{"id":13073,"date":"2025-01-23T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-23T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/?p=13073"},"modified":"2025-08-29T10:07:30","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T08:07:30","slug":"how-to-manage-non-billable-hours","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/how-to-manage-non-billable-hours","title":{"rendered":"Non-billable hours: Strategic investment or hidden cost?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>When it comes to non-billable hours, businesses can totally reframe how they approach them. Rather than a knee-jerk reaction of directly trying to reduce non-billable hours, reframing your mindset to how <a href=\"https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/manage-billable-and-non-billable-hours\/\">best to manage non-billable hours<\/a> can actually give you the upper hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"non-billable-hours-definition\">Non-billable hours: Strategic investment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Your clients expect to be billed only by the quality work that your company does that delivers the requested services and\/or generates value on their behalf. Technically speaking, everything else falls into the realm of non-billable work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words, <strong>non-billable work<\/strong> refers to the tasks and activities performed by employees that cannot be charged to a client. These activities are essential for the functioning and growth of the business but do not generate direct revenue. Some of these activities include the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Administrative tasks (e.g., scheduling, paperwork) <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Internal meetings <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Training and professional development <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Marketing your business <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Research and development (if not directly billable to a client)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Maintenance and upkeep of office or equipment <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Networking<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Non-billable hours<\/strong> are classified as the time employees spend on non-billable work. This term measures the duration spent on activities that do not directly produce revenue. For instance, you can\u2019t bill your clients for things like training your employees, marketing your business, or networking. So, how can that non-billable time be considered a strategic investment if you can\u2019t get any direct revenue from it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are a couple of things. First, some of those non-billable hours are necessary to run your business. You can\u2019t bill your clients for the time one of your employees is spending making photocopies and organizing files in your organization. However, this is something that is part of running your business and you still have to pay your employees for the time they spend doing that kind of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Second, some of that non-billable time can be managed as an investment towards the future. If you understand that some portion of non-billable work will contribute to the long-term growth and success of the company, it\u2019s easy to see just how necessary it is. For example, <a href=\"https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/reskilling-finance-teams-business-intelligence\/\">training your finance employees on AI and data analytics<\/a> can be seen as an investment if your company plans to automate certain procedures to maximize insights and promote better decision making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Similarly, if your law firm decides to support one of your senior associates in his efforts to join the National Bar Association with the idea that he gains prominence and brings more referrals to the firm, that too can be managed as a strategic investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In such contexts, non-billable time becomes a strategic investment because it offers real value to the company. Of course, you have to measure and monitor the return of investment of those non-billable hours and see if they are effectively improving and bringing more business to your organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div\n    class=\"montserrat-font my-5 mx-auto p-4 