Spring has officially arrived in the northern hemisphere, and it may be accompanied by the urge to do some spring cleaning. Oftentimes this can mean tossing out anything that’s worn out or outdated. But when it comes to document storage, what you choose to keep – and how you keep it – is just as important as what you get rid of.
That’s what makes spring an excellent time to review your organization’s overall approach to document management and determine if it still fits your needs. One area to focus on in particular is records retention and if your company is in compliance with all relevant requirements.
Federal, state and local government agencies regularly update their policies regarding the retention and destruction of certain documents. This may include not only how long you retain records , but how you store documents and data during the required retention period. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in costly fines and penalties. And, depending on the circumstances, non-compliance may even expose your organization to litigation.
The more document or data-driven your industry, the more complex the government requirements may be regarding the retention, storage and destruction of certain documents and data. So, while auditing, or “spring cleaning,” your document management plan, be sure to focus on those key areas:
Once you’ve finished your spring cleaning, you can rest easy knowing that your organization is addressing all compliance and governance issues. Ahhh… a breath of fresh air!