As we currently live in financially challenging times, it’s important businesses save money where they can – especially in winter. Here, we’ve pulled together some ways you can save money in your business during winter.
Update Your Technology
There are many ways you can save energy with technology. If you are currently using old tech, you could be using more energy than necessary as they are much less efficient. Replacing old computers, laptops and even kitchen appliances can save you money long term. Also, if you have servers onsite, consider changing to virtual servers which are more efficient.
Laptops consume over 50% less power than an equivalent PC, so it’s worth considering replacing desktops with laptops.
Change Your Bulbs
By changing your bulbs to LED, you could end up saving money. LED bulbs use significantly less energy than incandescent bulbs and last 10 x longer. Therefore, over the lifetime of your bulbs, you will save a lot of money. Although LED bulbs may cost you more upfront, the low amount of energy they use and their long life means you will use less energy which will cost you less money.
Switch Things Off
Although it may not seem like much, leaving computers and other technology on standby overnight can end up costing you more money. If a desktop computer is left on standby for over a year, it will cost you around £10. Now, if you have 100 computers in your company, this can quickly add up.
Urging your employees to switch off their computers and other electricals is a great way to save some money throughout the winter. If you don’t see any change, you can invest in smart sockets that turn off the electricity to the items at a certain time.
Review Your Outgoings
To make the most effective changes, you need to know where your business is using the most energy or where you can cut down. For example, the coffee machine that is being used multiple times a day can be switched to normal coffee. You can also look at bigger-picture outgoings too, such as agencies that might not be providing good value for money or subscriptions you no longer need.
Turn Down Your Thermostat
During winter, it’s not really an option to turn off the heating completely to save on energy bills as your staff will be too cold to be productive. On the other hand, it’s not economical to turn your heating up to full and be left with a hefty energy bill.
Instead, keep the working area at a consistent temperature by turning your thermostat down just 1 or 2 degrees. This is enough to save you hundreds of pounds a year but still keeps your employees happy and comfortable while they work.
To make sure the lower temperature is enough to keep your employees warm, it’s a good idea to seal up draughts and ensure the office has good insulation.
Embrace Hybrid Working
If you are currently working conventionally in an office space, is this the most cost-effective way to house your business? Hybrid working could save you money by cutting down on the amount of office space you need and therefore the amount of energy you use. You can often find private offices and fixed desk arrangements in local coworking centres which will have amenities included in your rental agreement.