p-lg-5 position-relative bbl_customer_story_blurb\"\n>\n  <svg\n    class=\"bk-svg-top position-absolute w-100\"\n    fill=\"none\"\n    height=\"114\"\n    viewBox=\"0 0 724 114\"\n    width=\"724\"\n    xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n    <path d=\"M-18.2595 85.4232C15.6765 58.6399 103.632 22.1092 183.964 90.253C284.38 175.433 358.663 -39.1831 421.703 17.5374C484.743 74.2578 573.058 -90.3762 669.372 0.952557C746.423 74.0156 852.42 -37.4955 895.787 -102.384\" stroke=\"#F9F8FD\" stroke-width=\"7\"\/>\n  <\/svg>\n\n  <svg\n    class=\"bk-svg-bottom position-absolute w-100\"\n    fill=\"none\"\n    height=\"113\"\n    viewBox=\"0 0 724 113\"\n    width=\"724\"\n    xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"\n  >\n    <path d=\"M899.19 176.521C864.862 150.242 776.377 115.015 697.059 184.338C597.913 270.991 520.468 57.496 458.273 115.141C396.077 172.787 305.34 9.47523 210.386 102.217C134.422 176.41 26.7898 66.4765 -17.5308 2.23568\" stroke=\"#F9F8FD\" stroke-width=\"7\"\/>\n  <\/svg>\n\n  <div class=\"position-relative\">\n    \n    <div class=\"bbl-csb-text\">\n      <p data-start=\"146\" data-end=\"473\">UK technology firm <strong>Cloud Perspective <\/strong>has mastered this. They use Beebole to track both billable and non-billable hours across multiple clients and projects. By going beyond a simple billable\/non-billable split and adding a <strong data-start=\"379\" data-end=\"432\">\u201ccredit\u201d category for strategic non-billable work<\/strong>, they gained the visibility needed to:<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"475\" data-end=\"870\">\ud83d\ude80 Identify how much time was spent on revenue-generating vs. internal growth activities<br data-start=\"563\" data-end=\"566\" \/>\ud83d\ude80 Treat certain non-billable hours as investments instead of wasted cost<br data-start=\"679\" data-end=\"682\" \/>\ud83d\ude80 Analyze productivity at both the individual and company level through customizable dashboards and exports<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"475\" data-end=\"870\"><em>\u201cIt is particularly useful to be able to log time as both billable and non-billable \u2013 and indeed one of the features that we have recently started using is the ability to have custom picklists. We have one for Billable, Non-billable, and Credit.<\/em>\u201d \u2013 Miranda Pocock, Founder &amp; CTO, Cloud Perspective<\/p>\n    <\/div>\n\n          <a\n        class=\"bbl-csb-link\"\n        href=\"https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/tracking-projects-cloud-perspective\/\"\n              >\n        Read the case study\n        <svg width=\"16\" height=\"16\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n          <path d=\"M2 8H14\" stroke=\"#464646\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n          <path d=\"M8 2L14 8L8 14\" stroke=\"#464646\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n        <\/svg>\n      <\/a>\n      <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Needless to say, the money that you are investing in covering the non-billable hours associated with the training of your finance team or the efforts carried out by your senior associate should be considered a strategic investment in your company because of the potential value they can generate for your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the case of the lawyer, \u201cthe non-billable time expended by the associate becomes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.edge.ai\/2019\/03\/qualified-non-billable-time\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">qualified non-billable time (QNBT)<\/a>. It is not merely discretionary time, nor is it perceived to be something that can be conjured at will, but rather it is something that has been vetted and will be measured against a set of objectives,\u201d explains Gerry Riskin, founder at Edge International, a global consultancy specializing in the legal and other professional services\u2019 sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"hidden-costs-of-non-billable-hours\">Non-billable hours: Hidden costs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Non-billable hours are essential for the functioning and growth of the business. Furthermore, when they provide value to the company\u2019s own growth, they can be managed as strategic investments. That said, non-billable hours can also become hidden costs when they meet the following two conditions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They are part of inefficient processes and\/or don\u2019t provide any value to the company. