The Extraordinary Power of Information in a Downsizing World

The Extraordinary Power of Information in a Downsizing World

As Chris Crouch stated so well in The Contented Achiever, many companies are experiencing a cutback in workforce, but not in workload! For the employees left behind to pick up the pieces, accessing valuable company information becomes increasingly complex -- whether it's a password, the name of a vendor for a product purchased years ago, or vital information about an important client or prospect.

The computer, while originally touted as the ultimate organization tool, has in reality increased our ability to create a faster mess! Being disorganized creates inefficiency. Inefficiency costs money, causes unnecessary stress, precipitates poor customer service, and ultimate loss of sales.

Here are five essential questions to ask about the information in your business:

1) What information do we need to do business?

2) Who in the organization needs access to that information?

3) In what form should the information be kept?

4) How long do we need to keep the information?

5) How can we be certain anyone in the organization can find information quickly?

Valuable information contained in chaos is virtually worthless because it cannot be readily accessed. As a result, the individual, and ultimately the organization, is less effective and less competitive. Information is power - or can be, if you can find it when you need it.

© Barbara Hemphill is the author of Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger at Work and Taming the Paper Tiger at Home and co-author of Love It or Lose It: Living Clutter-Free Forever. The mission of Hemphill Productivity Institute is to help individuals and organizations create and sustain a productive environment so they can accomplish their work and enjoy their lives. We do this by organizing space, information, and time. We can be reached at 800-427-0237 or at www.ProductiveEnvironment.com

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_(By Barbara Hemphill).