Every business needs a clear structure in place. If you’re looking for new ways to organise your company, why not consider some of these methods.
Structure with software
Keeping on top of your business’s progress is vital as an employer, but often difficult. One reliable way is to use IT infrastructure management software to record everything that’s going on. Such software has analytic tools that can not only keep on top of progress, but show you which processes are going well and which aren’t going so well so that you can improve the productivity of your business. There are all kinds of programmes available, as well as specific software for tasks such as book-keeping, rota building, organising your payroll and writing invoices. Make sure when installing such software that all appropriate staff are adequately trained up in how to use it.
Hold weekly meetings
A meeting every Monday morning can be great for monitoring progress, delegating task for the week and having a brainstorm session as to what improvements can be made. Such meetings are also great for bringing everyone together and encouraging camaraderie. Some fast-moving companies may prefer to hold daily meetings, although this may not always be necessary. Ensure that you’re also finding time to hold individual meetings with staff so that you can talk over private issues and discuss criticism that may be inappropriate in a team meeting.
Delegate tasks clearly
It’s important that everyone knows the individual jobs that they’re doing, as well as tasks that everyone else is doing, so that no-one gets their wires crossed and so that all tasks for the week are completed. At the beginning of the week, take time to discuss who is doing each role. Put this in writing or display as a graph and put it somewhere that everyone can easily access (either stick it on a wall or share it on your local server). It may be best to digitally make a record of this, so that it can be backed up and easily altered if needs be.
Allocate time for regular decluttering
No matter how much structure you put in place, there will always be occasions where things get misfiled or clutter builds up over time. Allocate time every month to keep on top of this clutter. This could involve re-organising a store cupboard that has become disorderly or coming up with a new filing system for storing documents or going through an email inbox and deleting all emails that are no longer useful. Allocating a specific time every month will ensure that such jobs aren’t put off and may lead you to introduce better decluttering systems.
Keep things legally structured
Running a business comes with all kinds of legislation that needs to be abided by, especially if you’re hiring staff. There are so many laws within business that it’s useful to hire a legal advisor that can inform you on all the things that need to be done. Various health and safety practices may need to be put in place and contracts may need to be legally tight, which will often involve hiring someone to word these. It may also be worth looking into insurance schemes so that you are legally protected in every way possible.
Hire an accountant to look after your books
Keeping your finances organised is necessary in case a tax inspector comes by, but this requires a lot of time and effort – especially for businesses handling vast amounts of transactions per week. Software is useful for keeping this in check, but it may also be handy to have an accountant on call that can further organise these, as well as notifying you of any areas where you may be able to further organise your funds.
There are all kinds of accountants out there and it’s important to find one that you trust. Chartered accountancy firms will guarantee you professional service, having had to complete tests and screening processes to achieve their ‘chartered’ position. However, these accountants do cost more than your average unchartered book-keeper. You can also consider outsourcing a virtual accountant to save money. This involves sharing financial details online with a professional accountant – which can scare many people off – although it does save time and costs in having to meet in person. Virtual accountants have to go through an even stricter screening process and your finances will be shared over an extremely secure network. Always keep professional bodies when going virtual so that you guarantee security.
