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The Enduring Popularity of Paper

Posted Jun 19, 2017

Our ever-increasing dependence on digital devices has led to inevitable changes in the workplace. One of the most significant adaptations of the modern office is a reduced reliance of paper. While the decline in office printing continues, a study revealed its decline has actually tapered thanks to an unlikely reason: the popularity of paper among millennials.

InfoTrends surveyed 750 office workers on developments in office printing. The data they collected showed, as expected, further evidence of the decline in office printing. However, unexpectedly, they discovered no evidence of a generation gap in office worker’s attitudes towards paper. More specifically, participant responses were consistent across all age groups, including 18-29 year-olds, which does not support the conventional wisdom that millennials are so completely sold on going digital that they’ll help fast-track the demise of paper use.

Why do millennials like working with printed documents as much as older generations? Just like with their predecessors, when it comes to reviewing and editing documents, they prefer to do these types of work with paper documents rather than work with an electronic version. While it seems a great deal of our lives are spent staring at screens, some activities are just more conducive for a piece of printed paper. Despite the many differences among generations, that simple fact is something we share regardless of the year we were born.