SMEs Reveal Business Efficiency Concerns

Small businesses view wasting energy as one of their primary concerns when it comes to efficiency in the workplace, according to a new report.

Research by E.ON revealed 69 per cent of SME managers want their organisations to be more energy efficient, with the issue coming ahead of accurate budgeting and debt collection as the key aspect of creating efficiency.

It also found that 43 per cent of SME leaders have set improvement targets and a quarter of respondents choose to put staff bonuses in line with overall efficiency of operations, E2B reports.

Around 40 per cent of respondents also said a poor reputation for sustainability may mean customers view businesses in a negative light.

Anthony Ainsworth, sales and marketing director at E.ON, said a key part of tackling the issue and improving overall efficiency was to “embed a culture of monitoring throughout the workplace”.

Expert Opinion

This research not only demonstrates that SMEs recognise the importance of business efficiency in general, but also how consideration of the issue can help in general reputational terms. <br/> <br/>"A key part of operating a business is ensuring compliance with a range of regulations, including environmental guidelines. It is vital that businesses of all sizes, not just smaller organisations, understand what is expected of them and take advice on how to ensure they are meeting their responsibilities. <br/> <br/>"Environmental and sustainability issues impact on a range of aspects of business and it is something smaller firms need to be wise to." Steven Beahan - Partner