Your organization has a carefully crafted Records and Information Management (RIM) policy complete with a meticulous Retention Schedule. That’s great! But if you've ever conducted an audit, you've probably found that employees aren't always following it.

Ignored retention schedules drive up data storage costs and expose organizations to regulatory fines. When litigation arises, data hoarding bloats discovery costs. 

Why aren’t employees following the policy? 

Employees might hesitate at the thought of deleting something that could be useful later. Perhaps they prefer to wait for a larger buildup before they tackle it. Maybe they fear doing the wrong thing. And honestly — there’s always something that feels more urgent, right?

Training is one key solution, but it needs to be done at regular intervals, not just during onboarding. It also must be tailored to the specific types of records an employee is likely to create and encounter. The retention schedule must feel applicable to the person sitting in front of it.

Technology and automation are often underutilized. Automated data categorization at the point of record creation, and automated deletion schedules and prompts, help counteract decision fatigue. The goal is to automate as much as possible. The 'set it and forget it' approach to data categorization goes a long way in preventing data hoarding. Content management systems and record inventories can support how your organization stores, manages, and disposes of its data.

When employees can't tell whether anyone else is following the schedule, or when it seems like only IT cares, disengagement sets in fast. Leadership buy-in is essential, and their feedback reinforces training. Check-ins and audits signal that compliance is an organizational value, not just an IT concern. And organization-wide messaging that ties retention to real, specific outcomes keeps the issue fresh and relevant.

The bottom line: a retention schedule is only as good as its adoption. 

Key Takeaways:

• Training is not a one-time event. It must be ongoing and tailored to the specific records and documents employees create and encounter.

• Automate wherever possible. Technology reduces decision fatigue and saves time.

• Leadership buy-in keeps employees engaged. This means regular audits and targeted communications, including concrete examples of how the retention schedule has benefited the organization.