Running a small business is hard work and money can be tight more often than not.

However, there are plenty of things that small businesses can do to save money.

1. Consider Software

While investing in software can have a larger upfront cost, when you choose the right one it can more than pay for itself in the long run as it will reduce the work you have to do manually.

For example, payroll software will automate time-consuming processes like payroll runs, pension scheme involvements, and expenses, that you would otherwise be doing yourself.

This leaves you more time to focus on your business which can be invaluable, especially if you are in the early days.

2. Outsource

For small businesses, outsourcing is a great idea when looking to save your small business money. Hiring internal employees is expensive when you also consider training, benefits, and holiday allowance on top of their annual salary.

As such, outsourcing is a smart way to keep costs down while also getting expert-level help for your business.

3. Embrace Remote Working

Not only does remote working result in increased productivity and employee happiness, but it also saves you the cost of renting office space and paying for all the bills that come with it.

Of course, you will need to provide your employees with the right equipment such as laptops and monitors, but depending on where your office is based, you could be paying hundreds of thousands of pounds per year for rent.

 You will still be able to keep tabs on your employees’ productivity through time trackers that they are required to fill in daily or weekly, to ensure that time is not being wasted when at home.

4. Make Meetings Better

Many of us may have found ourselves sitting in long meetings that seem to be a total waste of time, so keep your meetings short. Short and focused meetings will give employees more time to focus on their work and increase revenue rather than sitting around for an hour waiting for a meeting to end.

Of course, meetings are important and sometimes unavoidable but you should make sure that you know what the goal of the meeting is before you start, this should stop people from getting side-tracked and going off on tangents during the allotted time.

5. Consider Shorter Hours

Many studies have shown that a four-day working week increases productivity and employee happiness and well-being.

Having an extra day off allows employees time to refresh and do things that they enjoy, resulting in them coming back to work feeling more positive and energized.

You may consider asking your employees their opinions on this and find that, regardless of if you opt to reduce their pay, many will still agree with the idea. Nowadays people tend to value their time and happiness more than money.

If you are in an office space, reducing the working week to four days will reduce your energy consumption and rent as well as the daily costs of providing free tea and coffee or snacks for your employees.

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