{"id":15306,"date":"2023-07-05T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-05T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/?p=15306"},"modified":"2025-08-27T13:49:22","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T12:49:22","slug":"talent-management-tight-budget-small-businesses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/talent-management-tight-budget-small-businesses\/","title":{"rendered":"Effective talent management on a tight budget: 6 tips for small businesses"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/category\/people-leadership\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">People &amp; Leadership<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tEffective talent management on a tight budget: 6 tips for small businesses\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \">Published <time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2023-07-05T10:00:00+01:00\">5 July, 2023<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"Effective talent management on a tight budget: 6 tips for small businesses\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/talent-management-tight-budget-small-businesses\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/author\/charlottepenny\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/03\/charlotte-penny.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"Headshot of Charlotte Penny, looking directly at the camera\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Charlotte Penny<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the driving force of the global economy. Did you know that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldbank.org\/en\/topic\/smefinance\">90%<\/a> of businesses are SMEs and contribute to more than <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldbank.org\/en\/topic\/smefinance\">50%<\/a> of employment worldwide?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yet, for <a href=\"https:\/\/www3.weforum.org\/docs\/WEF_Future_Readiness_of_SMEs_and_Mid_Sized_Companies_A_Year_On_2022.pdf\">67%<\/a> of them, survival is a top concern right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>High inflation, economic uncertainty and an increase in the cost of living, not to mention a tight labour market, are making \u2018business as usual\u2019 very challenging. In fact, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/sage-business-cloud\/people\/resources\/research-analyst-reports\/the-changing-face-of-hr-research-report\/\">93%<\/a> of HR leaders told us they were concerned about the economic climate today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Managing your talent in the right way will be pivotal to keeping your employees engaged and productive in this challenging economic landscape, and in this article, we share advice on how you can do that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s what we cover:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#small\">Small budgets, large workloads<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#prioritise\">1. Prioritise communication<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#be\">2. Be flexible<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#encourage\">3. Encourage employee involvement<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#training\">4. Prioritise training and development<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#look\">5. Look for external help<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#leverage\">6. Leverage technology<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#good\">Good talent management doesn&#8217;t need to be expensive<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<a\n\t\tclass=\"button button--primary gate-9b785e67-28a4-4d3f-bd26-898968a630a5\"\n\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\tdata-button-location=\"content_area\"\n\t\thref=\"#gate-9b785e67-28a4-4d3f-bd26-898968a630a5\"\n\t>Download your free copy of The changing face of HR in 2024 and discover what\u2019s keeping HR leaders up at night<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"small\">Small budgets, large workloads<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With restrictive budgets, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/sage-business-cloud\/people\/resources\/research-analyst-reports\/the-changing-face-of-hr-research-report\/\">talent management has become the number one priority<\/a> for HR and business leaders going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The problem is that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/sage-business-cloud\/people\/resources\/research-analyst-reports\/the-changing-face-of-hr-research-report\/\">90%<\/a> of HR leaders say having limited budgets is a top concern, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/sage-business-cloud\/people\/resources\/research-analyst-reports\/the-changing-face-of-hr-research-report\/\">89%<\/a> are worried they don\u2019t have enough resource in their team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So how can you do more with less when it comes to managing your people effectively? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are six ideas to get you started\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"prioritise\">1. Prioritise communication<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, <a href=\"https:\/\/teamstage.io\/communication-in-the-workplace-statistics\/\">74% of employees<\/a> feel they are missing out on news and information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yet, when people have a <a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2022\/08\/rekindling-a-sense-of-community-at-work#:~:text=When%20people%20had%20a%20sense,to%20stay%20with%20their%20organization.\">sense of community<\/a> at work, they\u2019re 55% more engaged, and 66% more likely to stay with their organisation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Good communication in itself costs nothing, so spending time over your communications is vital to make sure you get the right message across. