It’s a popular saying for those who keep fit, healthy and guilt-free in the cooler months – summer bodies are made in winter. With the new financial year now upon us, the same can be said in the corporate world - summer businesses are made in winter.

For those who want to have a fit and healthy business in summer, now is the time to start training and get your workforce pulsing.

It’s the end of the financial year and if your finances are not yet in order, it’s worth spending some time ensuring that your accounts are paid, you’re chasing your debtors, your spreadsheets are up to date and your invoices have been sent. Whether you need to get your personal finances in order before you see your accountant or you’ve stuffed your business receipts in a box for the past year, now is the time to face the music and get organised.

Have you made adequate provisions to pay your taxes? You might not want to answer that one. However, make sure you quarantine enough funds, so you don’t end up in a cash flow hole in the coming months.

Have you done your strategic planning for the next year and looked at how that contributes to your business? A well-thought out strategic plan will inform your budget and set you up for success.

If you haven’t already written your budget for the 2019-20 financial year, you need to get cracking. Where is your forecast revenue going to come from and when and how does that overlay with due dates of sizeable bills?

It might also be time to revise your sales projections for this calendar year and the next financial year. Are you meeting your goals to recruit new clients, or servicing your current clients? Have you thought about going back to old clients and seeing if they need your support or your services again?

It’s also a good time to think about your staff capabilities. Your people are among your greatest assets and if they aren’t adequately trained, their qualifications aren’t up to date, or they would benefit from an extra course or further education, it’s a good time to think about how you can help them. Training builds your staff capabilities, improves productivity, can help prevent accidents, and ensures that your business is fit for the financial year ahead.

People feel valued when their employer shows interest in them and offers them opportunities, particularly around career development and enhancing skills. It could be anything from learning how to deal with mental health at work, management training, emotional intelligence, or bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment. The more your staff know, the more empowered they feel and the better they work. It’s definitely time to get fit and prepare for that summer business body.

This article was originally published in the South Australian Business Journal on 2 July 2019.

Martin Haese is chief executive of Business SA.