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They aren\u2019t properly managed or accounted for.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>The most common scenario for this to happen is quite simple: Many companies simply don\u2019t track their non-billable time because they don\u2019t see the need for it. If that\u2019s the case and <strong>there\u2019s an inefficient process within your company that you don\u2019t keep track of, you would probably be unaware of the cost associated with that process.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the following image, you can see how a company can lose sight of additional costs at the administrative level when it doesn\u2019t manage its non-billable hours:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\" src=\"https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/how-non-billable-hours-turn-into-hidden-costs-700x394.png\" alt=\"Non-billable hours can turn into hidden costs\" class=\"wp-image-13076\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/how-non-billable-hours-turn-into-hidden-costs-700x394.png 700w, https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/how-non-billable-hours-turn-into-hidden-costs-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/how-non-billable-hours-turn-into-hidden-costs-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/how-non-billable-hours-turn-into-hidden-costs.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If the company manages its non-billable hours, it can easily identify, and eventually fix, the issue associated with the hourly increase on administrative tasks (from 20 to 40 hours). However, if the company doesn\u2019t manage its non-billable work, it would be difficult to see the costs generated by potential inefficiencies at the administrative level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The following are some of the negative effects that hidden costs can have on a company\u2019s profitability and efficiency:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Reduced profit margins <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Inaccurate financial reporting <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Poor budgeting and forecasting <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Increased operational costs <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Resource misallocation <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Strained cash flow <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Decreased competitive edge<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Most large companies, however, usually track their overall costs in one way or the other so there\u2019s little \u201chidden\u201d about the cost associated with non-billable hours. In fact, most experts we talked with argue that non-billable hours aren\u2019t considered an investment or hidden cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to a senior manager who works for an international financial institution, a larger firm not only has a history of the costs related to meetings, traveling and training, but can also average out the costs over many clients, so these costs should not be hidden but explicitly estimated and taken into account when deciding on the rates that the clients are charged. \u201cIn that sense for a bigger firm I dont think non-billable hours are either an investment or a hidden cost,\u201d states the senior manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Aaron Brown, finance expert and columnist at Bloomberg, goes even further by saying that the pay, not the hour, is what really counts as an investment or cost. \u201cIf a company assigned non-billable work to employees\u2014say for professional development or overhead tasks not specific to individual clients\u2014then the cost for that work could be either an investment (professional development) or expense (overhead)\u2014but it\u2019s the pay that\u2019s the investment or expense, not the hours,\u201d argues Brown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"non-billable-hours-challenges\">Challenges in managing non-billable hours<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNon-billable time is often not tracked accurately,\u201d states Riskin. When we asked him about that, he pointed out two fundamental reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Companies don\u2019t understand the value of non-billable hours. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Companies don\u2019t know how to classify non-billable work.