Small inefficiencies can add up to bigger problems. Here are five signs your business may be working harder than it needs to.
Every business has them. Those little workarounds employees rely on to get through the day.
Maybe it’s entering the same information into two different systems. Printing a document just to get a signature. Or restarting a device because that’s the only way anyone knows how to get it working again.
Individually, these habits might not seem like a big deal. But when they happen repeatedly, across multiple employees and departments, the time adds up.
And often, these workarounds point to something bigger: technology or processes that aren’t keeping up with how your business operates.
What Are Technology Workarounds in Business?
Technology workarounds are manual steps, temporary fixes, or extra tasks employees use when existing systems and processes don’t fully support their work.
Common examples include duplicate data entry, manually routing documents for approval, searching multiple locations for information, and repeatedly troubleshooting the same equipment problems.
While these workarounds may help employees get through the day, they can also create inefficiencies that become more costly over time.
Here are five worth taking a closer look at.
1. Duplicate Data Entry Across Business Systems
A customer submits a form. Someone enters the information into a spreadsheet. Another employee copies it into a business application. Then someone else updates a separate tracking system.
Sound familiar?
Manual data entry doesn’t just take time. It also creates opportunities for errors, missing information, and inconsistencies between systems.
How to improve it: Connecting existing business systems can reduce duplicate data entry by allowing information to move between compatible applications. Through systems integration, businesses can streamline information sharing, reduce manual steps, and help employees spend less time transferring data.
Instead of repeatedly entering the same information, your team can focus on what needs to happen next.
2. Printing, Signing, Scanning, and Emailing Documents
A document needs approval, so someone prints it, signs it, scans it, and emails it back.
Then another person saves it to a shared folder, forwards it for the next approval, or prints it again.
It’s a familiar process, but it’s not always the most efficient one.
Paper still has an important place in many businesses. The issue isn’t printing itself. It’s relying on unnecessary manual steps when a more streamlined process could accomplish the same thing.
How to improve it: Digital forms and automated document workflows can simplify how information is collected, reviewed, approved, and routed. Depending on the process, electronic signatures can also eliminate unnecessary printing and scanning.
Employees spend less time handling paperwork, and businesses gain better visibility into where documents stand.
3. Searching Multiple Locations for the Same Document
Is the latest version on someone’s desktop? In an email attachment? On a shared drive? Or saved in another department’s system?
When employees have to search multiple locations for information, even simple tasks can take longer than they should.
It also becomes harder to know whether everyone is working with the correct version.
How to improve it: Enterprise content management solutions help businesses organize documents, manage access, and establish more consistent processes for storing and retrieving information.
The goal isn’t simply to digitize more documents. It’s to make the information your employees need easier to find, access, and use.
4. Repeatedly Troubleshooting the Same Technology Problems
Every office seems to have someone who knows how to fix the printer, reconnect a device, or troubleshoot a recurring computer problem.
And when that person isn’t available? Everyone waits.
Occasional technology issues are unavoidable. But when the same problems keep happening, employees lose valuable time troubleshooting instead of doing their actual jobs.
How to improve it: Proactive IT support can help businesses identify recurring problems, maintain systems, monitor performance, and address potential issues before they become bigger disruptions.
For printer-related problems, managed print services can also help improve device reliability and reduce the burden of day-to-day print management.
Rather than continually working around the same problem, businesses can focus on addressing what’s causing it.
5. Managing Complex Processes Through Email
A request comes in by email. Someone forwards it to another department. An approval gets buried in an inbox. A follow-up is missed because everyone assumes someone else is handling it.
Email is an essential communication tool, but it isn’t always the best way to manage a process involving multiple people, approvals, or deadlines.
Without a clear workflow, it’s easy for important tasks to stall.
How to improve it: Business process automation can help route requests, assign responsibilities, track progress, and keep processes moving without relying on constant manual follow-ups.
Employees know what needs their attention, and managers have better visibility into what’s happening without chasing down updates.
How Much Time Are These Workarounds Really Costing?
The challenge with everyday inefficiencies is that they’re easy to overlook.
Employees become accustomed to doing things a certain way. New team members learn the same habits. Over time, the workaround becomes part of the process.
Consider a task that takes just five unnecessary minutes each day.
Across ten employees, that’s 50 minutes per day, or more than four hours of lost productivity every five-day workweek. Over 50 working weeks, that adds up to more than 200 hours spent on work that may not need to happen at all.
And that doesn’t account for the frustration, delays, or errors that can come with inefficient processes.
Small improvements can make a meaningful difference when they’re repeated throughout an organization.
How Can Businesses Eliminate Inefficient Technology Workarounds?
The first step is identifying where employees are spending time on tasks that could be simplified, automated, or eliminated.
Start by asking:
- Which tasks require employees to enter the same information more than once?
- Where do documents or approvals tend to get delayed?
- How much time is spent searching for information?
- Which technology problems keep coming back?
- Are employees relying on email or spreadsheets to manage processes that involve multiple steps?
The answers can help reveal opportunities to improve productivity without necessarily replacing existing systems or overhauling every process.
Sometimes, improving one recurring frustration is a good place to start.
You Don’t Have to Change Everything to Work More Efficiently
Technology should make everyday work easier, not create additional steps for employees to navigate.
At KDI Office Technology, we help businesses identify opportunities to improve how their technology, documents, and workflows support daily operations.
Whether that means improving IT support, connecting existing systems, automating manual processes, or making information easier to access, our focus is on finding practical solutions that fit
Let’s find a better way to work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common technology inefficiencies in businesses?
Common technology inefficiencies include duplicate data entry, manual document approvals, difficulty locating information, recurring equipment problems, and using email to coordinate complex workflows. These issues can consume employee time and create unnecessary delays.
How do I know if my business processes need automation?
Look for repetitive tasks, frequent manual data entry, approval bottlenecks, missed follow-ups, and processes that depend heavily on one employee. These are often signs that automation could improve efficiency.
Can business process automation work with existing software?
Yes, in many cases. Automation and systems integration solutions can connect compatible business applications and streamline processes without requiring a complete technology replacement. The options depend on the systems involved.
How can managed IT services improve employee productivity?
Managed IT services can help reduce recurring technology problems through proactive monitoring, maintenance, updates, and support. Fewer interruptions allow employees to spend more time on their primary responsibilities.
What’s the best way to start improving workplace efficiency?
Start with one recurring problem that affects multiple employees or causes frequent delays. Evaluate the existing process, identify unnecessary steps, and determine whether technology, automation, or a workflow change could simplify it.
