SMALL businesses in the North are losing about one day a week to administrative tasks.
That was the major finding of the British Gas Time survey, published today.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the North rated filing and paperwork, credit chasing and statutory financial requirements as the biggest time-eaters.
As a result, weekend working is the norm, with 64 per cent of small firms saying their staff often catch up at weekends.
The working week of an SME owner/manager is far higher than the European working time directive of 35 hours, with just under a third claiming to work more than 61 hours a week.
The stress from long working hours had an impact on the health of people in the North, with 41 per cent claiming they, or their staff, suffered.
Jessica Alexander, managing director of North Yorkshire PR and design agency Alexander King Associates, said: "Time in the office chasing and filing is time I am not servicing my clients."
Adam Taylor, business marketing manager at British Gas, said: "It is clear that SMEs today want to grow, not merely survive. Yet, they seem to be loaded up with everything but support to help take the strain away."
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