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Some companies don\u2019t even ask their employees to track their non-billable time just because they don\u2019t care and they don\u2019t understand it has value so they are fine with throwing it away. This is also why there is a lot of resistance to investing in non-billable hours in the corporate world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the other hand, companies don\u2019t know how to classify non-billable work, and they don\u2019t ask their employees for a little bit of discipline as to correctly recording it by category just as they would with billable-time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Apart from these two fundamental problems, and even if they are willing to track non-billable time, companies often don\u2019t have a good tracking system to categorize and manage non-billable hours. This poses a practical problem for many organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last but not least, some companies are afraid to compromise profitability with non-billable hours that don\u2019t generate revenue. This broad misconception not only affects the ability of the company to balance non-billable activities with billable work but also can lead to other issues such as <a href=\"https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/cost-absenteeism-presenteeism\/\">employee burnout and low productivity<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"maximize-value-non-billable-hours\">The #1 tip for maximizing the strategic value of non-billable hours<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to non-billable hours your focus shouldn\u2019t be on reducing them but rather on maximizing their strategic value. If you want to achieve that, the recipe is simple: <strong>You need to manage your non-billable hours.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the senior manager we talked to, the best way to deal with non-billable hours without compromising the profitability of the organization is by taking them into account. In other words by managing them effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But how can businesses track and manage non-billable hours effectively? First, you need to cultivate a culture that values strategic investments in non-billable time. Second, you need a robust <a class=\"highlighted-link bbl-link-hs bbl-link-hs-v-1\" href=\"https:\/\/beebole.com\/project-time-tracking\/\"><span>time tracking and reporting system<svg width=\"17\" height=\"18\" viewBox=\"0 0 17 18\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M11.25 0.875H15.625C15.7908 0.875 15.9497 0.940848 16.0669 1.05806C16.1842 1.17527 16.25 1.33424 16.25 1.5V5.875C16.25 6.04076 16.1842 6.19973 16.0669 6.31694C15.9497 6.43415 15.7908 6.5 15.625 6.5C15.4592 6.5 15.3003 6.43415 15.1831 6.31694C15.0658 6.19973 15 6.04076 15 5.875V3.00833L4.81667 13.1917C4.69819 13.3021 4.54148 13.3622 4.37956 13.3593C4.21765 13.3565 4.06316 13.2909 3.94865 13.1764C3.83414 13.0618 3.76854 12.9074 3.76569 12.7454C3.76283 12.5835 3.82293 12.4268 3.93333 12.3083L14.1167 2.125H11.25C11.0842 2.125 10.9253 2.05915 10.8081 1.94194C10.6908 1.82473 10.625 1.66576 10.625 1.5C10.625 1.33424 10.6908 1.17527 10.8081 1.05806C10.9253 0.940848 11.0842 0.875 11.25 0.875ZM2.5 4.625C2.16848 4.625 1.85054 4.7567 1.61612 4.99112C1.3817 5.22554 1.25 5.54348 1.25 5.875V14.625C1.25 14.9565 1.3817 15.2745 1.61612 15.5089C1.85054 15.7433 2.16848 15.875 2.5 15.875H11.25C11.5815 15.875 11.8995 15.7433 12.1339 15.5089C12.3683 15.2745 12.5 14.9565 12.5 14.625V7.75C12.5 7.58424 12.5658 7.42527 12.6831 7.30806C12.8003 7.19085 12.9592 7.125 13.125 7.125C13.2908 7.125 13.4497 7.19085 13.5669 7.30806C13.6842 7.42527 13.75 7.58424 13.75 7.75V14.625C13.75 15.288 13.4866 15.9239 13.0178 16.3928C12.5489 16.8616 11.913 17.125 11.25 17.125H2.5C1.83696 17.125 1.20107 16.8616 0.732233 16.3928C0.263392 15.9239 0 15.288 0 14.625V5.875C0 5.21196 0.263392 4.57607 0.732233 4.10723C1.20107 3.63839 1.83696 3.375 2.5 3.375H9.375C9.54076 3.375 9.69973 3.44085 9.81694 3.55806C9.93415 3.67527 10 3.83424 10 4C10 4.16576 9.93415 4.32473 9.81694 4.44194C9.69973 4.55915 9.54076 4.625 9.375 4.625H2.5Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/a> in place. Third, you need to categorize non-billable work appropriately (just as you do for billable-time). Fourth, you need to prioritize non-billable work aligned with your long term goals. Fifth, you need to track the return of investment of non-billable hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"beebole-manage-non-billable-hours\">How