Effective office management skills

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:41

By Emma Richards
There is a need for people with strong administrative skills in any business. With
business processes, equipment, documentation and communication becoming
increasingly complicated, managers and professional administrators need a wide
range of skills to run the office effectively. Often these skills are neglected or
ignored, which results in ineffective office management. If you are unsure of the
proficiencies you need to keep up with administrative tasks, here are 4 important
skills required for efficient office management.
1. Business documentation
As an office manager, you will mostly likely need business writing skills, as you will
be required to write up a number of business documents. Some documents may
include business letters, reports, proposals, quotations, statements and invoices. It
is imperative to understand what these documents are used for, and to know how to
format, write and administer these documents.
2. Communication strategy
In the current business environment,communication is handled almost exclusively
through computers. It is important for office administrators to feel comfortable
communicating through various platforms, such as email, Skype or MSN, as it is
mostly likely that you will communicate with employees or customersvia these
platforms. You will need to learn to communicate appropriately depending on the
platform used. Office managers are also required to communicate with employees
and customers on the phone, so an appropriate telephone manner is essential.
3. Office administration
General office administration is part-and-parcel of the day-to-day running of any
business.As an office manager, you may be responsible for petty cash, managing
the switchboard, dealing with delivery services, the administration of basic office
facilities,and general management. The latter is vital, as staff rely heavily on office
management in order to complete their tasks successfully.
4. Information management
It is the information age, and humans are consuming more raw data today than in
any other time in history.Information needs to be housed somewhere, and it is often
kept in files so that you can make reference to specific documents at a later stage.
As an office manager, it is important to manage the filing and indexing for both
digital and hard copy documents. Arrange your digital folders effectively so that you
are able to find certain documents with ease. Hard copies should be filed away and
clearly marked so you can retrieve these documents at any time.

The Basics of Office Management

Posted by Jac in Business Strategies | 0 comments

If the office runs well, the sign shop owner is happy.

No matter what the size of your sign business is, if you are going to run a successful
office you need to follow a few basic guidelines for office management. Here are 6
areas flagged for improvement when you are looking to improve your sign shop
office.
1. Employee training and human resources. A building block to a strong small
business starts with employment policies. Your policies should outline the way your
company views employment. It should contain guidelines and specific rules that can
be used to determine fault when issues arise. Make sure your policy includes at
least a brief training and development program to ensure that employees know
what you expect of them.
2. Equipment and furniture. Your office doesnt need to be a fancy one, stocked
with all the latest equipment, or a lazy-boy in the break room, however there are
several basic items you should have in order to optimize employee productivity.
Make a list of what you feel you need and what budget you have to purchase
equipment and furniture. Take into consideration what software you will need on the
computers, as well as where you will store client information and other documents.
Will you keep files, or go paperless? Answering certain questions about your
business procedures will enable you to determine what your office really needs.
3. Conflict resolution. The fact of the matter is, in any work environment there
are bound to be conflicts. To make handling them easier, set a plan into motions
before conflicts occur. By having a plan or a policy in place for resolving conflict you
will be able to deal with disagreements in a professional way.

4. Project management. Tracking your projects is critical to the success of the

business. Not only does it monitor your progress, it also provides you with
information regarding your business. When projects are tracked carefully, everyone
knows what their responsibilities are and what the next steps on completing the job
entail. Deadlines are more likely to be kept and employees will have a clear vision of
their role in the completion of the project. Additionally, the tracking of a successful
project results in documentation that can be used to develop plans for future
projects.
5. Communication. Communication is a central part of running a small business
and typically the office manager resides at the core. Understanding when and how
to communicate is the responsibility of the office manager or the boss, and will
greatly influence the way your business is run. If communication is clear and regular
employees will be more apt to fulfill their responsibilities. Typical communication in
a busy office includes emails, posted notices, and staff meetings. Learn how to
make your meetings more productive in this post.
6. Know the business, know the people. If you want to run a successful office,
you must truly understand your business and the people that work for you. If you
dont work as the office manager in your sign shop, make sure that your office
manager understands the ins and outs of the business. He or she should know the
products, what the company offers, and the mission of the business. Knowing what
role each employee fills will enable the office management to follow up on
completion of tasks and keep your sign shop office running like a well-oiled
machine.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
OFFICE
MANAGEMENT-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1
C
OURSE
D
ESCRIPTION
:---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1
C
OURSE
O
BJECTIVES
:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1
LESSON 1: THE
OFFICE-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2

