Tips For Packing Old Employee Records For Long-Term Storage
If your business is growing faster than you'd anticipated and you find yourself with lots of employee records filling up your filing cabinets, it might be time to start thinking about consolidating your storage. Since you may need to reference previous employee records in the future, you don't want to just dispose of them. Instead, you should pack them carefully for long-term storage. Here are some tips to help you prepare your records and store them safely.
Consider Your Containers Carefully
Cardboard boxes are a poor choice for storing paper of any kind because the cardboard leaves the paper vulnerable to damage from dampness, humidity and other problems. For that reason, it's in your best interest to avoid using cardboard boxes for storing your employee records. Instead, you should opt for heavy duty plastic storage bins to keep everything secure without exposing it to the elements. If you're worried about light exposure, line the bins with brown paper to block it.
Make Sure Things Are Organized
When you're archiving a lot of files, you'll want to be sure that everything is clearly marked so that you know exactly what is in each container. This makes it easier for you to find what you need later, especially when you're dealing with lots of bins.
You should also make an effort to fill the storage unit with the oldest records in one front corner. That way, you can start progressive rows of files. Mark the front of each row to clearly identify what months or years of files are in that row. This makes it easier to find the row you need when you're looking to pull a file later.
Transition To Digital Storage
In addition to the physical storage facility, you can also start archiving your oldest records into a digital storage system. This allows you to retain copies of old documents even when your storage space starts to fill up with bins. Just take the oldest bin out, scan the records and rotate the bins inside the space to move things forward. You may find that this is easiest to do if you use metal shelving to store your bins.
Not only are your employee records vital for employment tax filing, they're also crucial for maintaining information about roles and responsibilities as well as any disciplinary information. You never know when you might have to reference information about someone who was dismissed several years previously. With heavy duty plastic storage bins and a secure storage unit, you'll always have the information that you need.
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