Green Technology: The Joy of Working for a Paperless Organization

March 22, 2010 - By Jacinta C. Baca

As an employee, one typically wants to work for an organization that is both ethical and innovative. For me, that entails working for a company that is environmentally conscious and not living in the dark ages regarding work flow and technology.

ALL HAIL paperless organizations! I’ve had the opportunity to work for a green company. Not only did we save trees, but we dramatically reduced the amount of time needed to service our client’s needs to mere seconds – all the while saving money on postage. The technology is out there people, and it’s a power waiting to be wielded.

As commander of my cubicle, I felt as if I was operating the main deck of the Nebacanezer. I had two flat screen monitors and maneuvered through four different programs simultaneously. I was using Windows Outlook, a “paperclip” filing system, an internal database program that provided work flows, and the Internet. Paper pushing and client servicing had turned into a weird adult video game, I was getting paid to play.

So besides nerdy fun, here are four reasons why it is wonderful working for a paperless organization:

Business processing and transaction time is almost instant. I worked with multiple off-site client records. The records were scanned by an out-of-town facility, compressed and then uploaded onto a website. Our internal production department would then download the files, and I would retrieve them from a secured company hard drive. Documents were then emailed to our clients for electronic signatures, and returned back…all in less than one business day. We were a well-oiled paperless machine of technological efficiency.

The amount of space necessary to store information is virtually depleted. Your documents are saved in cyberspace on a server that is typically backed up multiple times. The amount of time necessary to retrieve documents is also dramatically reduced, and files are rarely lost.

You save trees. You are reducing your carbon footprint and bettering the planet for our children. Exhale, ah…you can rest easy on your pillow every night. And now your efforts to plant a tree every year, might actually make a difference. You can find green saving statistics and solutions provided by Go Paperless Solutions, Inc. at – http://www.gopaperless.com/Green-Commitment.aspx.

If you are not working for a paperless company, you can at least do a small part at home. Request electronic statements and pay your pay your bills online. Let’s use science to save Mother Nature’s wonders. And if that doesn’t appeal to you, maybe the giant video game analogy will sell you.