The Fire and Rescue Department says it is an offence for contractors to use such flammable materials, which are usually cheaper.
PETALING JAYA: The Fire and Rescue Department says flammable cladding, ignited by sparks from maintenance work, caused the rapid spread of the fire at the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) building here today. Deputy director-general (operations) Soiman Jahid said the cladding used on the building’s exterior was made from polyfoam.
“The fire did not start from inside the building but from the cladding installed on the outer side of the building.
“Based on our early investigations, we found that the EPF building had used flammable cladding which sped up the fire.
“The fire started from the first floor where maintenance work was ongoing. The hot weather and strong winds contributed to the fire spreading to the upper floors.”
Flammable cladding was also blamed for the Grenfell Tower fire in London on June 14 last year, which resulted in 71 deaths. Soiman said some “unimportant files” on the sixth floor of the EPF building were destroyed.
He confirmed however that no victims were trapped inside, and that all 527 people in the building were safely evacuated.
Soiman said it was an offence for contractors to use such flammable materials, adding that the contractor did not get approval or the required safety certificate from his department.
“We have uniform building bylaws which state that each building structure needs to use materials from Class 0. This means any building that uses any flammable material has gone against the building laws.”
He said his department would inspect buildings and would not approve any work that uses combustible materials.
DALLAS, TX – February 15, 2017: M-Files Corporation a provider of solutions that dramatically improve how organizations manage documents and other information, today announced the company ranks 2nd on the Forbes list of “Best Cloud Computing Companies and Best CEOs to Work For in 2017.” Forbes lists M-Files among other leading technology companies such as Google, Microsoft, Salesforce and Amazon.
Forbes determined its rankings by conducting an independent analysis of data on Glassdoor, an online job and recruiting site. Forbes evaluated the percentage of employees on Glassdoor who would recommend each company to a friend and the percent of employees who approve of the CEO. In addition to the analysis of data from Glassdoor, Forbes also utilized the latest Computer Reseller News (CRN) list, The 20 Coolest Cloud Software Vendors of the 2017 Cloud 100 to help determine its rankings.
“In addition to helping businesses increase productivity and innovation through better information management, our commitment to provide an exciting, flexible and supportive environment where people love to work has also been a key driver of our success,” said Jim Geary, Executive Chairman of M-Files. “M-Files has experienced strong growth in recent years because of the hard work and dedication of our employees to deliver a powerful yet easy to use solution for managing information. They are the heart of this company and there is nothing more rewarding than knowing they consider M-Files among the best of the best to work for.”
A complete list of the Forbes rankings can be viewed here.
About M-Files Corporation M-Files enterprise information management (EIM) solutions eliminate information silos and provide quick and easy access to the right content from any core business system and device. M-Files achieves higher levels of user adoption resulting in faster ROI with a uniquely intuitive approach to EIM and enterprise content management (ECM) that is based on managing information by “what” it is versus “where” it’s stored. With flexible on-premises, cloud and hybrid deployment options, M-Files places the power of EIM in the hands of the business user and reduces demands on IT by enabling those closest to the business need to access and control content based on their requirements. Thousands of organizations in over 100 countries use the M-Files EIM system as a single platform for managing front office and back office business operations, which improves productivity and quality while ensuring compliance with industry regulations and standards, including for companies such as SAS, Elekta and NBC Universal.
M-Files is a registered trademark of M-Files Corporation. All other registered trademarks belong to their respective owners.
A document management system is much more than just cloud storage. But the answer to this question is yet to be sufficiently answered by the majority of document management vendors, for they focus too much on describing document management system features, not the office problems they solve. Before describing features native to this powerful software, we will first discuss DMS in terms of the benefits reported by our customers at our Edge User Conferences and within our customer success stories—terms which everyone can understand. These benefits are just some of the reasons organizations are going paperless through document management solutions at unprecedented rates.
A Document Management System is Freedom
Freedom is the most frequently mentioned benefit of our customers at the eFileCabinet Edge User Conferences, and this freedom was largely found in the ‘lightness’ associated with going paperless via a document management system.
