UNDERSTANDING RECORDS MANAGEMENT

Dear all readers

1. Are you working now?
2. Are you tasked with specific scope?
3. Are you involved in audit process? Are you answerable to audit team?
4. In your task, do you need to prepare report? Daily? Weekly? Monthly? Quarterly? Yearly?
5. Do you need to refer to previous report for confirmation? 
6. Do you know where are the record to refer to? 
7. Which file? 
8. Anyone holds that file? 
9. Is the file missing? 
10. Can you find the file?

The above are some of the questions for you to ask yourself from time to time in the course of performing your work. Should your answer is yes to some of the questions, it is time to look for records.
It is also time for you to look into current practices of record keeping if the answer is yes and no for question number 5-10.

Records are the last thing one would be thinking in work operation. Most of the time, it is ignored, it is not given due attention. This is a lackluster attitude among employees and top management (most of the cases). It is only needed most when there is an audit in progress or any cases as a result of litigation or judicial inquiry. In most cases, records is "managed" just enough. No serious undertakings from person in charge for proper record keeping. Records manager or records officer is consulted when only there is problem, otherwise, they are not.

Hence, record keeping is seen and deemed as 'supportive" to current operation. This state of ignorance results in record keeping as not due all the time.

Think about it.....
What is your role as record professionals to change such perceptions and views?
What could you do to make change?
How are you going to recognize that records is the backbone of any organizational operation?
How are you going to tell your top management of the critical role of proper records keeping?

Most important of all, how can you change the current perception that proper record keeping is considered secondary while the fact that everybody needs records rather than records need them.

Sources : http://recordsarchives.blogspot.my/