Beebole can help you effectively manage non-billable hours effectively<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Beebole makes tracking billable vs. non-billable hours easy with a simple checkbox feature. This can help you easily see and understand the billable vs. non-billable hour breakdown within projects, tasks, and even by employee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beebole.com\/project-time-tracking\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"440\" src=\"https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/beebole-reporting-billable-vs-non-billable-hours-700x440.png\" alt=\"Beebole makes it simple to see and analyze the breakdown of your billable vs. non-billable hours\" class=\"wp-image-13075 highlighted-link bbl-link-hs bbl-link-hs-v-1\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/beebole-reporting-billable-vs-non-billable-hours-700x440.png 700w, https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/beebole-reporting-billable-vs-non-billable-hours-768x483.png 768w, https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/beebole-reporting-billable-vs-non-billable-hours-1536x965.png 1536w, https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/beebole-reporting-billable-vs-non-billable-hours.png 1999w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a class=\"highlighted-link bbl-link-hs bbl-link-hs-v-1\" href=\"https:\/\/beebole.com\/project-time-tracking\/\"><span>Beebole makes tracking billable vs. non-billable hours both easy to do and to analyze.<svg width=\"17\" height=\"18\" viewBox=\"0 0 17 18\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M11.25 0.875H15.625C15.7908 0.875 15.9497 0.940848 16.0669 1.05806C16.1842 1.17527 16.25 1.33424 16.25 1.5V5.875C16.25 6.04076 16.1842 6.19973 16.0669 6.31694C15.9497 6.43415 15.7908 6.5 15.625 6.5C15.4592 6.5 15.3003 6.43415 15.1831 6.31694C15.0658 6.19973 15 6.04076 15 5.875V3.00833L4.81667 13.1917C4.69819 13.3021 4.54148 13.3622 4.37956 13.3593C4.21765 13.3565 4.06316 13.2909 3.94865 13.1764C3.83414 13.0618 3.76854 12.9074 3.76569 12.7454C3.76283 12.5835 3.82293 12.4268 3.93333 12.3083L14.1167 2.125H11.25C11.0842 2.125 10.9253 2.05915 10.8081 1.94194C10.6908 1.82473 10.625 1.66576 10.625 1.5C10.625 1.33424 10.6908 1.17527 10.8081 1.05806C10.9253 0.940848 11.0842 0.875 11.25 0.875ZM2.5 4.625C2.16848 4.625 1.85054 4.7567 1.61612 4.99112C1.3817 5.22554 1.25 5.54348 1.25 5.875V14.625C1.25 14.9565 1.3817 15.2745 1.61612 15.5089C1.85054 15.7433 2.16848 15.875 2.5 15.875H11.25C11.5815 15.875 11.8995 15.7433 12.1339 15.5089C12.3683 15.2745 12.5 14.9565 12.5 14.625V7.75C12.5 7.58424 12.5658 7.42527 12.6831 7.30806C12.8003 7.19085 12.9592 7.125 13.125 7.125C13.2908 7.125 13.4497 7.19085 13.5669 7.30806C13.6842 7.42527 13.75 7.58424 13.75 7.75V14.625C13.75 15.288 13.4866 15.9239 13.0178 16.3928C12.5489 16.8616 11.913 17.125 11.25 17.125H2.5C1.83696 17.125 1.20107 16.8616 0.732233 16.3928C0.263392 15.9239 0 15.288 0 14.625V5.875C0 5.21196 0.263392 4.57607 0.732233 4.10723C1.20107 3.63839 1.83696 3.375 2.5 3.375H9.375C9.54076 3.375 9.69973 3.44085 9.81694 3.55806C9.93415 3.67527 10 3.83424 10 4C10 4.16576 9.93415 4.32473 9.81694 4.44194C9.69973 4.55915 9.54076 4.625 9.375 4.625H2.5Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>By using a tool like Beebole to track your billable and non-billable hours is the first step in effective management of them. Having employees track their billable and non-billable time allows you to then better understand the demands of certain projects and clients, and how those demands relate to overall profits. This type of reporting and analysis can all be done within Beebole itself or within <a class=\"underlined-link bbl-link-hs bbl-link-hs-v-2\" href=\"https:\/\/beebole.com\/timesheet-google-sheets\/\"><span>Google Sheets<svg width=\"17\" height=\"18\" viewBox=\"0 0 17 18\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M11.25 0.875H15.625C15.7908 0.875 15.9497 0.940848 16.0669 1.05806C16.1842 1.17527 16.25 1.33424 16.25 1.5V5.875C16.25 6.04076 16.1842 6.19973 16.0669 6.31694C15.9497 6.43415 15.7908 6.5 15.625 6.5C15.4592 6.5 15.3003 6.43415 15.1831 6.31694C15.0658 6.19973 15 6.04076 15 5.875V3.00833L4.81667 13.1917C4.69819 13.3021 4.54148 13.3622 4.37956 13.3593C4.21765 13.3565 4.06316 13.2909 3.94865 13.1764C3.83414 13.0618 3.76854 12.9074 3.76569 12.7454C3.76283 12.5835 3.82293 12.4268 3.93333 12.3083L14.1167 2.125H11.25C11.0842 2.125 10.9253 2.05915 10.8081 1.94194C10.6908 1.82473 10.625 1.66576 10.625 1.5C10.625 1.33424 10.6908 1.17527 10.8081 