After guiding thousands of organizations toward smoother operations, we have learned one hard truth: most teams still waste hours chasing paper, copying data, and answering the same tickets twice. The good news? Small shifts in tech and process can unlock big returns.
Below are ten field‑tested work hacks that save time, money, and stress across print, IT, and workflow.
1. Start Small with Automation, Then Let It Snowball
Automation is not an all‑or‑nothing project. Start by automating the repetitive tasks that slow everyone down, such as:
- Invoice and contract approvals
- New‑hire onboarding
- Digital filing and routing
Test one process, measure the win, and reinvest the saved hours into the next target.
Curious? Take our Interactive IDP Tour to see automation in action.
2. Stop Letting the Printer Control You
A reliable printer is great until abandoned jobs pile up and sensitive pages sit in the tray.
Hack: Turn on secure print release so documents do not print until the owner arrives at the device. It cuts waste, protects data, and keeps the line moving.
Extra tip: Default to black‑and‑white unless color is essential-the savings add up quickly.
3. Get Your Inbox Out of the Workflow
Shared inboxes are fine until five people reply to one email or no one replies at all.
Hack: Funnel HR forms, invoices, and customer requests into structured workflows or ticket queues. Tasks stay visible, owners stay accountable, and nothing slips through the cracks.
4. Standardize Tech for New Hires and Remote Teams
Rolling out a laptop should not feel like reinventing the wheel.
Hack: Build role‑based packages that include pre‑installed apps, access permissions, and device settings. Automate account creation and asset tracking to deliver a day‑one ready workspace, whether the employee sits in the office or at the kitchen table.
5. Give Your IT Team a Reliable Backup
Every business needs dependable support, but not every business needs a full internal help desk.
Hack: Partner with a Managed IT Services provider that can monitor systems around the clock, resolve tickets, manage backups, and apply updates – so your team can focus on strategy instead of password resets.
6. Schedule Cybersecurity Scans and Actually Run Them
Threat actors do not wait for a convenient moment.
Hack: Automate vulnerability scans and patch updates across your network, endpoints, and apps. Regular scans close gaps quickly and keep you ahead of insurance and regulatory requirements.
7. Keep Teams Connected with VoIP
Desk phones and personal cells are yesterday’s solution.
Hack: Move to a VoIP phone system that lets employees call, forward, and check voicemail from any device. VoIP is cost‑effective, flexible, and easy to manage – perfect for hybrid work.
8. Let Dashboards Handle the Reporting
Pulling monthly reports by hand is a silent productivity killer.
Hack: Build live dashboards that pull real‑time data from your CRM, ERP, or ticketing tool and push updates automatically. Less digging means faster decisions.
9. Let Documents File Themselves (Yes, Really)
If your folders contain “FINAL_v3_FOR_REAL”, you will love this one.
Hack: A document management system can automatically name, categorize, and apply metadata to every file, making anything searchable in seconds – no more opening 20 folders to find one PDF.
10. Give Shred Piles a Purpose
Stacks of old files are not just clutter-they are a liability.
Hack: Use a secure shred service with locked bins or scheduled pickups to protect sensitive information and free valuable space. It is the easiest way to tidy up and lock down your data.
Final Thought: It Is Not Just Tech, It Is Peace of Mind
These hacks are not about shiny upgrades. They are about giving people more time, better tools, and fewer headaches while protecting the business. Whether you automate approvals, harden security, or switch to VoIP, Applied Innovation can help you do more with less.
Ready for quick wins? Let’s chat and map your next improvement.