Change is hard for some and exciting for others. Capitalize on those who love change and tap into their energy for ideas on business practice changes that can stretch your department's valuable funds!
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
1. Don't buy in bulk. By purchasing only what your office needs you aren't tying up resources in items that might "someday" get used.
2. Lean is in. Inventory is nothing but locked-up cash. Ensure your inventory stays as small as possible without hurting your business.
3. Find refurbished furniture and furnishings instead of buying new pieces. The Inventory Surplus Warehouse is open most Wednesdays throughout the year. Details are on http://inventory.unl.edu.
4. Turn off computers, monitors, and printers at night.
5. Install motion detectors or turn off lights when not needed in your office area.
6. Use both sides of paper for non-customer facing documents.
7. Train all employees on how to look for and implement simple improvements. Have a "Great Ideas" board to share these suggestions with the entire department and give kudos to creativity.
8. Implement a bi-annual "Clean Out Your Office" day and ask all staff and faculty to bring unused items to a central location for use by coworkers rather than purchasing new items.
9. Use generic or store brands.
10. Cut down on meetings. This is crucial, and can be so easy. Take a look at both your own and your employee’s calendars—how many hours per week are spent in meetings? Really evaluate the cost and benefits to the company. More than likely, you can cut back on some meeting time and up time for completing tasks.