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Paired with an effective way of communicating to your employees to provide them with latest company news, such as through a cloud <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/human-resources\/\">HR system<\/a>, you\u2019ve got the ability to reach all your employees in one go and to share with them your latest news and updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This becomes even more important in tough times when people want to band together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you communicate a well-developed plan for survival and growth, and invite questions and comments from your employees, they\u2019re more likely to get on board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"be\">2. Be flexible<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ask your employees if anyone would like to reduce their hours or work part time. You may be surprised to see a healthy show of hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As many as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.inspiring-workplaces.com\/stories\/work-life-balance-in-2023\/\">56%<\/a> of employees are now willing to accept less pay in exchange for a better work-life balance and those who work at companies with flexible working policies are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/business\/talent\/blog\/talent-strategy\/global-talent-trends-report\">2.1 times<\/a> more likely to recommend working for the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Be open to flexible working arrangements such as remote work, job sharing, or part-time work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This will help you save on overhead costs. You can put that money back into other strategies that help you retain and even recruit more skilled employees.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Flexible working can also help you tap into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hbs.edu\/managing-the-future-of-work\/Documents\/research\/hiddenworkers09032021.pdf\">hidden workers<\/a>, such as carers of children and the elderly, or those with a disability who are either traditionally overlooked in the recruitment process or can\u2019t work full time but have the valuable skills that you need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"encourage\">3. Encourage employee involvement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Involve employees in decision-making and problem-solving so they don\u2019t have to defer to you for everything, and you can in turn delegate and reduce your workload.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fully empowered employees make good decisions and think flexibly to resolve problems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s good for your business and your bottom line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/capabilities\/people-and-organizational-performance\/our-insights\/back-to-human-why-hr-leaders-want-to-focus-on-people-again\">85%<\/a> of HR leaders are thinking about how to empower more employees to make good decisions quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By involving others in the decision-making process, you\u2019re creating an opportunity for team members to share ideas, learn from one another, and work together toward a common goal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You also foster collaboration, which can help to save you time and resources by finding a resolution quicker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Including your employees shows them you trust and value their opinions, which is important for building engagement. And as we all know, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/employee-engagement-key-boosting-retention\/\">engaged employees are more productive.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<a\n\t\tclass=\"button button--primary gate-9b785e67-28a4-4d3f-bd26-898968a630a5\"\n\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\tdata-button-location=\"content_area\"\n\t\thref=\"#gate-9b785e67-28a4-4d3f-bd26-898968a630a5\"\n\t>Download your free copy of The changing face of HR in 2024 and discover what\u2019s keeping HR leaders up at night<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"training\">4. Prioritise training and development<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Invest in training and development to help your employees grow and develop. Deploy their newly learned skills efficiently in your organisation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It will not only benefit your people but also the business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just <a href=\"https:\/\/startups.co.uk\/news\/could-upskilling-solve-the-talent-shortage\/\">38%<\/a> of small businesses say their employees undertook training in 2021 and 2022 \u2013 meaning many could be losing out on nurturing talent, as well as attracting new staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Upskilling and reskilling staff is a valuable way to make sure your employees don\u2019t walk out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As business tycoon <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/richardbranson\/status\/449220072176107520?lang=en\">Richard Branson<\/a> once famously said: \u201cTrain people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough, so they don\u2019t want to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Training is also more cost-effective than hiring new people. The cost of replacing an employee&nbsp;is between <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gallup.com\/workplace\/247391\/fixable-problem-costs-businesses-trillion.aspx#:~:text=The%20cost%20of%20replacing%20an,to%20%242.6%20million%20per%20year.\">one-half to two times<\/a> their annual salary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, the cost to reskill employees can average around <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weforum.org\/agenda\/2019\/01\/who-should-pay-for-workers-to-be-reskilled-1\/\">$24k<\/a> (\u00a319k) per employee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, prospective recruits may overlook a smaller salary if they can see a clear pathway ahead with skills training and progression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"look\">5. Look for external help<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/sage-business-cloud\/people\/resources\/research-analyst-reports\/the-changing-face-of-hr-research-report\/\">81%<\/a> of HR leaders told us they\u2019re suffering from burnout from the sheer number of challenges they have faced and overcome over the past few years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This has been even trickier for smaller organisations with little resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Partner with other businesses and organisations to share resources and expertise or seek guidance from industry experts and other HR leaders to help you make the most of your limited budget and resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The world of work is still a confusing place and it\u2019s difficult to navigate it on your own. Seek a mentor or join a business network to help you keep pace with these rapidly evolving times. This can also help you feel less isolated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By working with others, you can: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Share ideas, resources and strategies to improve employee experiences<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provide learning and development<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Have efficient and progressive performance management reviews<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improve diversity<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Create an environment in which employees don\u2019t want to leave and new recruits want to join.