by Samantha R. Poindexter, Esq. – Attorney, Managed Services Team Leader and Counsel
It’s undeniable: We live in chaos driven by the ever-evolving legal, social, and technological landscapes. While these areas are constantly changing, they can rarely keep up with each other. Stabilizing your Record Information Management (RIM) program amid this whirlwind might sound about as easy as herding cats on roller skates. But fear not! Consider these three strategies to build a user-friendly RIM program that can withstand any storm.
1. Keep It Simple (No, Seriously, Keep It Simple)
A simple RIM program does not mean a rudimentary program. Rather, it’s a program that your entire team can understand without needing a secret decoder ring or consulting the office’s walking encyclopedia (aka that one employee who’s been here since dinosaurs roamed the Earth).
Consider a big bucket approach. Group similar records with the same retention periods together into larger, easy-to-manage categories. This way, users can make intelligent guesses about new record types without needing to summon the RIM gods.
Minimize your record retention trigger event types. Trigger events are an important piece of your records retention schedule – they tell you when to start the retention clock. But oftentimes, it’s easy to fall into the trap of customizing trigger events for each record. While precision is necessary, retention schedules are more successful when they balance accuracy and simplicity.
In keeping with accuracy, where possible, keep records only as long as regulations or statutes require. Retaining records “just in case” is like keeping expired milk because “it might still be good.” Avoid confusion and power struggles — no one wants to be the office info hoarder.
2. Keep It Relevant (Because Nobody Likes a Dinosaur Program)
A RIM program is only as good as it is relevant. Relevance means both legal relevance and relevance within your organization.
Give your stakeholders a voice. This helps build their investment in the RIM program. Sit down with them and learn about their records and their current management systems. Listen to their stories about record-keeping pains and triumphs and fold their feedback into your plan. Buy-in equals less eye-rolling and more cooperation.
Consider the software and systems used to manage records. Does your record retention schedule flow logically with the software and systems? If your retention schedule creates exceptions for various countries but your software can only account for a global retention period, for example, it’s time to make a change.
Keep up with the regulatory changes. While this can be intimidating, generally, laws change slowly. We hear about upcoming changes and possibilities for extended periods of time before the law is implemented. And even once the law is implemented, there is generally a grace period to update your RIM program to ensure compliance.
3. Keep It Flexible (Because Life Happens)
Flexibility really is the key to success. Without flexibility, the RIM program will never truly be relevant or straightforward.
Set up a formal feedback process — but here’s the catch: it can’t be a “send us your thoughts and we’ll file them somewhere” kind of process. Feedback must be reviewed, considered, and, when it makes sense, acted upon. No feedback black holes allowed.
Make sure your internal record policies clearly spell out how updates and changes to the RIM program happen. This way, everyone knows the drill — no secret handshake or magic word needed.
Conclusion
In summary, keep it simple like your favorite comfy T-shirt, keep it relevant like your morning coffee, and keep it flexible like your best yoga pose. With these three strategies, your RIM program won’t just survive chaos — it’ll thrive in it.
When evaluating your RIM program, you may uncover additional areas that require more in-depth attention. If you find yourself ready to tackle a more extensive project, check out our Checklist for Comprehensive Information Management. This resource will help you evaluate your program, devise an improvement strategy, and implement it effectively.
We’re always here to help if you want to talk it out – contact us today!