutter and faster access to information to the reduced costs and being more environmentally friendly. However, no organisation has gone truly paper-free – people of all ages still prefer using paper to being paperless.
Being able to hold documents in our hands just feels more “right”; they can also be easier to read than a document on a screen as well as being easier to add notes to.
But the real reason we are all still printing more pages than ever is because the “modern office” is no longer a fixed place of work. As we continue to embrace the digital world, we find ourselves working in the car, or on the train, or at home – anywhere, at any time.
New working strategies such as hot desking and remote working have increased in popularity over the past couple of years as a way for employers to reduce their overheads as well as maximising productivity. However, research carried out by the IDC has found that employees are more productive when surrounded by their familiar office equipment and documents.
This means that the vast majority of flexible office workers are printing out their documents, probably in multiple places, to satisfy their needs for a familiar workplace. So it becomes clear that in our modern digital world that is supposed to be paperless and efficient, people still need and use printers and copiers and they probably always will do.