Hiring is easy. Staying organized isn’t.
[When five people become a logistics challenge]
Being a small (but mighty) company might sound like running a tight, simple office. But even if you’re the boss of just two or three people, you’ll face a mountain of paperwork daily.
Size doesn’t always make things easier or harder – it mostly depends on how well you set up your administration.
Let’s start from the top.
Let’s say you’ve just started your company.
Before you can hire anyone, you’re often pulled into a maze of administrative hurdles.
From choosing a company name and defining business activities, to signing stacks of documents, registering with official institutions, setting up a business bank account, and handling tax obligations — the process can feel like a bureaucratic marathon.
It’s rarely straightforward, and more often than not, filled with steps that seem unnecessarily complicated or outdated.
We probably missed a step or two, but since this article isn’t about starting a company – let’s pretend that’s it. At this stage, you're the CEO, admin, and probably the only person doing anything. Your own boss – until someone else joins.
First team, first chaos
After all that paperwork pain, you hire your first person. Ideally, an accountant – because your Excel knowledge won’t save the company from mistakes or fines.
Then come your first team members from your actual field. One, maybe two, maybe three. The first month? Glorious. You’ve got a team, the company is thriving.
Then comes the second month. Payroll time. Along with it – reality: employment contracts, system registrations, working hour records, policies, Christmas bonuses, vacation days, Easter vouchers, days off...
Office (mostly) under control
A year later, the team grows to five. Sounds like a big leap.
And it is – but also a mouthful that’s hard to chew. After a year of forms, you realize: okay, it’s worth it.
Paperwork is still part of your daily life, but you’ve got people who (mostly) seem satisfied, one loyal client keeping the lights on, and a coffee machine that handles five cups a day without complaint.
Just when you think everything is under control…
"Hey boss, how many vacation days do I have left?"
"Can I work from home?"
"I’m getting married in June – can I take a few days off?"
"I’ve got a spreadsheet with 10 tabs and no idea where anything is anymore."
These kinds of questions aren’t unusual – but they become a real headache if Excel and loose papers are your only organizational tools. Even the simplest request can turn into a full-blown stress moment. And, of course, you’re still the one who needs to find the answers.
Paperwork - no more.
Digital tools seem like a saving hand – and often are.
But the price of some of them can make your (still nonexistent) grey hairs stand up.
So you ask yourself: is it really worth investing in a tool you might barely use, one that costs as much as your monthly coffee supply?
Thankfully, there’s a solution that ~~doesn’t cost a kidney~~ wouldn’t cost you an arm and a leg– and comes with all the features for free.
One tool for your entire ~~small~~ office
Kloki is a perfect fit for small companies – especially when you need clarity but don’t have a big budget (or time for complicated tools).
With Kloki:
- you track work hours without spreadsheets,
- employees can see how much vacation they have left,
- they know when others are off,
- they can request leave, remote work, sick days, or time off,
- and you manage everything from one place – including payroll.
Best of all – it’s free for teams up to 5 people.
And if you grow past that, 30 € per month still sounds better than five Excel files and two mental breakdowns.
No locked features – what you see is what you actually get.
Market leaders or…
People often underestimate small business owners – especially those just getting started.
On the surface, everything may look like a LinkedIn success story with posts like “10 ways I became a market leader.”
Behind the scenes?
A mess of papers, deadlines, internal rules, and a whole lot of improvisation.
So choose wisely where you spend your time, energy, and money.
Sometimes the best solutions are simple, affordable – and right under your nose.
Like Kloki.