How bad work habits are costing SMEs
Bad habits in the workplace could be costing SMEs in terms of lost productivity, new research from Sage One claims.
Addressing such habits could boost the levels of work that can be achieved by a workforce, with more than half of respondents believing they lose time every day.
Some 52% recognised the need to tackle bad habits and thought they could get back half an hour of their day by tackling bad behaviour.
Among the bad habits listed were failing to think about the wider picture, leaving things until the last minute and having a poor work/life balance.
A third of those questioned also revealed they had never considered how to change their habits, despite the prospect of losing ten hours a month in lost time.
Nearly a fifth of people said they had wanted to change their behaviour patterns but were put off by the amount of effort that was needed to do so.
In addition, 15% said they would not even know where to begin – suggesting they have more than one bad habit they would want to tackle.
While half an hour each day of lost time may seem minimal, it does add up over the course of a year and is an issue companies should attempt to tackle.
Lost productivity could negatively impact on a business in terms of reduced sales, missed opportunities and reduced competitiveness.
This can impact on the bottom line of a business, as it is estimated that 4,160,000 hours are lost at SMEs every month in the UK – equating to around one month of lost work a year for each business.
Should a firm find themselves in financial difficulty, then they should seek advice from financial experts or insolvency practitioners to see what solutions are available.
Where possible, this process should be done quickly to minimise any of the potential negative impacts that can arise from financial problems.
By Phil Smith