Less Paper
Everyone agrees paper is on the way out. But for most companies, it’s not gone yet. Getting to a place where all internal processes are electronic involves overcoming some inertia. If you still have paper in your processes, it’s probably a safe bet that it won’t be easy to remove. If it were easy, you would have done it years ago.
We believe that each incremental step you take toward a digital process is beneficial. Every page captured electronically makes your process that much better. More electronic data means you have more visibility into the successes and failures within your hiring process. This information enables you to make adjustments and create a better experience for the drivers you hire. In the competitive market for drivers, it’s important to remove every barrier that would keep the best drivers from coming to you.
Search, Storage, Legibility & Completeness
What Does A Paperless Process Look Like?
Essentially, it means that during the hiring process, you don’t use paper to capture information from candidates (applications, onboarding forms, license copies, etc.) or about candidates (background checks, verifications, travel information, etc.). At the point of hiring, you have all the information required for the driver qualification file already in an electronic format—including elements required by the DOT and any company-specific documents.
Why Go Paperless?
- Search – you can’t query a file cabinet to find a specific document or to find out which drivers are missing certain elements.
- Storage – The paper literally stacks up, and any given file can be viewed by only one person at a time.
- Legibility – Vital information is not lost or misinterpreted due to illegible handwriting or damage to the paper copy.
- Completeness – Except for scanning, electronic systems provide a means to validate the data and build documents before they are needed. Preventing errors is easier than detecting and correcting them.
How Can You Get There?
Integrated System
Use an integrated system, so documents don’t have to be printed before moving from one system to another (like background checks, verifications, or applications).
Forms Technology
Use forms technology to capture information from the driver instead of paper forms. Every page that is captured electronically is an improvement to your system.
Document Upload
With nearly half of applications being submitted via mobile devices, the options to move the document creation/capture process online have never been better. Leverage the fact that most drivers have smartphones and use them to capture things like copies of licenses and downloadable forms. Just make sure that the docs are appropriately audited and that transmission and storage are secure (i.e., don’t
ask the drivers to email you photos of their licenses).
Scanning
For the driver applications or documents that end up being captured on paper, scan them and store them with enough indexing data that the system treats them as if they had always been electronic.
Blank Docs
For the files you already have on paper, or when scanning doesn’t make sense, use a system that allows you to store placeholder or “blank documents.” This will give you the benefits of searching or querying, even if you don’t have the benefits of digital storage yet.
At Tenstreet, we have several solutions to help you transition from paper to less paper and even a paperless recruiting process. Each solution is integrated seamlessly into our mobile-friendly software platform. Plus our Driver Pulse app keeps drivers in the loop of the hiring process like never before. Schedule a consultation today to learn more about how we can help you maximize your recruiting efforts.
