Vol. I · Business, Books & Order · Price: One good idea
The six places working hours leak out of a business
Re-typing, chasing, waiting, searching, reporting and reconciling quietly consume hours every day. Here is how to spot each one.
By the Sarvlekh Desk | 4 minute read | Updated 2 November 2026
Lost time rarely looks like lost time. It looks like normal work. These six leaks are where we usually find it.
1. Re-typing
The same figure entered into a register, a sheet and a software. Every duplicate entry is time and an opportunity for error.
2. Chasing
Phone calls and messages to find out whether something happened. If status requires a conversation, it is not visible.
3. Waiting
Approvals stuck with one person, or work paused until someone returns. Waiting rarely shows up on any report.
4. Searching
Hunting for a bill, a contract or a record. Anything that takes more than a minute to find is effectively missing.
5. Reporting
Hours spent assembling weekly numbers that a system could produce on its own.
6. Reconciling
Matching stock, cash or bank lines by hand, because two sources never agree.
Where to begin
Ask each team how many minutes a day they spend on each leak. The totals are usually a surprise.
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