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"leverage\">6. Leverage technology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Automation could save you between a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.verdict.co.uk\/hr-automation\/\">day and a day and a half every week<\/a>. Yet, just <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/sage-business-cloud\/people\/resources\/research-analyst-reports\/the-changing-face-of-hr-research-report\/\">54%<\/a> of companies say they\u2019ve adopted some form of automation today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consider using technology to manage time-consuming tasks such as scheduling shifts, tracking timesheets, approving holidays, raising expenses, reporting, manually entering new joiner data and tracking performance management to save you valuable time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019ve found yourself drowning in admin work with little time to think about your talent management and how to create positive employee experiences, HR tech can really help you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One well known issue that many small business owners fall victim to is trying to keep up with payroll legislation which can be time-intensive, manual and innacurate. By using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/payroll-software\/tax\/\">HMRC recognised payroll software<\/a>, you can easily stay updated on Payroll Year End legislation and remain fully compliant without the hassle of manual calculations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s time you can win back to work on more complex HR issues or to focus on engaging directly with your employees. You can even use the technology to survey your employees in order to understand them better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, more than <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/sage-business-cloud\/people\/resources\/research-analyst-reports\/the-changing-face-of-hr-research-report\/\">80%<\/a> of HR and business leaders say HR will move away from admin towards a more strategic and people-focused role as employee experiences and satisfaction become more of a focus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/sage-business-cloud\/hr\/\">There\u2019s a ton of affordable automation tools<\/a> that can help you take the grind out of HR admin, free up your time to focus on your people and build the kind of business that you want to see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"good\">Good talent management doesn&#8217;t need to be expensive<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>People are a business\u2019s most important but most expensive asset. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yet just <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/sage-business-cloud\/people\/resources\/research-analyst-reports\/the-changing-face-of-hr-research-report\/\">13%<\/a> of HR leaders are prioritising financial management today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to your people, particularly under current economic circumstances, you should consider how to get the best out of them in a most cost-effective way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Luckily, good talent management practices don\u2019t need to break the bank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Use your budget wisely by focusing on your people and on their experiences and skills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That will help you build a truly collaborative, resilient and agile workforce that can not only steer you through the tough times but also produce results, so your company can thrive in the long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Investing in technology can save you time and money in the long run. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/sage-business-cloud\/hr\/\">HR tech<\/a> enhances your talent management practices, so your business can streamline processes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, the right HR tech will give your people great experiences in return, enabling them to feel productive, which you\u2019ll see reflected in the company\u2019s bottom line, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">The changing face of HR in 2024<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p class=\"\">From process to people, take a peek at the paradoxes facing HR leaders today by downloading this research report.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-9b785e67-28a4-4d3f-bd26-898968a630a5\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Download the report<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"647\" height=\"647\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/11\/changing-face-of-HR-cover.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"HR jigsaw\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/11\/changing-face-of-HR-cover.jpg 647w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Join more than 500,000 UK readers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-b1a63862-3fa0-4a5e-bb67-c76b88bbc6b8\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<section class=\"more-topics alignfull has-grey-light-background-color wp-block-sage-post-topics\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-4\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"more-topics__title h2\">Browse more topics from this article<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-8\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/employee-engagement\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEmployee engagement\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/employee-retention\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEmployee retention\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/hr-process\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHR processes for small businesses\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/hr-payroll-benefits\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHR, payroll and benefits\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/work-life-balance\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWork-life balance\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<div class=\"alignfull wp-block-sage-related-posts\">\n\t<section class=\"related-posts card-grid has-dark-background-color\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--featured h1\">Explore more wisdom<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-0 post-20523 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-growth-customers tag-business-performance tag-work-life-balance business_type-small-business card-post--is-clickable\"\n>\n\t<div