O
BJECTIVES
:---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2
T
HE
M
ODERN
O
FFICE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2
W
HAT IS AN
O
FFICE
?-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2
W
HAT IS A BUSINESS ENTERPRISE
?-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3
W
HAT IS A BUSINESS ORGANIZATION
?---------------------------------------------------------------------------------3
W
HAT ARE THE FIVE ELEMENTS OF A BUSINESS ORGANIZATION
?
(5
M
S
)---------------------------------------3
W
HAT IS AN OFFICE STAFF
?----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3
W
HAT IS BUSINESS INFORMATION
?-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3
W
HO ARE THE OFFICE WORKERS
?--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4
W

HAT ARE THE MOST COMMON FORMS OF BUSINESS ORGANIZATION

?-------------------------------------------4
W
HAT ARE THE SIZES OF BUSINESS ORGANIZATION
?----------------------------------------------------------------4
W
HAT ARE THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF BUSINESS ENTERPRISE
?-----------------------------------------------------4
W
HAT ARE THE FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN CHOOSING THE KIND OF
COMPANY YOU WANT TO BECONNECTED WITH
?--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5
W
HAT ARE THE TWO KINDS OF BUSINESS ENTITY
?-------------------------------------------------------------------5
W
HAT ARE THE DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT EXAMS THAT A SECRETARIAL GRADUATE
SHOULD TAKE ANDPASS
?-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5
W
HAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF OFFICE WORK
?--------------------------------------------------------------------5
W
HAT ARE THE SPECIFIC SKILL REQUIREMENTS FOR OFFICE JOBS
?-----------------------------------------------6
W
HAT ARE THE
8
CATEGORIES OF OFFICE CAREER AND JOB CLASSIFICATIONS UNDER EACH
CATEGORY
? - - 6
DUTIES
AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
OF
OFFICE

WORKERS--------------------------------------------------7
S
TUDENT
A
CTIVITIES
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8
LESSON 2: THE SECRETARYS ROLE IN
BUSINESS------------------------------------------------------9
O
BJECTIVES
:---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------9
DEFINITION-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------9
W
HAT ARE THE STARTING POSITIONS YOU CAN APPLY FOR AFTER FINISHING YOUR
SECRETARIAL COURSE
?----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------10
SUMMARY
OF
SECRETARIAL
DUTIES-----------------------------------------------------------------------10
SPECIALIZED
SECRETARIAL
JOBS----------------------------------------------------------------------------12
PERSONALITY
TRAITS
REQUIRED
FOR
A
SECRETARY------------------------------------------------14

GROOMING
REQUIREMENTS
FOR
A
SECRETARY--------------------------------------------------------17
JOB
OPPORTUNITIES
IN
THE
SECRETARIAL
FIELD------------------------------------------------------18
SECRETARYS
IMPORTANCE
IN
BUSINESS-----------------------------------------------------------------18
HOW
TO
BECOME
A
SUCCESSFUL
SECRETARY----------------------------------------------------------18
S
TUDENT
A
CTIVITIES
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------18

LESSON 3: HUMAN RELATIONS IN

BUSINESS------------------------------------------------------------19
O
BJECTIVES
:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------19
H
UMAN
R
ELATIONS
D
EFINED
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------19
P
UBLIC OR
B
USINESS
R
ELATIONS
D
EFINED
-------------------------------------------------------------------------19
TWO
KINDS
OF
HUMAN
NEEDS---------------------------------------------------------------------------------19
THE
SECRETARYS
ROLE
IN
PUBLIC
RELATION---------------------------------------------------------20
FACTORS
AFFECTING

PUBLIC
RELATIONS----------------------------------------------------------------20
TEN
COMMANDMENTS
OF
HUMAN
RELATIONS---------------------------------------------------------24
EMPLOYER-EMPLOYEE
RELATIONSHIP--------------------------------------------------------------------25
iii
S
TUDENT
A
CTIVITIES
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------26
LESSON 4: COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN THE OFFICE---------------------------------------------27
O
BJECTIVES
:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------27
S
EGMENTS IN THE
C
OMMUNICATION
P
ROCESS
---------------------------------------------------------------------29
I
MPORTANCE OF
C
OMMUNICATION
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------30
T
HE

F
LOW OF
C
OMMUNICATION
P
ROCESS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------30
B
ARRIERS IN THE
C
OMMUNICATION
P
ROCESS
----------------------------------------------------------------------31
V
ERBAL
C
OMMUNICATION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------31
L
ISTENING
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------32
P
OOR
L
ISTENING
H
ABITS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------32
A
CTIVE
L
ISTENING
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------33
B
ODY
L
ANGUAGE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------33
R
EADING
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------33

W
RITING
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------34
LESSON 5: WORKING EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY------------------------------------------36
O
BJECTIVES
:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------36
D
EFINITION
:--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------36
O
RGANIZING YOUR
D
ESK
.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------36
T
IME
M
ANAGEMENT
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------38
I
NCREASING PRODUCTIVITY
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------41
W
ORK
S
IMPLIFICATION
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------42
S
CHEDULES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------42
T
ICKLER
F
ILES
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------44
A
PPOINTMENTS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------44