1.05806C10.9253 0.940848 11.0842 0.875 11.25 0.875ZM2.5 4.625C2.16848 4.625 1.85054 4.7567 1.61612 4.99112C1.3817 5.22554 1.25 5.54348 1.25 5.875V14.625C1.25 14.9565 1.3817 15.2745 1.61612 15.5089C1.85054 15.7433 2.16848 15.875 2.5 15.875H11.25C11.5815 15.875 11.8995 15.7433 12.1339 15.5089C12.3683 15.2745 12.5 14.9565 12.5 14.625V7.75C12.5 7.58424 12.5658 7.42527 12.6831 7.30806C12.8003 7.19085 12.9592 7.125 13.125 7.125C13.2908 7.125 13.4497 7.19085 13.5669 7.30806C13.6842 7.42527 13.75 7.58424 13.75 7.75V14.625C13.75 15.288 13.4866 15.9239 13.0178 16.3928C12.5489 16.8616 11.913 17.125 11.25 17.125H2.5C1.83696 17.125 1.20107 16.8616 0.732233 16.3928C0.263392 15.9239 0 15.288 0 14.625V5.875C0 5.21196 0.263392 4.57607 0.732233 4.10723C1.20107 3.63839 1.83696 3.375 2.5 3.375H9.375C9.54076 3.375 9.69973 3.44085 9.81694 3.55806C9.93415 3.67527 10 3.83424 10 4C10 4.16576 9.93415 4.32473 9.81694 4.44194C9.69973 4.55915 9.54076 4.625 9.375 4.625H2.5Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/a> or <a class=\"underlined-link bbl-link-hs bbl-link-hs-v-2\" href=\"https:\/\/beebole.com\/timesheet-excel-addin\/\"><span>Excel<svg width=\"17\" height=\"18\" viewBox=\"0 0 17 18\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M11.25 0.875H15.625C15.7908 0.875 15.9497 0.940848 16.0669 1.05806C16.1842 1.17527 16.25 1.33424 16.25 1.5V5.875C16.25 6.04076 16.1842 6.19973 16.0669 6.31694C15.9497 6.43415 15.7908 6.5 15.625 6.5C15.4592 6.5 15.3003 6.43415 15.1831 6.31694C15.0658 6.19973 15 6.04076 15 5.875V3.00833L4.81667 13.1917C4.69819 13.3021 4.54148 13.3622 4.37956 13.3593C4.21765 13.3565 4.06316 13.2909 3.94865 13.1764C3.83414 13.0618 3.76854 12.9074 3.76569 12.7454C3.76283 12.5835 3.82293 12.4268 3.93333 12.3083L14.1167 2.125H11.25C11.0842 2.125 10.9253 2.05915 10.8081 1.94194C10.6908 1.82473 10.625 1.66576 10.625 1.5C10.625 1.33424 10.6908 1.17527 10.8081 1.05806C10.9253 0.940848 11.0842 0.875 11.25 0.875ZM2.5 4.625C2.16848 4.625 1.85054 4.7567 1.61612 4.99112C1.3817 5.22554 1.25 5.54348 1.25 5.875V14.625C1.25 14.9565 1.3817 15.2745 1.61612 15.5089C1.85054 15.7433 2.16848 15.875 2.5 15.875H11.25C11.5815 15.875 11.8995 15.7433 12.1339 15.5089C12.3683 15.2745 12.5 14.9565 12.5 14.625V7.75C12.5 7.58424 12.5658 7.42527 12.6831 7.30806C12.8003 7.19085 12.9592 7.125 13.125 7.125C13.2908 7.125 13.4497 7.19085 13.5669 7.30806C13.6842 7.42527 13.75 7.58424 13.75 7.75V14.625C13.75 15.288 13.4866 15.9239 13.0178 16.3928C12.5489 16.8616 11.913 17.125 11.25 17.125H2.5C1.83696 17.125 1.20107 16.8616 0.732233 16.3928C0.263392 15.9239 0 15.288 0 14.625V5.875C0 5.21196 0.263392 4.57607 0.732233 4.10723C1.20107 3.63839 1.83696 3.375 2.5 3.375H9.375C9.54076 3.375 9.69973 3.44085 9.81694 3.55806C9.93415 3.67527 10 3.83424 10 4C10 4.16576 9.93415 4.32473 9.81694 4.44194C9.69973 4.55915 9.54076 4.625 9.375 4.625H2.5Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div  class=\"mb-4 call_to_action-block\">\n    <div class=\"call_to_action-blockcontent py-5 px-4 text-center border-top border-bottom\">\n                    <h4 class=\"call_to_action-header h2 mt-0\">Beebole Can Help With Your Non-Billable Hours Management<\/h4>\n                        <div class=\"call_to_action-btns btns-wrap d-block d-lg-flex justify-content-center mx-auto\">\n                            <a class=\"w-100 w-lg-auto btn btn-outline-primary text-primary link-light me-lg-4 mb-3 mb-lg-0 bbl_cta_block_demo_btn \" href=\"https:\/\/beebole.com\/talk-sales\/\" id=\"cta_post_13073_article_demo_1\">Book a Call<\/a>\n                                        <a class=\"w-100 w-lg-auto btn btn-primary text-light bbl_cta_block_signup_btn \" href=\"https:\/\/beebole-apps.com\/signup\/\" id=\"cta_post_13073_article_sign_up_1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sign Up<\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Furthermore, if you are able to design your talent management strategy around all of this, you will significantly maximize the value of your non-billable hours, which is something that could lead to numerous benefits in terms of employee engagement, productivity, and profitability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As explained by Riskin, when a law firm decides to have an aggressive non-billable budget for a senior associate because he\u2019s very good at attracting work, clients love him, and he is able to keep a high level of satisfaction, the firm knows very well that the senior associate will bring them more prosperity through his ability to attract work than actually billing hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cA