If you have invested time and money into setting up an email archiving system such as hadoop archives at your business then you should ensure that you get full use of the system and its benefits by training your staff on how to effectively archive their work.
For your archiving system to work successfully, you need to make sure that the data put in is of a high quality. Depending on how your system is set up, there will be various ways to ensure future searches and interrogation of the stored data will yield useful and consistent results. If your protocol is to store emails in various files before archiving this data, it is essential that this is communicated effectively to staff so that they are able to do this. Likewise if file names need to be saved in a certain format, it’s important that this is done.
It can be difficult for staff to see the long term benefits of effective data storage, and it can be even more difficult for part time or externally contracted workers to see the benefit. Full training should be provided to every individual who will interact with the archiving system. This could be incorporated into a company induction or training day. An emailed link to your company’s IT policy statement will not have the same impact as an engaging and enthusiastic trainer.
Rather than focus on a set of rules for archiving, perhaps allow some insight into the setup process of the system. Set a task of finding specific data from a project or account and allow the staff to see how important it is for themselves and how difficult it can be if the system has not been utilized properly. The aim should be to create good habits and promote thoroughness throughout the company.
Once the initial training has taken place and everyone is aware of the system, make sure you back this up with regular reminders and rewards or praise when the system works well. Perhaps over the first year calculate how much time has been saved through not needing to manually search through archived data, and circulate this to keep everyone informed.
If you keep your workforce well trained and provide them with positive feedback and testimonials, you will ensure that the decision to invest in the archiving system was a good one.