This ‘lightness’ also overthrew the painstaking processes of faxing, searching for information for long periods of time, manually handling documents, and more. Most existing customers did not understand the pain of working in a paper-dependent office until they experienced work without it, realizing that paper, in some sense, is what kept manual labor alive—even in the white collar world. Most of the world’s information has been created within the past 3 years, and a significant portion of it is contained in a digital format. Imaging documents is only the first step in organizing digitalinformation. Without a system in place to automate, secure, and potentiate documents’ value as mission-critical assets to an organization, the information contained in these documents will not deliver its full value.
A Document Management System is Free Time
When it comes to work, time is practically as important as the currency of your paycheck, and opportunity cost proves this: The more time you spend boggled down by administrative tasks associated with paper such as walking to the fax machine, printer, and filing cabinets, the less you are paid for the expertise defining your role, and this detracts from your value to your organization no matter how talented you or your employees are.
The more time you have at work to do what matters, the more wisely you can use it. Although many view paper-related interruptions at work as ‘part of their jobs,’ it needn’t be that way with the right technology, and this mindset—in large part—is what keeps workers partaking in the oppression of their professional lives. Relying on a document management system to overcome these inefficiencies can literally change the trajectory of professionals’ lives, and the companies for which these employees work. Document disarray is the number 1 cause of organizational chaos, and without the means to manage, optimize, and orchestrate information, there will be little if any means for organizations to receive the information assurance they need in today’s era of digital transformation”>digital transformation.
A Document Management System is Convenience
Convenience isn’t just meant for consumer-driven technology—it has also gained a strong foothold in small to mid-sized businesses. For instance, cloud-based document management solutions and the mobile apps for it make it possible to access files, collaborate, and securely send sensitive information from anywhere there is an internet connection. The built-in web portal of a document management system also gives users the ability to share very large sets of files securely via their mobile phones. Although accessibility and security were once viewed as mutually exclusive benefits of technology solutions, the document management system brings each of these benefits together in a single functional solution.
From a security and convenience standpoint, this is important for workers in small healthcare clinics, whose IT managers must utilize the document management system to keep sensitive information secure when employees store office-related information on their own mobile devices, and from anywhere there is an internet connection. In the accounting industry, DMS’s Mac compatibility and mobile application provide the responsiveness that CPAs’ clients demand now more than ever, and the same is true of the finance and insurance industries – particularly as financial advisers and insurance agents spend more time traveling and meeting clients at their location of choice.
A Document Management System is Peace of Mind
Security breaches, information leaks, and other data catastrophes dominated the headlines in 2016 and have already made several headlines in 2017. However, most of these breaches were the result of poor internal information management, and a document managementsolution provides the tools to keep information safe both inside the office and out. Recurring 24-hour data back up, secure Amazon Web servers, 256-AES (advanced encryption standard) bank-grade encryption for data in transit in the mode of SSL (Secure Socket Layer), and data storage with multiple artificial and physical points of presence are only just a few of the peace of mind facilitating features comprising top-notch document management systems. Additionally, the role-based user permissions feature of document managementsoftware mitigates the fear associated with the rise of internal data breaches, which comprise over half of all data breaches occurring in the past two decades. Organizations failing to quell the rise of internal data breaches with their own solutions will fall victim to internal breaches in greater number. In 2017, ransomware has also become a significant problem for organizations, but document automation technologies are paving new roads for organizations to combat ransomware attacks
A Document Management System is Professional Growth
Most of the world’s data has been created within the past 5 years, making it more difficult than ever to not only trace this information, but also to extract insight from it. When information is lost, misplaced, or un-utilized, it becomes difficult for employees to receive praise for their good works, much less the professional growth these good works bring. However, the metadata of a document management system makes information far more retrievable and securely stored, preventing the arbitrary naming of files that leads to needless document duplication, and slow document retrieval times. Consequently, DMS puts information at our fingertips more quickly, providing more time to utilize this information, solve problems, develop our skill sets as professionals, contribute to our organization’s success, and, ultimately, advance our careers via the right document management system.