S
WISS
C
HEESE
M
ETHOD
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------45
M
ESSAGES
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------45
M
AIL
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------45
T
O DO
L
ISTS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------45
C
HRONOLOGICAL FILES
.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------46
O
FFICE
S
AFETY AND
H
EALTH
.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------46
LESSON 6: TELEPHONE SYSTEMS AND
TECHNIQUES-----------------------------------------------49
O
BJECTIVES
:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------49
T
ELEPHONE
T
ECHNOLOGY
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------49
K
EYPHONE

P
HONE
S
YSTEM
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------51
R
ECEIVING A
C
ALL
.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------51
P
LACING A CALL
.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------52
P
LACING
D
OMESTIC CALLS
.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------53
C
ONFERENCE
C
ALL
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------53
P
LACING
L
ONG
D
ISTANCE
C
ALLS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------53
L
EARNING TO
L
ISTEN
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------54
H
OW TO
M
ANAGE A
D
IFFICULT

C
ALLER
----------------------------------------------------------------------------54
A
NSWERING
C
ALLS FOR OTHERS WHO ARE AWAY FROM THEIR TELEPHONES
.--------------------------------55
W
HAT YOUR VOICE SAYS ABOUT YOU
.------------------------------------------------------------------------------56
U
SE OF TELEPHONE DIRECTORIES
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------57
S
TUDENT
A
CTIVITIES
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------57
LESSON 7: HANDLING VISITORS
EFFECTIVELY--------------------------------------------------------58
O
BJECTIVES
:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------58
P
OINTERS IN
H
ANDLING
R
ECEPTIONIST
D
UTIES
-------------------------------------------------------------------58
H
OW TO
H
ANDLE
E
XPECTED
V
ISITORS
(T

HOSE WITH
A
PPOINTMENT
)-----------------------------------------58
H
OW
T
O
H
ANDLE
U
NEXPECTED
V
ISITOR
(T
HOSE WITHOUT
A
PPOINTMENT
)----------------------------------59
H
OW TO
M
AKE
A
PPOINTMENTS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------60
H
OW TO
A
VOID
C
ONFLICTS WHEN
P
REPARING
A
PPOINTMENTS
-------------------------------------------------60
iv
H
OW TO
C
ANCEL
A
PPOINTMENTS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------61

H
OW TO
M
AKE
R
ECORDS OF
V
ISITORS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------61
H
OW TO
M
AKE THE
V
ISITOR
F
EEL
C
OMFORTABLE
----------------------------------------------------------------62
W
HAT TO DO AND
W
HAT TO SAY WHEN
H
ANDLING
D
IFFERENT
K
INDS OF
V
ISITORS
------------------------62
LESSON 8: BUSINESS
MEETING------------------------------------------------------------------------------67
O
BJECTIVES
:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------67
P
LANNING FOR THE
M
EETING
.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------67

D
ATE AND
T
IME
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------67
L
IST OF
A
TTENDEES
.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------67
L
OCATION OF
M
EETING
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------67
G
UEST
S
PEAKER OR
S
PEAKERS
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------68
T
HE
A
GENDA
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------69
F
INALIZING
M
EETING
A
RRANGEMENTS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------69
U
SE
R
EMINDER
S
YSTEMS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------70
T
AKING

,
P
REPARING AND
D
ISTRIBUTING
M
INUTES OF THE
M
EETING
------------------------------------------70
T
HE
C
ORPORATION
M
INUTES
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------71
C
ONVENTIONS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------72
D
OCUMENTATION
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------72
P
ROFESSIONALIZATION OF
M
ANPOWER FOR
M
EETING AND
C
ONVENTIONS
-----------------------------------73
LESSON 9: MAKING TRAVEL
ARRANGEMENTS--------------------------------------------------------74
O
BJECTIVES
:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------74
A
IRLINE
R
ESERVATIONS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------74

S
TEPS TO BE FOLLOWED WHEN MAKING AIRLINES RESERVATION
-----------------------------------------------75
M
AKING
H
OTEL
R
ESERVATIONS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------75
P
REPARING AN
I
TINERARY
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------75
I
NTERIOR
O
FFICE
O
PERATIONS
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------76
M
ATERIALS TO BE PREPARED FOR THE
B
OSS
:-----------------------------------------------------------------------77
I
NTERNATIONAL
T
RAVEL
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------77
FOLLOWUP-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------78
T
RAVEL
P
ROCEDURE
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------79
T
RANSPORTATION

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------80
LESSON 10: RECORDS
MANAGEMENT--------------------------------------------------------------------81