well-managed firm sees the people in the firm, the talent in the firm as their biggest asset. The talent can be deployed for billable purposes and non-billable purposes. Managed well, they will be deployed appropriately for the appropriate billable work and the appropriate non-billable activities. Manage that well, you could be profitable,\u201d affirms Riskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\" src=\"https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/strategies-for-managing-non-billable-hours-700x394.png\" alt=\"Tips for managing non-billable hours\" class=\"wp-image-13077\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/strategies-for-managing-non-billable-hours-700x394.png 700w, https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/strategies-for-managing-non-billable-hours-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/strategies-for-managing-non-billable-hours-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/strategies-for-managing-non-billable-hours.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"best-practice-managing-billable-hours\">Managing non-billable hours: A best practice to adopt<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Non-billable hours are as precious as billable hours, and forward-thinking organizations know very well that if you want to run your business smoothly and enjoy sustainable growth, you need to make an effort to manage your non-billable hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some organizations have been quite successful in doing this. As Riskin illustrated to us, a very prosperous Chicago law firm has based its success on the following (almost heretical) principle: An hour of non-billable time is more valuable than an hour of billable time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis did not mean that spending eight non-billable hours and no billable hours in a day was considered more valuable for the firm. Not at all. Rather, the firm decided that those who spend ten billable hours and no non-billable hours are depriving the firm of the strong return that it would obtain on having at least one quality non-billable hour from that individual in a day,\u201d states Riskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Their philosophy was quite simple: \u201cIf you and I come to work and we don\u2019t even have one quality non-billable hour, we are doing ourselves and the firm a great disservice,\u201d explains Riskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is no doubt that avoiding hidden costs is one of the major benefits of managing your non-billable work effectively. However, managing your non-billable hours is more about investing time and resources in activities that provide value to your organization. This is why implementing this process is one of the best practices that your business can adopt today. Is your organization ready to manage non-billable hours?<\/p>\n<div class=\"bbl-post-disclaimer\">The experts who have written or contributed to this article are independent from Beebole, and their contribution doesn't serve as endorsement for our company\/tool or their past\/present organizations, employers, or associates.<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When it comes to non-billable hours, businesses can totally reframe how they approach them. Rather than a knee-jerk reaction of directly trying to reduce non-billable hours, reframing your mindset to how best to manage non-billable hours can actually give you the upper hand. Non-billable hours: Strategic investment Your clients expect to be billed only by [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":13079,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4011],"tags":[3980,4000,4004],"class_list":["post-13073","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-project-management","tag-reporting","tag-project-management","tag-billable-hours"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13073","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13073"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13073\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14230,"href":"https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13073\/revisions\/14230"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13079"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13073"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13073"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beebole.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13073"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}