Keeping Your Business Running When You Are Unable To Work
Leading a small business from home can be a challenge, especially if you need to take time off for any reason. Often the burden of running the business and driving it to success can feel heavy, particularly if you have a small workforce, but it doesn’t have to be. Whether it is a planned break such as a holiday or an appointment, or an unscheduled break such as an accident or a lasting illness, you need to be prepared to keep your company running even when you’re not able to support it. This might sound like a daunting task, but with a little planning and organisation you can easily prepare for any eventuality. Follow these tips to make sure that you are prepared for any eventuality and able to let your business continue to run successfully in your absence.
Find Trusted Staff Members
One of the best ways to make sure that your business runs smoothly whilst you are away is to hire trusted team members who know what you need from them and can act proactively and effectively when you are not available. Collaborate with a professional recruitment agency to find the staff you can rely on when you’re not able to work.
Make An Emergency Plan
In case of any personal emergency, have a plan ready that you can easily implement. This may include a list of the vital tasks that you undertake, as well as the passwords to any accounts that are vital to running your organisation and the contact details to major clients and suppliers. As a result, if you are left unable to work you can pass the reigns over to someone else easily.
Plan Your Legacy
Whilst it isn’t a pleasant issue to consider, remember that your business will need to continue running even after you are not here to run it, so make sure you have an estate plan in place to ensure that when the worst does happen, you’re prepared. There are solicitors in Ipswich that specialises in wills and estate planning, so you can rest assured that everything will be taken care of
when you’re no longer able to take care of it.
Put A Power Of Attorney In Place
Should you have any degenerative illness, or an ongoing health issue that could last for a lot of time, then consider putting a power of attorney in place so that in the event that you are unable to make a crucial decision or sign a document then a trusted individual is allowed to undertake this task on your behalf. This will leave you safe in the knowledge that your business is protected should your health leave you unable to work for a period of time.
Explore Ways To Make Your Role Easier
Should you be involved in an accident, you may have to adapt your working routine so that you can keep supporting your business during your recovery. Look into ways you can make your job easier on yourself while you recuperate, such as how you can work from bed or a chair, and how you can have deliveries made direct to your customers rather than having to handle them yourself. Reducing your workload will allow you to recover whilst still keeping an eye on your precious company.
Work Remotely Where Possible
Should you need to travel away from home, consider a remote working solution such as Teamviewer, which will allow you to use your computer and access your accounts from anywhere with an internet connection and a computer. You can work around your travels and activities so that you are able to combine your time away with running your business. Any software and accounts that are downloaded or logged into on your machine will be accessible through this and other software solutions, allowing you to easily access everything you could possibly need while you’re away from your desk.
Move As Many Functions Onto Your Phone
Whilst there are a variety of laptops and tablet computers on offer, you can also put many of your apps and software solutions onto your phone so that you can carry them with you wherever you go. As a result, if you do have to travel in a rush, you don’t need to worry about carrying your laptop with you as everything you could possibly need is already installed on your phone.
Invest In A Quality Laptop
Whilst having as many solutions on your phone as possible is important, having a reliable laptop will allow you to enjoy the functions of your computer from wherever you may be. As such, if you have to travel regularly and stay away from home for long periods of time, then you should make sure that you have a reliable laptop that will let you work from wherever you happen to be located.
Take Care Of Yourself
They say that prevention is better than a cure, so make sure that you take care of yourself so that you can continue to run your business successfully. Keep yourself in good health and always take any concerns you may have seriously, so that you can catch any problems early and prevent them from escalating.
Outsource Any Vital Functions Where Possible
To make sure that if you do have to leave unexpectedly then your business continues to function, as usual, consider outsourcing important aspects of your company such as accounting, payroll, and HR so that if you do have to go away or are unable to work then these areas of your business will continue as usual.
In the end, make sure that whatever the reason for your absence, you make use of the resources available to you so that you and your business are taken care of during your time away. These tips will help you to plan for any eventuality and ensure that whatever happens, your business is protected, and your customers can enjoy the same exceptional service they expect.