class=\"card-post__media-wrapper\">\n\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1064039238-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1064039238-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1064039238-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1064039238-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"card-post__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__label\">Recommended<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-05-20T16:18:35+01:00\">20 May, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">9 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/time-management-successful-startup\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tHow business time management helps you transition from\u00a0side\u00a0hustle to start-up\u00a0\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"card-post__description\">\n\t\t\t\tManaging your time effectively is critical for your start-up\u2019s success. Mastering time management can boost productivity and growth and prevent burnout. \t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__non-featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--more h4\">More on this Topic<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-1 post-30011 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-hr-payroll-benefits tag-looking-after-your-employees tag-payroll business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/how-many-work-hours-in-a-year\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-608166817-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"Women in a shop environment working on Black Friday promotions\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-608166817-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-608166817-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-608166817-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-05-08T16:53:28+01:00\">8 May, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">12 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tHow many working hours in a year UK 2026\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-2 post-29900 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-technology-innovation tag-bookkeeping tag-business-finances tag-payments tag-work-life-balance tag-workplace-technology business_type-small-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/sole-trader-ai\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/04\/concerned-tradesman-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"A tradesperson using AI on their mobile phone to be notified of a late payment\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/04\/concerned-tradesman-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/04\/concerned-tradesman-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/04\/concerned-tradesman-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-04-30T09:00:00+01:00\">30 April, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">8 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tEven sole traders can use AI: How to get paid faster and slash admin\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-3 post-4062 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-hr-process tag-need-to-know tag-payroll tag-tax tag-vat business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/new-tax-year\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1478421401-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"Working on business priorities\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1478421401-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1478421401-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1478421401.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-03-18T16:02:02+00:00\">18 March, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">11 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tNew tax year: Key changes and initiatives for 2026\/27\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-4 post-28704 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-people-leadership category-trends-insights tag-career-development tag-data-analytics tag-employee-engagement tag-finance tag-recruit tag-looking-after-your-employees tag-need-to-know tag-payroll business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/average-salary-uk\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1146164056-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"Woman applying for business credit line\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1146164056-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1146164056-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1146164056-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-03-12T10:35:53+00:00\">12 March, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">23 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tAverage salary in the UK: by region &amp; age 2026\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How can your small business keep talent management costs down? Discover six ideas that will help you along the way.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1660,"featured_media":11634,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"sage_hide_published_date":false,"sage_hide_read_time":false,"sage_hide_share_buttons":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[45,49,41,234,48],"business_type":[4],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[73,74],"imagine_tag":[92,217,109,218],"coauthors":[406],"class_list":["post-15306","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people-leadership","tag-employee-engagement","tag-employee-retention","tag-hr-process","tag-hr-payroll-benefits","tag-work-life-balance","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-gb","author_name":"Charlotte Penny","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1190025431.jpg","imagine_tags":{"92":"HR and Payroll","217":"HR processes","109":"Small business","218":"Top HR resources"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice UK","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15306","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1660"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15306"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15306\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/11634"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15306"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15306"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15306"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=15306"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=15306"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=15306"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=15306"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=15306"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=15306"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=15306"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}