Types of Document Management System Products
Contrary to popular belief, On-Premise DMS products do not necessarily require the on-site maintenance and upkeep required by an internal IT department, because many vendors will still partake in the upkeep of the on-site technology. However, whereas On-Premise DMS products are designed to integrate and sync with an organization’s preexisting, on-site IT infrastructure, Online, Cloud-Based DMS do not require the same level of planning at the implementation level. Another facet of purchase frequently overlooked is the higher power and electricity costs that are associated with On-Premise DMS. Despite this intuitiveness being typically accompanied by higher prices than other DMS models, on- premise solutions still outshine the cheapest manual storage systems in overall cost efficiency.
Sometimes used to describe more than a single DMS product, the term On-Premise can include an array of third-party, desktop-licensed products purchased from other software suppliers. The On-Premise solutions themselves, however, require server hardware unlike their Online, Cloud based counterparts.
An Online, Cloud-Based document management system is arguably the most functional and secure of models offered in the DMS product spectrum, because it transcends the desktop compatibility issues sometimes faced by organizations using niche operating systems (other than Windows) on their computers. These DMS products will essentially charge organizations for data and information storage space, and the accessibility of this data—hosting it on the DMS vendor’s server, which will be accessible to the buyers from anywhere there is an internet connection available, and, oftentimes, through mobile applications and Mac operating systems. The cloud is also more conducive to mission-critical stages of organizational growth, allowing a greater reduction in operating expenses (OPEX), when compared to On-Premise DMS.
Although On-Premise DMS solutions are typically easier for DMS newcomers to understand, it should be noted that online DMS solutions tend to have more up-to-date features. Despite the presence of these up-to-date features, larger organizations sometimes find that The cloud’s bandwidth is limited – making the higher up-front costs of On-Premise solutions and the power output required to run them, financially justifiable.
The cloud (frequently referred to as software as a service or SaaS), is not as intangible as its name implies—it is rather a global infrastructure occupying many different tangible spaces (such as highly encrypted data centers) around the world, integrating the enhanced security, collaboration, and storage bandwidth necessitated by the increasing complexity and volume of small to mid-sized organizations’ information.
One of the most appealing features of the Online, Cloud-Based DMS is how their vendors make its storage space, enhanced security, and hyper-collaborative tools available to organizations at very low prices without forcing buyers to adapt to new information architecture. Some of the most widely mentioned Online, Cloud-Based DMS products also provide staff with access to multiple servers without occupying too much space in the office, simultaneously offering flexibility for the organization’s IT department. However, this is only a starting point for the differences between On-Premise and Cloud-based DMS, and should not be used as a substitute for a more comprehensive comparison.
Watching an employee struggle due to depression in the workplace is hard. Here’s how you can lend a helping hand. It should come as no surprise that failing to address mental health in the workplace comes with its costs. According to Mental Health in America,depression costs the U.S economy over $51 billion due to absenteeism from work.
Besides the obvious monetary costs, unaddressed depression in the workplace can cause employee morale to suffer and makes your employees feel alone or isolated. Being personally engaged with your employees and showing support for their lives and interests outside the workplace can help make your company a great place to work.
If you’re worried about someone in your workplace exhibiting signs of depression, you may have noticed such symptoms as:
Loss of interest in previously pleasurable activities
Fatigue due to sleep problems
Eating changes
Anger and irritability
Expressing negative thoughts
Loss of confidence
However, asking your employee directly about the state of their mental health isn’t so simple. Below, we outline the actions you can take to create a happy, healthy, highly-functioning workplace for all your employees.
Addressing Depression in the Workplace
As an Employer, Tread Carefully
Lately, there’s been more talk of bringing the whole human to work. Practicing an empathy that acknowledges your people as whole individuals can bring a unique strength and loyalty to your work environment.Despite that, it’s inadvisable to be too direct about your concerns for an employee’s mental health. Here’s why:
You likely don’t know the full story, and you’re not a medical professional.
All told, you don’t know the full story, and making assumptions about an employee’s mental health is not only unfair to the employee, but may put them in a defensive position if you bring it up.
