Key trends in document services for 2023

Hybrid and flexible working has become a long-term reality for organisations, rather than just a short-term response to the challenges of the pandemic. As a result, businesses are having to consider how to make permanent changes to their processes, working arrangements and technology to make more flexible working models practical.

There are many challenges to navigate in this area: ensuring staff can be productive anywhere and at any time; repurposing office spaces so that they remain relevant to the business, and aren’t a waste of space, money and energy; and having the right tech solutions in place for a more distributed workforce.

Document Services have a leading role to play in addressing these challenges in 2023 – this blog will explore how, along with how SCC’s solutions can help.

Attracting and retaining talent

Amid trends like the ‘Great Resignation’ and the greater emphasis that employees place on work/life balance today, it’s harder than ever to recruit and keep hold of top-quality employees. They’re more demanding in terms of the experiences they want from employers, and will much more readily jump ship if they aren’t getting them.

One area where document services can help address this issue is onboarding, which can be difficult when employees are working remotely but need the same ease of access to information that they would get if in the office. Automated employee workflows and access to digitised documents can help in this area, including ID checks, inductions and providing equipment. This can help speed up and smooth out onboarding processes, cut costs and waste, and ensure new employer-employee relationships start on the front foot.

Review, audit and optimise

Now that hybrid working is here to stay, more and more organisations are reviewing their technologies and infrastructure, so that they can work out what changes need to be made for long-term success. In particular, they’re assessing which technologies are no longer required, where improvements can be made to outdated solutions, and where cost efficiencies can be found at a time of economic turbulence. Many businesses simply extended existing contracts for solutions during the pandemic, and now find themselves off the pace with ageing tech that is unnecessarily expensive.

An example of potential efficiencies in this area is in print, because many organisations have found that their print demands have declined with fewer people in the office day-to-day. At the same time, employees still need access to the information within documents, meaning that digitisation and the adoption of modern managed print services can deliver efficiencies without compromising productivity. This can include the scanning and digital distribution of paper documents, the ability to sign contracts and other documents digitally, and hybrid mail services: they are all investments that can pay off in the long term, both financially and in productivity terms.

Social responsibility and sustainability

Connected to the previous point, another reason that print is looked at for improvements in particular is because of the environmental burden it represents. 

The printing and storage of paper documents carries a significant energy and emissions impact for a variety of reasons: paper and ink consume energy to be produced and transported; printers need electricity to run; large filing and storage spaces come with substantial heating and lighting demands; and paper, ink and hardware all represent items that either have to be recycled or are thrown away as waste.

Therefore, taking a close look at how document services and print can be optimised can deliver significant advantages from the perspective of sustainability. Businesses can reduce the amount of energy they need, emissions they generate, and waste they send to landfill, all of which can help them burnish their sustainability credentials among customers, suppliers and local communities. 

The value of this can’t be overstated at a time when businesses are increasingly expected to move towards carbon neutral and net zero operations. It can also help organisations win new business from suppliers who prioritise sustainability and social responsibility: for example, social value now represents a minimum of 10% of the scoring of all central government procurement processes.

How SCC can help

SCC is ideally placed to support transformation journeys that drive digital business acceleration. We can provide a comprehensive suite of Document Services, including inbound and outbound mail, document creation, managed print and archiving. 

Alongside these solutions, we can act as a trusted advisor on the best way forward for your organisation. We can audit your current technology, assess where improvements can be made, and establish a roadmap on how to get there. This audit can encompass all your business processes, and look for improvements with efficiency, sustainability, productivity and compliance all in mind.

The end result is flexibility in your print and document solutions: vital if you want to upscale your business quickly without putting undue pressure on your supply chain. Collectively, we can make your document operations more cost-effective, more sustainable, and fit for the demands of a new world of work.

To find out more or start your journey. Get in touch