The age of instant communication has left a big gap - communication is now very difficult to keep track of. Emails usually remain in the sent box that document the day, time, and to whom they were sent. If your completion time on a document or project ever comes into question, you can simply reference your email programs outbox or sent box to clear the issue up quickly. Of course, this easy reference method is not too effective for physical items or hard copies of reports, projects and such.
1. Tracking
Chances are, your office doesn't have a way of tracking physical inter- office mail. So instead of getting into a sticky he said, she said situation, implement your own tracking method. This is as simple as writing down on a piece of paper when things leave your desk, whom they left with, and whom they are intended to reach. Even if your records never come into question, it is better to be safe than to be scrambling for an answer in front of your boss or a human resources committee. Imagine what it would be like to sit in front of your boss or a human resources committee and being questioned about your timeliness on a project. How much simpler would this situation be if you had record of whom was supposed to deliver your project.
2. Paper Trails
Having a paper trail for any project is one of the most important things you can have. Make two boxes, one marked IN, the other marked OUT. You can even ask co- workers who take documents to sign for them. Doing this eliminates any question as to who actually took the documents or items. If you are questioned about any project, you will definately want to be able to back up what you say with clear evidence. Otherwise, you run into a he- said she- said situation.
