Hiring a freelancer for your small business can be a great alternative to hiring an employee. If your business is expanding and growing you may require additional help, hiring a freelancer can be the solution to your need. Some benefits of hiring freelancers include that you don’t have to offer them employee benefits such as a holiday or sick pay, that they will usually be highly experienced in their field, and if you are not impressed by them you don’t have to work with them past their contract. This will mean that you are more in control with who you work with, as well as saving yourself money over time.
Updates
Here are the main small business tax rates and allowances for the tax year of 2019/20.
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Your company depends on your employees being able to perform at a high level. When you facilitate this process, you are critically serving your company’s business goals. In turn, your employees also get more out of working for your company, because you are a forward-thinking business owner, and ultimately this means that your employees will be happier.
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Office designs are becoming one of the major sources in increasing workplace productivity. Employee-friendly workplace furniture promotes easiness and allows employees to work more productively. Today, more and more people are choosing to work in a place which has more productive furniture set up for their employees.
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Useful and actionable advice is priceless, especially when it comes to your small business. If you feel like you bit off a little more than you could chew, consider finding a mentor to help you overcome obstacles.
The hard truth? Most mobile apps get deleted just six days after they’re last used. With so many applications on the market, you need a way to capture users’ interest. You need to keep them coming back. If they encounter app issues or find your user interface (UI) frustrating, they won’t wait for a fix.
Every business owner knows just how exciting starting a business or scaling up can be, but that’s not to say it doesn’t come with its own challenges. Increasing ROI and tax-efficiency are usually at the top of every small business owner’s agenda, and putting procedures in place so that you can enhance cash-flow through becoming tax-efficient doesn’t have to be hard. London based accountancy firm, 3 Wise Bears have put together five tax reliefs and tax incentives that every small business should know about, and how they can apply for them.
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There’s been a general view over the last few years that email marketing has had its day. Newer digital forms seem to make marketing easier, while the various problems associated with spam filters can make email feel like a lot of effort for not much gain. And it can be that way – but it needn’t be. If used correctly, email marketing is 40% more effective than Facebook and Twitter combined according to McKinsey.
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Remote working has become the latest trend in employment. It has become so popular due to the multiple benefits it offers for both the individual and the business. Working from home may be a dream for many individuals so offering this option to your employees can be incredibly valuable for the company too. From previous statistics gathered by the Office of National Statistics, it was predicted that half of the UK forces would be working remotely by 2020. This number is huge and 2020 is fast approaching. Therefore, small businesses should look into allowing their staff to work remotely as soon as possible.
If you have made the decision to go for the easier and more beneficial way of accounting then you have come to the right place. The next step is ensuring that you pick the right kind of accounting software for you, your business and your staff. There are several different factors you need to take into consideration to choose the best accountancy software to meet your small business needs.
The subject of dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace is a big topic of conversation in the mainstream business sector. CEO’s and business owners are continuing to find ways to address the problem that appears to be an ongoing matter across the sector. This doesn’t just involve large fortune 500 companies and global enterprises either, it’s an issue for small businesses too. Although there is less staff in a small enterprise, it’d be naive to suggest that there’s less chance of sexual harassment occurring.
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Trust is a vital commodity when you are running a small business. When someone in your team does work of a very poor standard, this not only potentially jeopardises your relationship with your customers, it also erodes trust and therefore needs to be handled quickly. However busy you are, you need to make time for a difficult conversation and provide honest feedback.
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Mental health issues in the workplace have been a hot topic for some time and now even the government is recognising the issue. The issue of mental health problems being neglected in the workplace has a negative effect on everyone involved. Therefore, the government has pushed to tackle the issue. A new online service for employers has been launched to help them support and manage their employees with mental health issues.
In a recent study carried out by Paymentsense, it was found that female entrepreneurs were better at handling stress than their males counterparts. The research which looked at over 1,000 small business in the UK showed that women are good at handling business stress as well as men and sometimes even better. This should be encouraging to any aspiring female entrepreneurs, who want to take on the rewarding challenge of starting their own business.
Printer manufacturers provide us with the opportunity to buy their hardware at ludicrously low prices, but then more than make up for it with the price of consumables. However, with some clever thinking, you can come out on top. Here are some simple ways to reduce your ink or toner consumption.
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Affiliate marketing in the UK is growing every year. In fact, in 2017 the sector topped £550 million and it is expected to get even bigger by the end of 2018 and beyond. This is great news for both affiliates and businesses alike. Small business owners in the UK are being boosted by this rise in affiliate marketing. It means that small and medium-sized businesses can set up an affiliate program and make sales without the big marketing budget – all it takes in return is a commission to the affiliate for their efforts.
Mental health issues plague the workplace as working conditions can sometimes lead to stress and anxiety. Although there is continuous progress being made to destigmatise talking about mental health, there is still a lot of work to do. Small businesses need to actively talk about mental health in the workplace, so employees can feel like it’s okay to talk about how they are feeling. Small business owners need to be the leaders and open up about the challenges and stress that comes with being in the workplace.
Cash flow is the beating heart of a business, so it is absolutely vital that you keep on top it. Without a good cash flow, a business’ chance of survival decreases immensely. Whether you are self-employed or run a small business, having a decent flow of cash will keep your business alive. Forecasting your cash flow can be hugely beneficial to small businesses, as it helps you give you a good idea of your finances. It can be a time-consuming process, however it is essential.
Are you aware there isn’t long left until Making Tax Digital for VAT comes into force? From April 2019 VAT registered businesses with a turnover over £85,000 will need to ensure that all VAT returns are submitted digitally using the HMRC new platform known as Making Tax Digital (MTD). Around 40% of businesses that will be affected by MTD when it comes into effect are still unaware. Therefore, HMRC has recently started an awareness campaign to get businesses prepared before the date.
Leasing office space is a big cost for a small business. Securing a favourable lease is vital, as this can save you money that can be used in other areas of the company, such as recruiting talent or developing your product.
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