Recently, COVID -19 disrupted the day-to-day operations of organizations across the globe. That disruption impacted what many already see as an intimidating process; managing records and information. Organizations have been forced to operate outside of the norm for the foreseeable future and adapt to new, more uncertain norms. The COVID-19 crisis has exposed deep flaws in how many of us access and manage records. The key question is, can your organization’s RIM program and current records retention schedule withstand the impact of sudden disruption.

In the first part of our seven part series called “Leveraging Remote Talent to Optimize your Information Governance Program”, Cadence Group focused on the foundation of the RIM program and detailed the foundational program elements needed to ensure that your program is agile enough to survive sudden disruptions. The initial blog focused on two specific building blocks of the program; program governance and the Records and Information Management Policy. The next building block will focus on “Updating your Records Retention Schedule-Remotely.”

Building Block 3: Updating your Records Retention Schedule

In addition to program governance structures and an effective Records and Information Management (RIM) Policy, a legally compliant Records Retention Schedule (RRS) is critical to an organization’s Information Governance (IG) program. When properly maintained, the RRS helps ensure that the legal, fiscal, administrative and historical value of its information is protected. Additionally, the RRS provides an avenue for identifying and removing Redundant, Obsolete and Trivial (ROT) information in its inventory. Regular updates allow the organization to remain compliant while eliminating risk associated with litigation and data breaches. Hidden costs associated with managing information can also be controlled by the proper management and maintenance of the RRS.

When developing or updating the RRS, organizations should conduct regularly-timed reviews for relevancy and to ensure that the schedule remains viable and relevant. In addition to these reviews, organizations should:

• Work independently with each department to systematically review the schedule for additions or replacements of record categories, as well as removal of obsolete categories.
• Initiate legal research to update record retention periods and privacy requirements.
• Conduct reviews of shared network drives and collaborative workspaces, and document management repositories, e-mail accounts and physical records storage areas to ensure retention compliance.
• Identify obsolete media formats and discuss modernization of the inventory/program. For example,
  • Can some categories be merged?
  • Is the digital version of the record the official record?
  • Can information be accessed remotely?

With most records originating and terminating in digital form, it is critical that the RRS is media neutral. This can include paper records in file cabinets or stored in boxes at commercial records centers, spreadsheets, documents created by word processors, presentation materials, and audio-visual records, as well as records stored in databases, shared repositories, social media or on portable data storage devices. This media neutrality allows the organization to maintain oversight over information regardless of how or where it’s stored represents a vital step towards achieving a legally compliant RIM program.

For more details on building and updating your organization’s Records Retention Policy,  download our Whitepaper, “Challenges in Records Management and Retention for U.S. Domestic and International Organizations: Dealing with the sheer volume of regulations and frequent technology changes makes records retention and disposition an ongoing battle”.

What’s Next in our Series

The Records Manager is a vital cog in the RIM program; being able to engage that resource anywhere and at anytime is critical for sustainability. In the next series, we will discus “Introducing the Remote Records Manager – The Lifeline to your Organizational Lifeblood.” We will profile the characteristics of an effective Records Manager, as well as the purpose and advantages of a Remote Records Manager. Make sure to subscribe to our blog series so you keep up to date!

Need Help Getting Started?

With over 25 years of experience in helping public and private sector organizations build and update their Information Governance Programs, Cadence Group’s team of certified consultants is here to help!  Contact us to start the conversation or learn more about our IG services.

About Cadence Group

Cadence Group, a certified woman owned small business, is a user-centric information management consulting firm with 30 years of experience in information management services. Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, with an office in Washington, D.C., Cadence Group provides services to corporate, non-profit, and government clients. By creating structured, compliant, and sustainable information management strategies for web and content management, records and information management, libraries, collaboration and knowledge management, technical assistance and training, and information technology, Cadence Group helps clients easily acquire, organize, and disseminate information. With the help of our Information Governance expertise, clients optimize information assets, maintain compliance, and acquire information experts through our consulting and placement services.

For more information, check out Cadence Group’s RIM Practice page.

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