When looking for a solution to destroy sensitive information, many business owners head to the office supply store to buy a shredding machine. It may seem like a cost effective way to shred paper, but it costs businesses much more than just dollars and cents.
An Office Shredder Costs More Than The Machine
When organizations rely on skilled workers for paper shredding, productivity suffers, and so do profit-generating opportunities.
Any time an employee has sensitive documents to shred, they must stop what they are working on, leave their desk and walk across the entire office to the shredder. Unlike industrial office shredders, these machines can only handle small stacks of paper. Time is wasted to remove paper clips, straighten pages and arrange documents into manageable piles to fit between the shredding blades. More times than not, the machine will jam or leave paper residue everywhere. When the receptacle is full, it’s up to the employee to empty the shredded paper.
Meanwhile, customers are left waiting, phone calls and emails go unanswered, and workflows are disrupted – and that’s only one employee using the office shredder. When you calculate the cost, your business isn’t just paying for the machine, but labor too.
A Typical Business Office Will Spend $222.75 in Monthly Labor Costs
Employees spend an average of two minutes per day shredding papers, which contributes to significant labor costs over time. In a typical business office with 10 employees earning an average hourly wage of $29.70 and working 22 days per month, the total monthly labor cost is $222.75 – and that does not factor depreciation and maintenance costs or large volumes of shredding.
Spread that across a bigger organization with 50 or 100 staff members and that office shredder generates thousands of dollars in labor expenses, proving that it wasn’t a smart financial investment after all.
An Office Shredder Is Not Secure
Office shredders also have additional risks. Most only destroy paper into thin strips, which are disposed into recycling bins or garbage cans. These pieces can be reconstructed and used for illegal purposes, such as identity theft, fraud or corporate espionage. Breaches like these can lead to serious legal issues and hefty fines for non-compliance.
An Office Shredder Is Not Compliant
In Canada, businesses must comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), which includes rules and regulations regarding the legal usage, storage and disposal of confidential information. The Act also requires a Certificate of Destruction for validation purposes to verify that document destruction was carried out. When shredding sensitive papers in-house, there is no way to prove that private information was destroyed and recycled according to privacy laws.
A Shredding Service Is A Great Alternative
Mobile shredding services, like Blue-Pencil, help businesses of all sizes save money, keep sensitive information secure and remain compliant with the PIPEDA. We offer one-time and reoccurring shredding for all of your needs, whether it is destroying old records, computer hard drives, non-paper materials or unwanted products.
As a mobile shredding service, all shredded paper is destroyed on-site using an industrial shredding truck, which ensures a complete chain of custody. We also provide a Certificate of Destruction upon completion of every shredding service.
Find Out Just How Much Money Your Organization Will Save
Use the calculator below to determine whether an On-Site Shredding Service Program is a more cost efficient and time effective alternative.
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Not sure you have the volume for an ongoing shredding program? Start shredding with our Office Shredding Program risk-free. There are no hidden fees! If you don’t see the value after your first service, we will shred your paper and our contract. Contact our customer service team today for a free quote.