In a recent workshop with one of our clients, I learned that they had to increase their storage limits for OneDrive several times already. This got me thinking, knowing that information should be a shared corporate asset, why do employees hoard much data in their personal workspaces?
This situation reminded me of the TV series from 2009 called “Hoarders”. If you never heard about it before, based on its name you might just guess what it was about.
In the show, we were shown the cluttered lives of individuals who accumulated large amounts of items to the point that their homes were filled with so much clutter that their ability to live normally was significantly affected. Drawing a parallel, I realized that companies might be facing a similar challenge with digital clutter.
Digital hoarding – consequences
What are the consequences if this case is true and unnecessary information is overwhelming our systems and employees?
- Probably the most important fact, we struggle to find what we need.
- Managing version control with multiple copies can be difficult.
- Overstored data often equals to compliance breaches.
- The more information we store, the more time it consumes to sort and manage it.
- Storage isn’t free, the more we have the bigger the cost.
Unfortunately, this is a common reality for many of our clients. Reasons range from insufficient training on information handling to a lack of consequences for not adhering to document lifecycle requirements, not utilizing retention labels and disposition, and more.
Fixing the clutter
How do we fix that? There are few things a company can do for their employees, and few things employees can do themselves!
Here are some corporate strategies to improve organization of digital workspaces:
- Establish and enforce clear data policies – detailing the handling of information and document lifecycle.
- Ensure compliance to requirements – by setting consequences for non-adherence to data management requirements.
- Provide training and resources – to help employees understand and implement best practices in data management.
- Implement tools – such as file plans with retention labels to help in disposing of unnecessary data.
- Implement metadata tagging – to help differentiate valuable information from redundant, outdated, and trivial data.
- Communicate “decluttering” campaigns – to encourage cleaning up digital workspaces.
Employee responsibilities to reduce digital clutter:
- Follow policies and requirements.
- Participate in training sessions – to understand best practices for information management and how to keep your workspaces neat.
- Regularly audit personal OneDrive – to delete unnecessary copies or outdated documents.
- Transfer valuable data – if information you possess can be valuable for others, move it to collaborative workspaces like Teams or SharePoint.
- Keep personal content separate from work-related digital storage.
By implementing these strategies and working together, companies and their employees can ensure that their digital workspaces are organized. This not only will increase productivity but also ensure a more compliant and functional work environment. And that your company won’t be invited to the new season of “Digital Hoarders”!
Remember, effective information management is key to unlocking your organization’s full potential. If you need guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re here to help you optimize your information workflows and drive your business forward.
