A Significant Issue

According to a 2018 survey by the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, small businesses in Australia spend an average of 12 hours per week on administrative tasks, with filling out forms being one of the most time-consuming activities. This equates to approximately 12% of their total workweek.

A survey conducted by Deloitte Access Economics found that businesses in Australia spend an estimated 80 million hours per year on government compliance, with a significant portion of that time spent filling out forms. The study also estimated that the cost of this compliance burden is around $30 billion per year.

Employment forms such as onboarding paperwork and employee agreements can be particularly time-consuming for businesses to process. In addition, businesses may also need to provide their new employees with copies of company policies and procedures, employment contracts, and other important documents. Each employee needs to review, sign, and return the agreement, which can take a significant amount of time and resources.

Not only do these tasks take valuable time away from other important business activities, but they can also be a source of frustration and stress for employees and managers alike. Inefficient and time-consuming forms processing can also lead to errors and compliance issues, which can have serious consequences for businesses. As such, finding ways to streamline forms processing and reduce the administrative burden can be critical to improving productivity, efficiency, and overall business success.

Major Challenges

One of the biggest challenges facing organisations with large amounts of forms is the time and resources required to process them, which can be a tedious and time-consuming process and take up valuable resources that could be used for other tasks. Additionally, if there are errors or discrepancies in the forms, this can lead to even more delays and further complicate the process.

A considerable quantity of forms makes it even more challenging to maintain accuracy and compliance. The risk of errors increases, which could jeopardise the confidentiality of sensitive information. Furthermore, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements becomes harder since each form needs to undergo a thorough review.

Another major challenge is the security of the forms. Confidentiality agreements, in particular, contain sensitive information that needs to be kept secure. Organisations need to have robust security measures in place to ensure that this information is not compromised.

In addition, it can be a challenge to ensure that all employees fill out the necessary forms. With large organisations, there may be hundreds or even thousands of employees who need to fill out forms, and it can be difficult to keep track of who has and who has not completed them. This can lead to delays in processing and can create a compliance risk for the organisation.

What Actions Need to be Taken?

Despite these challenges, there are several steps that organisations can take to overcome them.

• They can invest in technology that can automate the process of filling out and processing forms. This can significantly reduce the time and resources required to manage the forms and can help to minimise errors.
• Robust security measures should be implented to ensure that the confidentiality of the forms is maintained. This may include encryption, access controls, and regular security audits.
• A system should be established to monitor the submission of forms. This can help to ensure that all employees have completed the necessary forms, and can help to identify and address any compliance risks.