An organized business may not be recession-proof, but as many of my clients have mentioned lately, it helps them keep the business running while undergoing cost-cutting and restructuring.

Many companies right now are looking at ways of cutting costs and even laying off staff. But the people who kept everything organized are no longer around, you can see the direct business impact of organization on a company’s productivity and bottom line.

After all, time spent searching through file folders, piles on desks and (in a worst-case scenario) the clutter in your waste-bin means lost productivity. Imagine if the average employee in your organization lost 20 minutes a day at that. The combined wages add up quickly.

If the key people who keep the office organized in your company are let go, files get lost, invoices go missing and important paperwork can get mixed in with clutter and garbage. The gatekeepers who knew where to find everything are no longer around to direct traffic. But it’s as important as ever to keep office processes streamlined.

As I’ve often advised colleagues and clients, having a consistent system for organizing can help mitigate productivity loss, even more when key people leave an organization. This means:

1. A filing system that works. Having a bunch of big metal filing cabinets might work for your office, but how is all this paperwork sorted? Do the files include post-its and scrap paper, not just official records? Do you separate out tax-related documents? Are the files updated regularly? Do some records get purged from your files after a period has elapsed, and if so, how does this take place?
   You need to have these processes in place to make the best use of the file storage you’ve got.
2. Train your employees to organize. Try to create an organization that doesn’t need to rely on gatekeepers. Train everyone in how your filing system works. Even if they’re not actually doing the filing themselves, they must be able to find information when they need it. Train them on what kinds of papers they need to keep and what quickly becomes clutter. Consider combining a 10-minute organizing party with a month-end staff meeting.
3. Keep cubicles and desks organized. Some people believe that a messy desk piled high with papers shows off how busy and important they are. Alternatively, some use it as a crutch to avoid extra responsibilities (ie. “You need me to help you with Project XYZ? Have you seen this pile on my desk?”) I’ve often found that the most productive and successful members of any organization have the cleanest desks.
4. Organize your office supplies. For everything from pens and stationery to scissors and staplers, have a central spot where you keep things. Keep certain items on strings to make sure they don’t wander off to another part of the building. Keeping better track of your inventory will ensure everyone has the basic things they need to do their work and also saves you reordering costs.
5. Get outside help to keep things organized. Outsourcing may seem counter-intuitive for some companies facing restructuring, but a disorganized office status quo can cost a business in productivity month after month. An organizing expert can be a cost-effective solution, helping all members of an office understand how to maintain an organized space.