On Jul 22, Maggi Johnsen wrote: "Does anyone have (or know where I can get) statistics related to the optimal ratio of RIM staff member to employees?  I am in the process of building a business case to file a position and I want to have my ammunition ready in case there is push back."

Maggi, I believe if you search the list serv archives you will find that the subject of ratio of RIM to employees has been addressed.   The answer is: It Depends.  A job description has to be developed and the duties and responsibilities spelled out.  You have to estimate the work load, where it will be accomplished and whether these duties are particular to a specific job or can become part of the normal method of doing business of the subject matter trained employee.  There is no standard ratio.

For what its worth:  I believe there is a trend toward fewer trained records professionals as we move further into electronically stored information.  Many companies today only have one or two trained records professionals and their job is to 'coach, counsel and guide' the rest of the staff in processes and procedures to achieve compliance with company policy and standards with regard to the information (or records) lifecycle.  In these situations the ratio is 1 to thousands.  In one situation that I am aware of, the ration is 1 to over 10,000.

What you see in many companies will be a small central records staff of 1 to 5 who are responsible of the policy, records retention schedule and an active interface with IT, Legal, and the primary business divisions.  From that core staff managers will identify a knowledge worker, commonly identified as a 'records coordinator' within the business or office to be the 'go to' person for most records and information related concerns.

Tom Owens
Record & Information Manager/Consultant

List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
To unsubscribe from this list, click the below link. If not already present, place UNSUBSCRIBE RECMGMT-L or UNSUB RECMGMT-L in the body of the message.
mailto:[log in to unmask]