Paperless office in MES

Abstract

This policy memo aims at increasing the efficiency in the government organization by focusing on one of the factors adding to inefficiency, i.e., conversion of the current mode of paper-based communication to paperless communication. This policy memo discusses the issues with the current system of communication such as time delays, inefficiency in the system due to time lags happening at various stages of the workflow, lack of accountability for delays as there is no proper monitoring mechanism to know exactly where the delay has taken place. The paper-based communication also has a serious environmental impact. Each metric ton of paper manufacturing needs cutting of approximately 24 trees in addition to pollution caused by paper production factories. The other environmental effects include the health hazards due to the use of cartridges, ink in printers, etc and finally the electronic waste that is being produced while disposing of the used printers and photocopy machines. The policy paper discusses the background and the motivation behind writing this policy memo with detailed examples justifying the need to change the current system of paper-based communication to paperless communication. The policy discusses the status quo and other alternatives to resolve the problem such as continuing with the current model of paper-based communication or to shift to complete paperless system where no paper is used in the communication and the third system where paper is used only for essential correspondence where it is unavoidable due to legal or security requirements and rest all can be converted to paperless communication. The policy memo also discusses how it can be implemented in the organization section-wise such as E1 to E8 (eight sections exist in all offices of the organization). The detailed discussion on history and background on the paperless office has been done. The policy memo discusses the challenges involved in the implementation of the paperless office and addressing these challenges. Overall this policy was aimed at compelling the HOO to understand the need for the paperless office, understand the advantages of using paperless office and thrive for the implementation of the same in the organization.