The pandemic continues to be the worst global crisis in a generation. The need for social distancing protocols and the shift to remote work fundamentally changed the way we work and live. And while the worst days of the pandemic appear to be over, we still live in a very different world than the one before.
Going from working 9-to-5 in an office every day to working exclusively from our laptops within the confines of our homes was an abrupt change that not everyone was prepared to deal with. It was particularly disruptive to businesses that were used to keeping records like contracts and invoices on printed paper.
The digital technologies that allow people to work from home have outpaced the record-keeping practices we use to run a business efficiently.
With those challenges comes an enhanced need to make clear record-keeping policies so that confidential data is kept secure, regulations are followed and lawsuits are avoided. However, they also present an opportunity to create new record-keeping systems that are better suited to the digital age.
Here are some of the major changes in record-keeping practices that will likely stick around after the pandemic is over:
Video Conferences and Messaging Platforms in Record Keeping
Digital technologies like Zoom and Slack create a gray area in terms of record keeping.
It is not always obvious if information exchanged on messaging platforms or a video conference needs to be filed and stored, but any exchange between two employees is potentially proprietary information that needs to be properly secured for legal purposes.
If company secrets are leaked from a Google Meet call or an employee makes an inappropriate comment on Slack, then HR personnel must be able to find those messages and videos quickly.
Keeping Records in Digitally-Secure Locations
Policies that accompanied the shift to remote work like Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) have created added security risks as employees conduct business on their personal smartphones and laptops.
Record keeping comes into play here when it spells out where to store files and who can retrieve them. It also means defining how employees access sensitive information online—but only to the extent they need to do their jobs.
The same goes for communication between employees. As remote work becomes the new reality of the post-COVID world, record retention policies will need to stipulate how team channels are monitored and only include employees needed for a given project.
These record-keeping policies should also delegate specific locations where records are kept, how long they need to be stored, and when they can be deleted or removed.
Heightened Need for Clear Record Retention Policies
In all this upheaval, it has become more important than ever that businesses stay organized. That means going back to the basics of good record keeping, including having a clear record retention policy that's effectively communicated at every level of leadership.
A solid foundation for record-keeping will help organizations better navigate the challenges that arise from the switch to remote work.
Those policies should include things like where files are stored and file naming conventions, but it also involves ongoing maintenance. A document management system will help implement these policies—they effectively take the place of filing cabinets and paper folders.
In a post-COVID world, it has become more important for record keepers to take due diligence by regularly surveying employees to make sure they are familiar with your record keeping practices—how they record video calls and where they store documents and files. It also extends to onboarding new employees on your procedures and making your record-keeping practices available in your employee documentation.
Sid Soil is the Founder & CEO of DOCUDavit Solutions. DOCUdavit is the leading provider for secure document imaging, EMR conversion, document/data management, and storage solutions for Canadian businesses and retiring lawyers and doctors. Since DOCUdavit's inception in 1994, Sid and his teams have worked with over 600 medical practices, 200 law firms, multiple corporations, and 10 government departments. They also received the 2020 Canadian Business Excellence Awards for Private Businesses.
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