From records management to ERMS...insight #1

Dear all!



Embarking on electronic records management (ERM) is not simply buying on shelf software from the market and install it, then here you are, an electronic records management in your organization! Many organizations have failed to do so because their current practices of record keeping is nowhere to any standard. The vision is high on ERM but their manual record keeping practices are not up to the requirement and standard. The life cycle of record is not properly managed, the focus is heavily on their current records and yet their current records remains a mess. There are a lot of factors associated with these, among them are:


1. Improper record keeping practices due to lack of knowledge and skills in record management and record keeping practices.
2. Incorrect file plan structure and records classification
3. Standard and requirement are not followed
4. Change is hard due to lack of top management support
5. Top management's lack of clear direction, mission and support on records keeping practices, "just make do attitude"
6. Proper training in record keeping practices is very much lacking.
7. Inherited legacy of improper record keeping practices, new staffs just follow the existing practices-attitude issue and easily staffs are easily adapted to current culture which is backward.

Moreover, new staffs who are normally energetic, aggressive and willing to take up new challenges and willing to embark on improving the way organization are managed and implementing proper records keeping practices once they are exposed to it are put to freeze by the current culture of 'ignorance', unwilling to change, and unsupported top management attitude. This further exaggerated the problem in making records management the key to organizational effectiveness and efficiency in operations.