Organizing to protect your business can help you stay operational while undergoing cost-cutting and restructuring. Many companies are looking at ways of cutting costs and even laying off staff. But if the people who kept everything organized are no longer around, you can see the direct impact of disorganization on a company’s productivity and bottom line.

After all, time spent searching through file folders, piles on desks and (in a worst-case scenario) the clutter in your waste-bin means lost productivity. Imagine if the average employee in your organization lost 20 minutes a day searching for items. The combined wages add up quickly.

If the key people who keep the office organized are laid off, files get lost, invoices go missing, and essential paperwork can get mixed in with clutter and garbage. The gatekeepers who knew where to find everything are no longer around to direct traffic. But it is more important than ever to keep office processes streamlined. I have often advised colleagues and clients, to have a consistent system for organizing to mitigate productivity loss. This means:

Implement a Filing System That Works

Having a bunch of large metal filing cabinets doesn’t mean your paperwork is sorted. Do the files include post-its and scrap paper, or just official records? Do you separate tax-related documents? Does the staff update the files regularly? Do records get purged from your files at the end of their retention period. If so, how does this take place? You need to have these processes in place to make the best use of the file storage you’ve got.

Train Employees to Organize

Try to create an organization that doesn’t rely on gatekeepers. Teach everyone how your filing system works. Even if they’re not doing the filing themselves, they must be able to find information when they need it. Train them on what kinds of papers they need to keep and what quickly becomes clutter. Consider combining a 10-minute organizing party with a month-end staff meeting.

Keep Cubicles and Desks Organized

Some people believe that a messy desk piled high with papers shows how busy and important they are. Alternatively, some use it as a crutch to avoid extra responsibilities (i.e. “You need me to help you with Project Z? Have you seen this pile on my desk?”) I’ve often found that the most productive and successful members of any organization have the tidiest desks.

Organize Office Supplies

For everything from pens and stationery to scissors and staplers, create a central spot where you keep things. Keep certain items on strings to make sure they don’t wander off to another part of the building. Managing your inventory will ensure everyone has the basic things they need to do their work and also save on reordering costs.

Get Outside Help to Keep Organized

Outsourcing may seem counter-intuitive for companies facing restructuring, but a disorganized office can cost a business in productivity month after month. An organizing expert can be a cost-effective solution, to help all members of an office understand how to maintain an organized space. Contact Linda at Out of Chaos today for expert advice on organizing to protect your business.

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