Recent research by business advisers Tenon suggests that staff absence and cash flow cause the biggest headaches for small firm owners in the UK.

Half of the business owners questioned said they worried about the impact of staff illness on their businesses, with a third believing absence could put their enterprises in serious danger. 48% cited cash flow and funding problems as their other major concern, particularly in sectors such as manufacturing where employees are often paid on a weekly basis.

Other sources of concern included problems with IT and the rising costs of maternity and paternity leave.