8 RM Tools for Getting Corporate Buy-in on Your

Records Management Program

Successfully developing any records management program requires buy-in from all levels of the organization.

These 8 tools will help you get what you need to develop your RM program – whether it is:

Annual budget dollars to continue offering resources and service levels

Additional resource investment to expand service levels, program offerings and staffing complement

Active input and participation from business units in records management initiatives

Formal executive endorsement of RM policies, tools and initiatives

Legal Compliance

What are your organization’s compliance objectives?

Present the RM tools used to keep your company in compliance with legal requirements, such as a records retention schedule.

Tool #1

Tool #2 Privacy Legislation

Records management improves an organization’s ability to comply with privacy legislation.

Tool #3 Audit Findings

It is typical for audit reports to list “improved records retention” and “information retrieval” as gaps to be addressed at the corporate level.

Read all information available on past audits and look for

opportunities to improve your company’s compliance position

and overall business efficiencies.

Tool #4 Return-on-Investment

Records Management can improve your company’s bottom line in several ways. Show how your program will save more money that it costs to develop and run.

A well-designed and up-to-date RM program helps an organization avoid legal sanctions and fines by remaining in compliance using a records retention schedule.

You can also reduce office space and real estate costs for your organization by:• Purging non-record material and

records scheduled for destruction;

• Moving inactive records to offsite storage; and

• Replacing outdated equipment & supplies with lateral filing, end tab folders and high-density mobile shelving.

Tool #5 RM Committee

Develop an RM committee to provide a direct channel into other departments

– Improve compliance and other RM functions in their departments

– Show them what records management has to offer and gain supporters for your department!

Tool #6 Lunch & Learn

Take the message of records management to the people! Host lunch-n-learns for staff in other departments, explaining RM’s role in compliance, space management, cost savings and other best practices.

Tool #7 Communication

Provide senior managers and frontline staff regular reminders of your RM program and its role in managing risk, optimizing cost and supporting business through a newsletter or regular emails.

Tool #8Universal Records Management

Get involved in professional associations within the field of records management (ARMA, AIIM, etc.) and be in a better position to show the potential of your program for adding value.

The key for RM professionals is to take the message of records management’s value proposition to the

people.Employ these 8 tools and you’ll easily prove to your

organization the value of your RM program. For more records management resources, visit www.tab.com.