5 Ways Contractors Can Reduce Their Paperwork Burden

There probably aren’t a lot of things you can get nearly every contractor to agree on, but experience has taught us that most construction professionals simply hate one part of the job – doing paperwork.

There is no escaping it: Once you become a manager or business owner, there are lots of forms and office activities to stay on top of, from taxes and billing to things like insurance, payroll, and new project bids or proposals. If you let them, these details can quickly get out of control, and either take up a lot more of your time than they should, or stop your company from growing because it isn’t as organized as it should be.

If you are dreading the stack of paperwork in your office, or feel like you’d rather spend the day on a job site than sitting behind a desk, you’re in luck. Here are our top five tips contractors can use to reduce their paperwork burden:

1. Batch your projects to finish them together. In other words, don’t pay bills or complete other office work one at a time. Instead, put aside an hour or two each week where you can complete everything. You’ll go faster if you don’t have to start and stop, or keep finding things like pens and paper.

2. Install a good filing system. A lot of contractors and construction professionals think they don’t have time to file paperwork, but it takes a lot less time to put something in its proper place than it does to search for it needlessly later.

3. Automate as much as possible. There are software packages that can help you with things like billing, scheduling, and payroll. Take advantage of them and you could reduce the time you need for these tasks by two-thirds or more.

4. Back up everything frequently. No filing system is effective if all of your important information can be lost in moments. Get in the habit of scanning paperwork and filing them by date, so you can always retrieve it again on your computer if needed.

5. Get outside help for some forms of paperwork. It’s easy for contractors to forget that they don’t have to do everything themselves. Accountants, lawyers, and others can help lighten your workload. Just be sure to hire someone you can trust, and who knows your business (don’t be afraid to ask CSLS for a recommendation).

The higher you move up in a company, or your career, the more paperwork there is to deal with. But, if you can follow these tips and stay on top of your workload, it doesn’t have to be a big part of your job.

Looking for a great way to grow as a construction professional? Talk to a counselor today to learn more about professional services : (800)481.0310