Casebook PBC Blog

How To Clear Your Desk and Simplify Your Caseload

Written by Casebook Editorial Team | Jun 7, 2023 1:27:00 PM

A pile of papers covering your desk or an abundance of files filling your computer screen can add to your workload, complicate data management, and just plain stress you out. For social workers and caseworkers, in particular, shuffling through multiple piles of paper regarding different caseloads can distract you from the true purpose of your job: helping people. To simplify processes across the board, many caseworkers and organizations have adopted social services case management software for compiling data in one place. These platforms improve how personal information is communicated between social workers, supervisors, and clients by putting all information in one easily accessible database. They also reduce the time spent entering information, managing cases, and sorting through unnecessary paperwork. High turnover can have serious consequences for nonprofits, including reduced productivity, decreased morale, and increased costs — all of which directly affect the quality of services these organizations provide to their constituents. In this article, we'll discuss why high turnover is a critical issue for nonprofit organizations, the negative impacts of high turnover on nonprofit organizations and the people they serve, the best practices for keeping teams engaged and reducing turnover, and how low-cost nonprofit case management software can help improve engagement and retention in nonprofit teams. Eliminate the Piles of Paper As a caseworker, you are at the front lines of human services. Your decisions will help individuals manage, cope with, and prevent problems in their everyday lives. Unfortunately, for many social workers, too much time is spent organizing files, double-entering data, and compiling case information. This unnecessarily spent time reduces your attentiveness to clients, especially amid high caseloads and limited resources. Piles of paper and endless administrative tasks also make social workers feel overworked, a serious concern in the field. Therefore, using a case management platform won't just improve your workload and work ethic — it will also improve your work-life balance. Skip Double Entry With Social Work Case Management Software One of the most tedious parts of the job for social workers is recording information from clients' paperwork. This double-entry process is often time-consuming and can result in typos, mistakes, and missed details due to human error. Additionally, transcribing a written form can be challenging or impossible if the client's handwriting is illegible, leading to even more wasted time. Access focuses on Casebook's client-facing functions, making it easier for clients to complete tasks and share information while keeping you notified about every step. Instead of shuffling through piles of papers and physically checking unfilled areas, using client management software keeps you informed, making onboarding and intake processes more time-efficient and accurate. Using Case Management Software as a Virtual Front Desk Physical pieces of paper aren't the only things that pile up for social workers. Files, forms, and calendar entries can quickly accumulate, leaving your workload disorganized and sometimes causing you to forget important details and meetings. To help with this, social work platforms like Casebook connect to your calendar, website, and email to keep all reports, referrals, inquiries, and reminders in one place. From here, Casebook's artificial intelligence (AI) technology intelligently processes your data and notifications for easy, comprehensive access. Casebook uses Intake software for migrating data and records to maximize access to resources and simplify documentation. Intake's easy-to-use dashboard lets you quickly review open cases, receive intakes, and manage all available information. Without this software, social workers must often search through old paperwork and computer files to access case information, which is time-consuming and risks missed details. Intake also provides a simple way for supervisors to review your open intakes, saving you the hassle of exchanging physical documents or sending information on an insecure server. Additionally, the application offers quick access to essential documents and files, such as incident reports and intake client service referrals. Case management software acts like a virtual front desk by managing your calendar, intakes, reports, accountability, and more.