Why Small Businesses Need to Reduce the Hidden Costs of Administrative Work

Admin work could be taking up your time & affecting your health

You may run a small business, but there’s nothing small about the administrative workload required to keep it afloat. 

According to a survey by Time Etc., entrepreneurs spend 36% of their work week on administrative tasks like ordering office supplies. And all of that admin work comes at a cost. Walmart Business found that SMB owners anticipate they will spend nearly 40% of their week on administrative tasks, limiting their ability to focus on growth and strategy.

So why does administrative work take so much time and effort, and how can you lessen the impact it has on your ability to focus on more strategic priorities?

What are administrative tasks?

According to Glassdoor, administrative tasks “are duties completed by administrative professionals, such as administrative and executive assistants, in the workplace.” But what if you don’t have any administrative professionals? What if it’s just you?

In that case, you could consider administrative tasks to mean everything you have to do to keep your small business running that isn’t providing the goods and/or services your business provides. Ordering office supplies is just one item on a long list that includes tracking spending, answering phones, sending emails, managing payroll, updating your calendar, invoicing, processing payments and filling the copy machine with paper. 

If you don’t have anyone to delegate these tasks to, the stress of having to complete them day after day can take a toll on your well-being. Even if you do have a staff, knowing when and how to delegate tasks is important.

Impact of admin work

It can be hard to avoid administrative work. The busier you get, the more you have to do. Especially when it comes to personnel-related admin tasks. Scheduling and paying your employees on time is a must.

If you’re doing it yourself, that means you’re not selling your product or servicing your customers. If you’re paying someone to do it, you’re allocating money to simply keep the business running. 

According to a study conducted by PwC for ADP, mid-sized businesses spend approximately $2,000 per employee per year on administrative tasks, with many of those costs incurred indirectly, such as through systems maintenance or indirect labor costs. 

For a small business, that amount can really add up. The more employees you have, the greater the costs. 

Strategies that can help

With so much time and effort going into administrative tasks, you should be on the lookout for tools and techniques to lessen their impact. Here are some good places to start.

Simplify

Simplify your processes wherever possible. Start by assessing your current processes. Who handles what, and how many steps are involved? You might find that you can eliminate redundancies and save time (and money). 

Make business supply inventory management more efficient by using a centralized spreadsheet of every product you use. That ensures you record each item along with historical data. You can also streamline reordering with Walmart Business. Order tracking allows you to track who ordered what and when.

Delegate

Learning to delegate tasks to your employees not only takes them off your plate, but it can also be good for their career development and job satisfaction. Investing team members with the authority to take on additional work can lead to them feeling empowered and productive. 

Start with a list of the tasks you currently do yourself. Then break those tasks down into two lists: those that must remain on your list and those you can delegate. You might be surprised by how much you can pass along, and what an investment it will make in other team members’ job satisfaction. 

With a free Walmart Business account, you can assign up to five users the ability to order and re-order critical supplies. And with shared payment options, you can have more control over who’s spending what. 

Use technology

Technology is your secret sauce for managing administrative tasks. Software for invoicing and accounting will help you automate tasks and avoid repetition.

Project management software is another useful tool. This will allow you to track tasks, manage delegation and provide an easy way to ensure everyone is doing their part. Project management software also enables you to break down complex tasks into smaller pieces, which you can then delegate. 

Streamline tasks with Walmart Business

With a free Walmart Business account, you will have access to an ever-expanding assortment of products your business needs to keep going at everyday low prices. You can also take advantage of features like multiuser accounts, automatic deliveries and tax-exempt shopping for eligible organizations. 

If you’re ready to level up your experience, upgrade to Walmart Business+. With a Walmart Business+ membership, you’ll save over $500/year¹ and enjoy exclusive rewards for your organization, like free shipping, with no order minimum², Free delivery from store, $35 minimum³, the opportunity to earn 2% in Walmart Business Rewards on orders $250 or more⁴ and the ability to analyze patterns with Spend Analytics to help budget for the future. Sign up today. Plus, you’ll receive access to the content hub and premium resources to support your business growth.

¹ Savings based on 1 free $35+ delivery order vs. $9.95 fee and 1 free shipping order under $35 vs. $6.99 fee biweekly, plus 2% Walmart Business Rewards on monthly order >$250 (average value of $400).

² Excludes most marketplace items. Freight & location surcharges may apply.

³ Restrictions apply. 

⁴ Rewards can only be used toward future purchases on Walmart Business. Additional terms apply.