Document retention was automated and productivity improved
Following employee training set up by Lekita Thomas, UFS's Special Program Manager, caseworkers started using DocuWare for all new clients.
The agency is required to store seven years of case files. Once the files from the past two years were digitized, the decision was made to stop back scanning older files and focus on expanding DocuWare to other processes.
Digital access eliminates paper-based processes for tracking information
Revision and digitization of documents and forms such as the intake form has streamlined data entry and eliminated document duplication. UFS converted some of their HR forms from word documents to online forms that automatically indexed and stored when a new employee hit "submit."
Employee stress levels have decreased as the burden of time-intensive paper processes has been lifted
USF employees now have more bandwidth to dedicate to quality interactions with their clients. This new flexibility has improved their work-life balance and overall job satisfaction. Approximately 10 employees, who worked as "gatekeepers" responsible for checking files in and out, have been reassigned to other tasks.
UFS creatively repurposed filing spaces into an on-site closet for clients
"We may have a client going to a job interview with nothing appropriate to wear. A quick stop at our on-site clothes closet can make all the difference. I'm so glad that we now have the space to provide this service," stated Thomas.
Initially adopted to manage paper files, DocuWare has now been adopted across many departments company wide to address multiple processes. For Thomas, the biggest benefit is the increase in employee accountability. "I never need to ask an employee, "How many visits did you do this week? I can just look up the information in DocuWare!"
