Small businesses can achieve remarkable results with limited resources aside from their smaller scale of operations. There are always challenges to overcome and solutions to uncover as your business continues to grow. As complexity increases, it’s good to find solutions to cover the gaps that may hinder workflow, management and efficiency. While there are many tips that are efficient for many kinds of organizations, we narrowed down the most valuable tips and insights tailored for small businesses.
Automate your repetitive tasks
When it comes down to assessing the daily activities that make up your workload, much of that time can be broken down into smaller bits in a timely manner. Many small tasks can be streamlined, saving time and reducing manual effort — examples of automation range from email responses for potential clients to automatic data entry. Simple questions can be detected from emails and be automatically sent with a solution from the list of frequently asked questions. Utilizing optical character recognition (OCR) for documents or images can save you limitless time once you opt out of manually entering data. Implementing online scheduling software can cut down more time without the need for manual coordination with clients and team members. It’s important to evaluate your unique office needs and choose which automation solution best fits your needs.
Leverage virtual meetings and collaboration
In this modern age, time is considered money, which goes both ways when it comes to being in person for meetings and collaboration. Encouraging virtual meetings and collaborative tools eliminates the need to travel and reduces associated expenses. Virtual meetings also promote active participation where team members can feel comfortable in their own homes and have an opportunity to have their voices heard. That being said, the office doesn’t have to be completely abandoned. Offering a day or two each week for remote work will be appreciated by employees and boost overall morale.
Evolve to eco-friendly solutions
It goes without saying that paper is one of the most important resources used in office space. From using paper to keep essential documents to using paper as part of their daily workflow, cutting the use of paper to a minimum can benefit the environment and put some cash back into your pockets. Eco-friendly printers, recycling paper and moving into the digital transition are all great ways to minimize the use of paper. It is worth considering using an eco-friendly printer as these printers don’t use ink or toners that leave toxic waste after discarding the cartridge, saving the environment from additional excess. Furthermore, you can reduce the amount of paper that is used by utilizing both sides of the paper for printing and enhance your brand’s image by using recycled printing paper. Taking everything into consideration, the transition from paper to digital processes will help cost savings, reduce paper waste and allow greater access to information within the workplace.
Encourage feedback
Promoting a continuous feedback model for employees allows managers to recognize achievements within the team and drive a culture of improvement and innovation within the organization. Feedback can help employees understand how their work directly impacts the company goals in order to create a sense of importance and confidence. As a small business, it’s important to identify areas of strength and improvement for each employee to enable growth and advancement in their specific role. Company size is smaller, resulting in more impactful work done by each team member, making it crucial to have open and honest communication.
All things considered, the foundation of your small business is dependent on small changes in order to create a lasting impact on the growth of your organization. As limited resources come with their fair share of challenges, these solutions can bridge the gap and enhance your organization's workflow and management. Save time by automating repetitive tasks and embracing virtual meetings and tools. Cut down costs by transitioning to eco-friendly practices and promote a culture of empowerment for your employees by giving continuous feedback. By implementing these strategies, your small business can build a strong foundation for growth and success.
Author: Gary Wong
What are some office hacks that your office utilizes to create impactful solutions? Feel free to let us know in the comments below!
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About Stingray Advisory Group LLC: Stingray Advisory Group LLC is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and is a proud member of Local First and the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. We help businesses grow. By creating customized solutions, we empower businesses and entrepreneurs with the tools to further their development.
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