Can we do it differently?
Financial Services has successfully completed the pilot project “Paperless administration”. The overall print consumption of the 65 employees has fallen by 79 per cent in just two years.
Financial Services printed almost 200,000 sheets of paper in 2017. In 2019, the printers spat out just 40,000.
Behind this figure is a change project in which the 65 employees have gradually changed their working habits to create a more sustainable administration by reducing paper consumption.
Together with the other heads of Financial Services, Deputy Director Nicolai Sørensen and Chief Procurement Officer for the Procurement Office Bill Busch Kyed have been coordinators for the area's pilot project "Paperless administration", which started in the summer of 2018.
-Initially, it was about highlighting how much we actually printed, so that each department could see the number of prints it made and become aware of the consumption. It was a bit of an eye-opener for many of us, says Nicolai Sørensen.
Common motivation
Financial Services then set a target figure for a reduction in the number of prints. Things went one step further in the Procurement Office where the individual employee set his or her own target figure.
-We looked at how far we had come at the subsequent monthly departmental meetings, says Nicolai Sørensen, who emphasises that it was not about controlling the individual, but maintaining a common focus and motivating one another.
Internal competitions and betting between different teams and colleagues was one of the tools used by the Procurement Office on the way to achieve the target figures.
-Becoming paperless requires a change in culture, so it is important that the purpose is explained in order for the idea to be improved and accepted by the individual employee. But we experienced great willingness, ownership and loyalty from the outset, where everyone wished to contribute to achieving greater sustainability, says Bill Busch Kyed.
Forget the printer and use the computer
One question in particular became the focal point of the “Paperless administration” project, namely: “Can we do this differently?”
And the frequent reply was: “Digitisation of work assignments”.
Financial Services has therefore worked on developing new digital workflows, which eliminate the metre-long rows of ring binders that were previously fixtures in the offices, as well as the reams of paper that would pile up on desks.
-In parallel to the digitisation of work assignments, we have worked with competency development, as the project can only succeed if everyone becomes familiar with the PDF tools and other digital aids that can take the place of printing.
Consequently, the new digital workflows tended to originate from employees who were able to see the possibilities, says Nicolai Sørensen.
Make a good start
Nicolai Sørensen and Bill Busch Kyed have the following advice for the departments and units that wish to reduce their number of prints:
- The consumption of paper is invisible to most people. Highlight this
- Involve employees and listen to new ideas. It is about acting together
- Ensure on-going follow-up and accessible target figures
- Remember that employees have different tasks. Not everyone can be paperless
- Managers must be attentive to the project and lead by a good example.
It is perhaps appropriate to mention that Nicolai Sørensen printed 3,138 sheets of paper in 2017 and 124 in 2019. Bill Busch Kyed printed 3.394 in 2017 and 0 in 2019.