Did you know that the world uses an unbelievable amount of 65 billion sheets of paper each day? The United States has less than 5% of the world’s population, but still, it consumes more than 30% of the world’s paper. It is undoubtedly an alarming situation but mostly overlooked. Because well, it’s just paper, right?

As we progress towards digitisation, businesses of all sizes and from all sectors are transforming digitally to enhance productivity, efficiency and cut costs. Sticky notes have taken over the traditional note pads, and the overall idea of reducing paper waste is indeed attractive for the planet. These digital transformation projects range from customer service management to workforce operations. As part of these projects, many companies have considered the potential of going paper-lite or paperless. But since it seems that there will always be a requirement for paper-based processes, confusion exists between what’s better and more effective for any organisation.

Going Paperless Is Scary

Why are we not entirely paperless by now? It’s nearly the end of 2021, and we’re still printing. Why? It’s the history, our culture, and the convenience. Since the 1500s, office meant paperwork, and documentation was only in hardcopy, and today, those original transcripts are valued highly. Transforming to a paperless environment might be easier in the future, but it costs time and money to initiate. Moreover, people still find it easier to afford printers and print anything they want whenever required. The majority of the readers still prefer reading paperback documents instead of electronic ones.

The Differences, Costs, and Benefits

Let’s talk about how paper-lite or paperless office can benefit an organisation and which one of the two approaches is more realistic and creates a better workflow process.

The difference between paper-lite and paperless office is that paperless means swapping printed pages for digital documents – a paper-free environment, whereas, paper-lite approach refers to reducing the amount of paper, cutting down costs, and reducing carbon footprint. Although new technologies and applications like Google Docs and Microsoft Office have made it easier than ever to take notes and share amongst the team, working collaboratively, many employees still prefer working on paper, and companies prefer signing contracts by hand.

Going completely digital can leave your company and your employees vulnerable. There are chances of losing unsaved data and potential sales due to power disruption. These situations could be avoided if documents were printed and available on paper. Moreover, companies are at risk of cyberattacks and hacking. If an entire business goes paperless and depends on computer-based systems, ill-intentioned third parties can get into the systems and cause potential damage in one single data breach. Therefore, to some extent, there’s always a need for paper to avoid such circumstances.

The ideal approach is opting for a paper-lite office. This approach entails various benefits. Every business looks at ways to cut costs, and reducing the amount of paper can do just that. You won’t need to spend as much as before buying paper in bulk. Less paper means less ink and printers required. Having the perfect mix of physical and digital documents can improve employee productivity as they spend less time organising pieces of paper and have the correct, modernized tools to carry out their tasks effectively. Computer-based file storage means that employees can easily access files and locate them quickly on their desktops. This also ensures that the files are secure and protected. For added protection, paper-based files can also be scanned and kept in one place to ensure a quick work process and efficiency.

The Bottom Line: Which Way to Go?

Paperless records are safer, faster, and secure. However, the idea of a paper-lite office is more realistic as it strikes the perfect balance between the two, making it a better choice.

For every organisation, the paper needs can be different. Therefore, it’s generally a customisable alternative. But whatever the decision, going light on paper will truly deliver efficiencies and cut down majority overheads. Businesses that adapt to a paperless or paper-lite environment have fewer human errors, improve security, consistency, and compliance while also providing more control over the information.