The Hidden Cost of Poor Document Filing: How Disorganisation is Draining Your Team’s Time

Whether your organisation stores files digitally, physically, or a mix of both, poor filing systems could be quietly costing you far more than you realise. Time lost searching for information, duplicated efforts, delayed decision-making — it all adds up.

In sectors like healthcare, legal, finance and local government, where access to the right information at the right time is critical, disorganisation isn’t just frustrating — it can become a genuine compliance and reputational risk.

So let’s explore the hidden cost of messy filing — and what you can do about it.

1. Time Is Money (and You’re Spending It on Searching)

A recent report found that the average employee spends nearly 20% of their time searching for information. That’s a full day every week lost to document chaos.

In paper-heavy environments — or hybrid ones where records are split between shelves, inboxes, and shared drives — it’s even worse.

“Where is that contract?”“Who has the original form?”“Which version is the most up-to-date?”

If this sounds familiar, your filing system isn’t working hard enough for you.

2. Errors and Duplications Become More Likely

Misplaced or misfiled documents don’t just slow you down — they introduce risk.

• A patient record scanned twice under different names

• A financial statement used from last quarter instead of the current one

• A legal agreement stored with no expiry or renewal reminders

These aren't just admin problems — they can cause compliance breaches, service delays, and financial waste.

3. It Makes Onboarding Slower (and More Stressful)

When new team members join, they don’t just need a desk and a login — they need access to critical documents and clear systems.

If your storage setup is built around “ask Dave in Accounts” or “check the folder marked Misc”, your onboarding will slow to a crawl. That’s lost productivity from both the new starter and the person they’re constantly asking for help.

Good document storage makes everything feel more joined-up, efficient, and transparent — even to new eyes.

4. It Kills Operational Momentum

Have you ever delayed a client response because you couldn’t find the right paperwork? Or slowed down a project because you were waiting for scanned drawings, legal documentation or old case notes?

Disorganisation creates a knock-on effect:

• Internal requests take longer

• External service feels patchy

• Decision-makers operate with incomplete information

• Team confidence suffers

The cost? Slower progress, slower billing, slower results.

5. You're Probably Wasting Space (and Money)

Physical storage is often overlooked — but it’s expensive, especially if you’re using premium office space for archives.

And if that storage is unstructured, unlabelled, or untracked, it becomes a black hole for both budget and compliance.

At MDSS, we’ve seen teams uncover:

• Long-forgotten client records well past retention

• Duplicated contracts stored in multiple departments

• Entire filing cabinets of forms that no one knew were there

  
  

Proper document storage (offsite or digital) gives you a clear, controlled overview — and stops old records from taking up valuable space (and budget).

Small Fixes That Can Make a Big Difference

You don’t need a full systems overhaul to improve how you store and manage documents. Start with small changes that build momentum:

• Introduce a “last touched” policy: If a file hasn’t been accessed in 12 months, flag it for review or archive.

• Label clearly and consistently — whether physical folders or shared drive files.

• Create a master index: Just knowing what exists (and where) is a huge step forward.

• Schedule quarterly reviews: Delete, destroy or archive files no longer needed.

• Centralise file access: The fewer versions floating around, the better.

  
  

Final Thought: If You’re Organised, You’re Already Ahead

Disorganisation often creeps in quietly. But left unchecked, it drains time, increases risk, and damages team productivity.

Whether you’re managing clinical records, legal files, financial statements or other data, investing in clear, structured document storage (physical or digital) is one of the simplest ways to reduce friction and future-proof your organisation.

Need a safe place to start? MDSS can help you review, store and digitise your records with full compliance and transparency. Get in touch for a confidential conversation.