COVID-19 Pandemic Has Highlighted Concerns About Document Storage and Access Back

No matter what industry you are in, every company across the world generates and maintains a large amount of documentation. Every person in a business’s team needs access to that information on a daily basis, and they need that information to be both able to be acquired quickly and effectively, and also know that it is secure. And, with each day that passes in a business, even more documentation and records are produced which in turn need to be stored.  

As document storage becomes a bigger and bigger concern for businesses in a fast-evolving world, the decision to move paperless and onto cloud storage has been a godsend for a lot of businesses. And, one largely overlooked that the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted, is that safely managed cloud storage that all members of your team can access while working from home as well as in the office is vital for a business in the newly emerging business landscape.  

This pandemic has thrown up countless issues for many businesses across not the just the UK, but the world. However, finding a safe and secure way to manage your data and documentation online can not only help in the current landscape but can help prepare you against any emergencies or extreme situations in the future as well — which this pandemic has taught us can happen anywhere and at any time! 

Rooms Filled With Paper Are A Thing Of The Past 

For some businesses, on-site physical data storage is simply a large room that is filled to the brim with shelves, cupboards, boxes, and most importantly… paper! Everyone will be able to think of an office they have worked in over the years that had a room resembling this, and there are still a surprising amount of businesses that store their information this way — more so than you may think! 

If your business is one of these, then the Covid-19 pandemic likely hit hard. As, not only are such filing systems archaic — and one hell of a fire hazard — but they are also difficult for multiple members of a team or business to use and safely employ social distancing.

Not only does it force multiple people into a room with one another, but the handling of files that have been recently touched by others does not suit a pandemic. Furthermore, roomfuls of paper can easily become disorganised no matter how well labelled the room maybe — I’m sure a fair few people will have someone in mind who can never seem to keep things in order in the office! 

There is also the problem of data security with physical on-site data storage. Not only because files and information can be lost by employees, but because they are vulnerable to physical threats such as leaks, fires, and general building damage. Sure, there is a chance that if a document is lost, that someone can recreate it, but this costs your business time and money in the process — and may even be impossible to recreate in certain circumstances.

While a lot of businesses try to maintain security by scanning documents, this can be costly and inefficient without the help of a professional secure storage service.  

In addition to these problems, you can also encounter issues such as teams of people being unable to access information quickly during a time-sensitive situation, as well as the loss of efficiency business-wide due to people having to make repeated trips to gather information — especially true in businesses where the storage room is far away from the primary offices.  

The Drawbacks Of On-Site Physical Data Storage 

Aside from the dangers mentioned previously, many businesses have encountered the problem over the past year of members of staff not being able to have access to information that they would have access to in the office while they are working from home. As localised lockdown restrictions impact businesses in varying ways across the UK in an attempt to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, a lot of businesses have had to find ways to adapt to the new rules and regulations. 

One thing that has benefited many businesses, is having off-site data storage, which also allows each other their team to access a cloud account and have access to stored online data. Cloud storage for a business means that staff can quickly and easily have access to the information they need when working from home, and therefore help keep a business running at optimal performance. 

However, a large concern for some businesses is the security of a cloud-based storage system for their organisation. This fear is why it is crucial, at this delicate and uncertain time, for your business to look into the services of a data storage company, such as Secure Storage Services. 

Not only can Secure Storage Services provide secure off-site storage for physical documentation, but they can also provide quick and easy document scanning which can securely turn your documents into electronic data and prep it for secure cloud storage, all done by a team of people who are all vetted and undergo full DBS checks before being employed.  

Going Paperless Is The Way Forward 

The prospect of going paperless can be daunting for a lot of businesses, as it can be a large and challenging job. However, the aid of a third-party secure storage service can be a massive boon to your business’s future, as the return on your investment can be massive thanks to cutting out all of the drawbacks of on-site physical data storage mentioned throughout!  

Combatting the ever-rising, and dangerous, the tide of paper in your office will be a challenging journey but will be one that will reap countless rewards in both short-and-long-term.

With easily locatable, quickly accessible, and incredibly secure data, your business will be more prepared for not only what the rest of this pandemic has to offer for businesses across the UK but will help prepare you for whatever the future holds.