Poor information management harms productivity

Poor information management processes are making jobs harder for staff and reducing their productivity and effectiveness in the workplace, according to new research from information management specialist M-Files Corporation.

Navigating different systems and locations to find the correct version of a file they are looking for negatively affects productivity according to 82 percent of respondents.

In addition, 91 percent of respondents say their job would be easier if they could quickly and easily access the most current version of a document, without having to worry about the system or repository in which it resides.

The study also identifies a number of problems with stored data. 42 percent cite challenges with improper or incorrect labelling of documents, while 41 percent say information is frequently stored in the incorrect folder or system -- with 29 percent saying information was misplaced or lost.

In addition 26 percent struggle to determine which system or repository to search, while 26 percent are unsure whether a document is the current version once they’ve found it.

"These findings clearly show the need for change in information management practices across all organizations -- both large and small -- wherever they are in their transition to a digital workplace," says Greg Milliken, senior vice president of marketing at M-Files. "With the exponential proliferation of information in today's business environment, many companies are failing to give their employees quick and easy access to the information they need, severely reducing productivity. To combat this, enterprises will need to adopt intelligent information management solutions that dramatically change the way they manage and process information, enabling workers to focus on adding more value to the organization."

You can read more in the full report available from the M-Files website.

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