OFFICE ADMINISTRATION Flashcards
What are the functions of an office?
(i) To direct and coordinate the organised work
(ii) To aid in the implementation of the organisation policies
(iii)Toprepareandmaintainrecordsfortheorganisation
(iv)Toensureefficiencyattheplaceofwork
(v) To act as a centre of communication
What are the CLERICAL/BASIC FUNCTIONS?
(i) Receive information – i.e. through letters, phone calls, emails, fax, visitors, etc.
(ii) Record information – so that it can be acted upon by the relevant officer
(iii) Sortinginformation–personalinformationishandedtothe addressee while official information is handed to the relevant department
(iv) Distributing information – once information is sorted, it is distributed to relevant addressee’s and departments
(v) Sending information – i.e. all correspondence out of the organisation is channelled through the office
(vi) Preparing and processing information – information is to be arranged and prepared in a manner that is valuable to
management and stakeholders, e.g. accountants must be hired to prepare and arrange books of account
(vii) Storing information – i.e. retention of information for future reference
What are the ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS?
(i) Controlling and safeguarding company assets – assets are prone to misuse, and so this function entails setting up an asset
register to control the use and movement of assets
(ii) Personnel functions – staffing/recruitment, training and motivation of office personnel is the responsibility of the
personnel manager
(iii)Developingandimplementingpoliciesandprocedures–thesearetobebindingonallemployeesofanorganisation
(iv) Formsdesignandcontrol
(v) Selecting office appliances – e.g. furniture, office equipment, etc.
(vi)Preparationofbudgetsandforecasts
(vii) Preparation of budgets and forecasts
(viii)Preparation of financial and cost accounts
What is office CENTRALIZATION?
This is where common functions are provided in a central office that is located in a central space
• This means that certain key and common service such as filing, mail, dispatch, typing pool, etc. are all located within one
What are the Advantages of OFFICE CENTRALIZATION?
(i) Economic use of office equipment and machinery
(ii) Equal distribution of work, reducing the need for overtime
(iii) Encourages specialisation
(iv) Uniformity of work as tasks are done in a standardised way
(v) Economy in staffing as fewer workers are required
(vi) No duplication of work
(vii) Easier to cater for staff absenteeism as work is distributed among present staff
(viii) Easy supervision
(ix) Easier training of workers as they learn from each other
(x) Better communication and smooth flow of work
(xi) Job flexibility is possible due to job rotation
(xii) Better control of office resources and records
What are the disadvantages of OFFICE CENTRALIZATION?
o Too much movement from one department to another trying to locate the centralized office o Unsuitable for confidential work
o No accountability in case of mistake
o Possibility of misplacement of records due to high volume of records
o Lack of flexibility in how work is done due to uniform procedures
o High risk of loss in case of disaster like fire
o Noise disturbance from noisy machines
o Lack of exposure to other departments and senior executives
o Boredom and monotony
What factors should you consider when deciding to CENTRALIZE an office?
-Cost of operating a centralised office, i.e. machines, salary, etc.
-Volume of work – for work to be centralised, it has to be high in -volume o Space available to create a centralised office
o Nature of work
o Amount of training needed to operate the office
o Need for tight control over information and resources
o Need for close supervision which should be centralized always
o Need for confidentiality (confidential records should be decentralized) o Company policy regarding centralization and organization structure
o Effects on staff morale, efficiency and accuracy
What is office DECENTRALIZATION?
Decentralization of office functions is where each department provides its own services like filing, typing, etc.
What are the advantages of office DECENTRALIZATION?
o Suitable for work of a confidential nature o No delays in retrieving information
o Spreading of risks in case of a disaster
o Minimises movement of workers from one office to another
o Less noise as compared to a centralized office
o Reduces boredom and monotony due to variety of tasks
o Economy in use of messengers as work does not need to be distributed o Each department can cater for its specialized needs
o Opportunity to exploit new talents as employees are exposed to different tasks
What are the disadvantages of office DECENTRALIZATION?
o Uneconomical in the use of machines and equipment
o There is duplication of work
o Difficult to supervise because each worker has different tasks
o Hinders smooth slow of work as people doing similar tasks are not located together o Difficult to train new workers
o Hinders specialisation
o Difficult to handle staff absenteeism
o Uneconomical staffing as each department requires a duplication of staff o Lack of flexibility in terms of job rotation
o Unequal distribution of work, lead
What is an Office Manager?
• This is the person who guides, co-ordinates, directs and motivates the employees in order to achieve the desired objectives
of the organisation
• The office manager coordinates all the activities of the employees to achieve the set objectives
What are the qualities of a good office Manager?
(i) Loyalty – loyal to the organisation and committed to his work
(ii) Smart appearance – presentable and smart
(iii) Sound judgment – capable of making good decisions and handling difficult situations
(iv) Diplomatic – polite and able to convince the customers and employees tactfully
(v) Impartial – not to ever take sides and favour some parties
(vi) Good leadership skills – able to manage and motivate workers
(vii) Well organised – organise department to meet objectives of the organisation
(viii) Strong character – confident and firm when making decisions
(ix) Time conscious – be punctual and do not waste time
(x) Forward looking/future oriented – plan for the future of a department
(xi) Good etiquette – i.e. good manners
(xii) Good tempered – not short tempered or impatient
Who is an office secretary?
This is the individual who conducts administrative and typing work
• This individual works directly for his/her boss and acts on his/her behalf in their absence
What are the qualities of a good office Secretary?
(i) Professional skills – should be trained in secretarial work
(ii) Well organised – should be able to organise office and boss’s schedule
(iii) Polite/diplomatic
(iv) Time conscious
(v) Loyal
(vi) Smart appearance
(vii) Discreet – should be able to conceal confidential information and make small decisions
(viii) Pleasant personality
(ix) Adaptable – ready to work at different times and in different situations
(x) Knowledgeable about organisation and its activities
(xi) Good communication skills – both written and oral
What are roles/ responsibilities of an office secretary?
(i) Attend meetings and record minutes
(ii) Receive dictation from boss and type documents
(iii) Order stationary for boss and for typist
(iv) Supervise typists and messengers
3
LPM REVISION 2019/2020
(v) Organise travelling arrangements and activities for boss
(vi) Organise his/her office and that of the manager
(vii) Undertake filing of confidential work
(viii) Make simple decisions on behalf of boss
(ix) Receive telephone calls, take messages, transfer calls
(x) Make telephone calls on behalf of boss or manager
(xi) Maintain executive diary – note down important engagements
What are the forms of ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE?
