Organizing the Chaos: How to Give Everyone Access to the Documents They Need

Managing documents effectively when teams are remote is the key to maintaining productivity. If you can make document storage and sharing seamless, everything else should fall into place. Here are the steps to follow if you want to ensure that everyone in your organization has access to the files they need.

Choose remote tools that integrate easily

Having the right home office setup is vital if you want your employees to be able to manage projects without setback or delay. Moving from legacy systems to cloud storage means that distributed teams can access data from any device, at any time, and from anywhere. Cloud allows workers to access the business network on mobile as easily as they would from a laptop, giving them the freedom to move around easily during their working day.

Enabling smooth remote document management is the first step, but finding the right platform is more than just a question of storage. As well as creating easy access to data for remote workers in a secure way, organizations must also develop digital hubs where teams can collaborate on projects without switching platforms.

Storage solutions like Dropbox bring together everything you need in one place. This includes all tools and content, and handy integrations allow you to take advantage of multiple services without juggling them separately.

Create a document management strategy

As well as making sure you have the right services in place, you will also benefit from creating a document management strategy. This outlines precisely how to handle documents so that information can be easily created, organized, stored and shared across the business.

While some workers have adapted well to the pandemic, and were likely early adopters of remote technology, others have taken longer to get on their feet. The processes around digital signatures and secure storage may require some getting used to before it becomes second nature. A document management strategy helps to provide the right guidance as workers adapt, and will increase workflow efficiencies in unprecedented times.

Change management is key, and the clearer the processes are, the smoother the transition will be.

Another challenge that companies face when growing their digital workforce is making sure security risks are properly managed. Having policies in place means you can effectively manage compliance and risk reduction, while keeping sensitive company data safe.

In addition to having security policies for remote workers, organizations should also consider single sign-on (SSO) services such as Okta, as well as two-step verification. When selecting your file storage platform, opt for one that gives admins comprehensive control of their team's sharing abilities. This way, you’ll be able to decide who can view, edit or share documents and folders, with boundaries in place such as owner-defined passwords and expirations.

By setting permissions, you can ensure that everyone can access the information they need, without risking data security.

Have seamless processes to maximize focus

One of the most important aspects of remote document sharing is having seamless processes that are easy to understand. The more convenient remote working is, the more productive your teams will be.

If it takes multiple platforms and several passwords just to access one file or share a document with a colleague, remote staff won’t be able to make the most efficient use of their time. Not only that, but juggling different platforms and using clunky procedures can lead to distraction.

Our recent study tells us that the majority of workers have been more productive since lockdown, but distractions can still be a concern for others. Over half of professionals said they’ve been focused while working remotely, but more than a third did report problems with concentrating at home.  

In order to reduce distraction and help employees maintain focus, it’s important to make their jobs as convenient and straight-forward as possible. This is why SSO services can make document access so much easier. Workers can tap into all of their tools and resources without having to log in to multiple places. With one simple sign-in process, they can go straight to the files they need and find documents in a matter of seconds.

The right document management solution will positively impact workflows and productivity, and the ability to concentrate is the secret to success in a remote environment. To promote better levels of focus, always consider user experience. If usability is poor, productivity will suffer as a result.