The Paperless Pandemic: How Ditching Documents Keeps People Safe and Makes You More Efficient

Going Paperless

Do you remember when efforts to go paperless in the supply chain were simply related to green initiatives? Saving paper was the big thing – and still should be – but now the coronavirus pandemic has driven a renewed demand for avoiding paper.

People are understandably concerned that there is a risk of transmitting the virus as paperwork changes hands. As one of our grocery customers explained to us recently, the contamination risk occurs every time a new person touches it.

In our customer’s process, shipment-related paperwork changes hands multiple times within a short period of time. This includes:

• When the driver arrives at the gate and the guard verifies paperwork
• At the receiving office where a second verification occurs
• When the papers are transferred to receiving staff in the warehouse
• At the gate, when the driver leaves the site

Is the concern justified? In a word, yes. However, as it turns out, paper is not a great way to transmit the coronavirus.

The virus is mainly spread via microscopic aerosol droplets from talking, breathing, coughing, or sneezing, which is then breathed in by another person. If the droplets do land on paper they don’t last long, according to recent research. The risk of catching Covid-19 from paperwork changing hands at a distribution center is therefore quite low.

So why are our clients so concerned about this? The companies we’ve spoken to so far wish to spare no effort to reassure employees that they are safe and protected in their work environment.

The expression “out of an abundance of caution” is one we see over and over again as companies explain their approach to preventing the spread of coronavirus.

And they are right to be cautious. Businesses need to be leaders in protecting their staff and customers from the disease. With an acute labor shortage, there is an advantage in being an employer with a good reputation for looking after employee health and safety. Not only do you keep your current employees safe, but you also enhance your reputation as a great place to work.

Download this paper to look at the technology that’s enabling paperless processes.