A survey of small business owners by business services and software provider Sage UKI reveals an alarming trend where company bosses are increasingly stretched to find any free time away from the office.
Last year, 31 per cent said they were unable to take a summer holiday – but the figure is expected to rise to 36 per cent according to the latest survey results.
One in five (19 per cent) say they are cutting back on the amount of holiday they were taking this year.
Key findings of research among 1,000 small business owners include the statistic that one in three struggle to find the headspace to think strategically about the direction of their company and their prospects are being hampered as a result.
Some 57 per cent believe that having more time to think strategically would significantly benefit their business and aid growth, while more than a quarter of respondents (28 per cent) say it is impossible to think strategically within a work setting as the majority of their time was consumed by administrative tasks such as invoicing, HR and ensuring compliance with new regulations.
Paul Cairney, of Sage UK & Ireland says, ‘British businesses of all sizes have been under intense pressure since the start of the recession and, understandably, many have focused purely on their day-to-day operations. But it’s only by making the time to think, plan and dream that people can fulfil their business’ potential.
‘Having the freedom and opportunity to think clearly today is a key component of success. From our work with more than 830,000 customers we’ve seen first-hand that businesses who have headspace can be better prepared, more informed and confident about their prospects, and ultimately more likely to succeed.’
Further reading on holidays