You May Be Violating the Employee’s Privacy
There are many legal pitfalls associated with health disclosures in the workplace. For example, the Americans with Disabilities Act makes it illegal to discriminate on the basis of an employee’s disability. In addition, HIPAA prevents employers from directly obtaining health information on employees from a healthcare provider, unless the employee gives direct authorization.
In certain circumstances, an employer may ask for a doctor’s note verifying a temporary illness if the employee uses sick time — but that’s different than an employee volunteering specific confidential medical information. Generally, your employees’ medical conditions are private for a reason.
You May Open Your Company to Lawsuits
The bottom line: being privy to certain medical information about an employee could open you or your company up to lawsuits. If the employee is subject to adverse employment decisions due to discrimination based on their medical condition, your company could face large repercussions. It’s better to address the symptoms rather than the cause of a decline in mental health and find alternative ways to address the problem safely.
You can ask this question in the specific context of their work — not their home life. Or, “How is work on XYZ project progressing?” If your employee volunteers that they’re having a hard time at work or struggling in their personal life, that’s when you can ask if there are any particular steps at work you can take to help their week go more smoothly.
Refer Them to an HR Specialist
If your employee admits they’re having a hard time due to problems outside of work, it’s an opportunity to respond along the lines of, “I’m sorry you’re having such a hard time, and the company wants to support you while maintaining your privacy. If there’s anything specific you’d like help with, Lori in HR could be a great resource.”
The Americans with Disabilities Act makes it illegal to discriminate on the basis of an employee’s disability.
Referring someone to HR protects you from learning information that might put the company at risk, and leaves it in the hands of someone who is professionally equipped to provide resources and institutional support to the employee.
Offer Available Resources
If an employee expresses to you that they’re struggling with problems at home, it’s not advisable to ask for details. However, you can let them know of the benefits and resources available if needed. Those resources might include:
Sick leave
Paid time off
Short-term unpaid leave
Health services such as One Medical and Talk Space
Flexible Working Hours
Let your employee know they can take advantage of these resources as needed, and that they can discuss their options in detail with an HR specialist.
Address Troubling Behaviors in Context
If your employee recently began showing up to work chronically late, missing deadlines, forgetting assignments, or snapping at coworkers, all these behaviors can be addressed directly and in context.
Here’s an easy formula for difficult discussions:
Bring up the specific behavior objectively
Offer why that behavior is causing a problem
Explain the potential business ramification of the behavior
Give your employee an opportunity to address the behavior
For example, you may say to them, “I noticed that you missed three out of the past five deadlines this week. [Objective behavior.] I mention it because it made it more difficult to complete our team’s project on time. [Why behavior is causing problem.] Missing the client deadline could cause us to lose the business. [Business case.] Is there a reason you had trouble completing the deadlines on time this week?” [Opportunity to address.]
Or, you may say something like, “I noticed that you raised your voice with Eleanor in the budget meeting this week. I mention it because it made the tenor of the meeting tense and unproductive. How can I help you have a more productive interaction with your colleague in the future?”
These conversations are never easy, but they’re the best way to address the behavior directly, without making assumptions about an employee’s clinical state of mental health at work.
Thousands of businesses in over 100 countries use M-Files on-premises, in the cloud or in hybrid environments to improve productivity and quality, and to ensure compliance with industry regulations and standards.
M-Files intelligent information management (IIM) solutions transform how businesses find, manage, secure and share information with a unique metadata-driven approach that organizes and processes document and other content based on what it is, rather than where it’s stored.
Introducing the Intelligent Metadata Layer (IML) that unifies information across systems like shared network folders, SharePoint, OpenText, Documentum, Box, Dropbox and more. Access these systems directly and immediately without migration.
AI-Powered Information Management incorporates artificial intelligence to assist users by improving and automating how documents and other content are tagged with metadata, such as class or type, customer, project and case, and even automatically assign permissions and initiate workflows, even images!
New User Interface – M-Files 2018 features a completely redesigned user interface that makes M-Files more engaging and personal. The customizable home screen and new search experience will enhance the way you find and use information across your business.
Performance Improvements
File streaming support – open large videos and PDFs immediately and without having to download them first.
Recent Comments