Remote work exposes weaknesses that may remain hidden when employees share an office. An employee cannot lean over and ask a coworker where a document is stored. A manager may be unavailable when someone needs an immediate answer. Information discussed informally at...
A nonprofit updates an intake form, reimbursement request or incident report, but the old version keeps circulating. Employees may have saved copies on their computers. Managers may forward earlier attachments from email. Printed forms may remain in supply cabinets....
A nonprofit updates an important policy, announces it during a staff meeting and sends the document by email. For a few days, employees remember the change. Within weeks, the message is buried under newer email, meeting notes are forgotten and downloaded copies begin...
A nonprofit may operate from several offices, program sites, shelters, clinics or community locations. Each location often develops its own way of handling routine work. Some local differences are necessary. A site may serve a different population, follow a separate...
A nonprofit employee finds three documents that appear to answer the same question. One is labeled “final.” Another has a newer date. A third was emailed by a manager and includes instructions that do not appear anywhere else. None of the documents clearly identifies...
A shared folder can look organized to the person who created it and still be nearly impossible for everyone else to use. One department organizes files by year. Another uses employee names. A third creates folders for projects, grants or locations. Important documents...
