Time and Task Management & Team Working Flashcards

1
Q

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Role of an Administrative Assistant:

A
  • word processing business documents
  • using spreadsheets and databases to store information
  • organising and storing files in the correct order
  • sending and receiving e-mails and making diary appointments
  • using technology to prepare presentations and communicate information
  • organising events; booking meeting rooms/venues, and organising travel and accommodation arrangements
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2
Q

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Tasks of a Senior Administrative Assistant:

A
  • develop and maintain a filing system
  • plan meetings and take detailed minutes
  • schedule appointments and update e-diaries
  • make travel arrangements and reservations for senior managers
  • oversee the work and targets for administrative assistants (subordinates)
  • ensure legislation, such as GDPR, is being followed at all times
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3
Q

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Skills of an Administrative Assistant:

A

IT
* use a wide range of IT equipment, so they can set up filing systems and handle information effectively and efficiently

Organisational
* be organised so they are able to manage their time and plan/prioritise when things should be done

Problem Solving
* decide on best ways to deal with issues, e.g. accidents, and jobs that need completed - requires thinking up suitable solutions to problems

People
* communicate and delegate to subordinates - requires manners, listening, and good levels of verbal communication

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4
Q

TIME AND TASK MANAGEMENT
Skills for Effective Time Management:

A

Prioritisation
* deciding on what tasks are most important and being able to choose which of those tasks should be carried out first

Organisation
* being able to look ahead and plan tasks that need to be carried out

Resource Management
* making effective use of time, staff, and equipment

Planning
* identifying goals to be achieved and out strategies in place to achieve theses goals

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5
Q

TIME AND TASK MANAGEMENT
Effects of Good Time/Task Management:

A
  • increased productivity
    better quality of work
  • less stress and staff absences
    more communicative workforce and improved productivity
  • progress and projects and be traced
    if there is a hold up it can be identified and solved
  • increased employee morale and motivation
    increased job satisfaction and lower staff turnover
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6
Q

TIME AND TASK MANAGEMENT
Consequences of Poor Time/Task Management:

A
  • stressed staff
    lead to absenteeism
  • poor customer relations
    increased customer complaints
  • lower staff morale and motivation
    poor job satisfaction and high staff turnover
  • lower productivity
    work not produced as efficiently or good quality
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7
Q

TARGET SETTING
Recording Methods for Target Setting:

A

Personal Development Plan
* a document that allows employees to formally record their strengths and weaknesses which identifies their strong points from their areas of needed improvement.

Action Plan
* a document prepared to plan long-term projects which shows the tasks that need to be completed, an estimated time for those tasks, and any explanatory notes.

Gantt Chart
* a chart which allows individuals to glace key dates, tasks to be completed, and the time it took/may take to do so through the representation of bars. The position and length of these bars reflecting start dates, length of time planned, and end dates for the tasks.

To-do List
* a (commonly physical) document for an individual to use on a day-to-day basis which contains a list of tasks that can be ticked off as they are completed.

Priorities List
* similar to a To-do list, though the tasks are ranked in order of importance.

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8
Q

TARGET SETTING
S.M.A.R.T:

A

Specific
* is the target well defined and does it state exactly what is required?

Measurable
* what will be the best measurement unit to see whther or not the target has been achieved?

Agreed
* the target must be discussed and agreed with your line manager as part of your personal development

Realistic
* do you have the necessary skills and knowledge to complete the target or are you being over-ambitious?

Timed
* a time should be set as to when the target will be completed.

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9
Q

MONITORING AND EVALUATING PROGRESS
Control Mechanisms for Monitoring and Evaluating Progress:

A

Line Manager
* checks at regular times how the work is progressing.

Sample Checks
* when most of the tasks are looked over by the immediate supervisor.

Gantt Chart
* a chart used to monitor progress against planned targets and actual progress.

Mentoring System
* when an employee is assigned a more senior member of staff who can be called on for help and advice.

Buddy system
* when an employee is paired with another member of staff, who is at their level but has slightly more experience and can be called on for help and advice.

Regular Meetings
* occurs between staff and line managers to ensure progress is being made and to offer support and advice if needed.

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10
Q

STAFF APPRAISALS
Aims of Staff Appraisals:

A
  • monitor prerformance
  • review salaries and payment methods
  • discover the work potential of employees, especially with regards to promotion
  • check effectiveness of current practises, e.g. recruitment and training
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11
Q

STAFF APPRAISALS
Benefits of Staff Appraisals:

A
  • allows employees to discuss personal and professional development
  • helps managers develop skills in dealing with employees
  • provides feedback to employees on their performance, and allows them to build on their strengths, eliminate weaknesses, and increase productivity
  • can improve communication channels within the organisation through regular open communication
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12
Q

TIME STEALERS
Type of Time Stealers:

A

Interruptions
* distractions taking time away from important tasks, e.g. telephone, visitors

Desk Stress
* clustered desk setting

Procrastination
* jumping from one task to another though not completing any of them

Meeting Overrunning
* extending beyond deadlines

Communication Issues
* distance, language, clarity having an impact on an individual’s understanding

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13
Q

TIME STEALERS
Ways to Overcome Time Stealers:

A

Interruptions
* learn how to control conversations, explain that now is not the best time, rearrange

Desk Stress
* guarantee papers are filed away efficiently and desks are tided regularly to ensure organisation and easy access

Procrastination
* create to-do lists, have self-discipline, stick to one task at a time

Meeting Overrunning
* ensure meetings have a time limit, e.g. by using alarms so people know how much time they have to talk

Communication Issues
* ensure that you have understood the introductions/information clearly and that there is a clear line of communication between your line manager/team

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14
Q

TEAMWORKING
What makes an Effective Team?

A

Open/Transparent Communication
* team member’s contributions being heard, resulting in new ideas being brought in

Composition
* good mix of skills and qualities within the team, resulting in heightened productivity and use of individual’s skills

Size
* reasonable amount of people, around 4-6 is ideal, resulting in less conflicts to do with management or skills

Leadership
* having a good, reliable team leader, results in the team being motivated towards their goals and minimises conflict within the team.

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15
Q

LEADERSHIP
Features of Leadership:

A
  • deploy team skill effectively
  • listen to ideas without prejudice
  • ensure conflict is kept to a minimum
  • involve their team in decision-making
  • sets a clear vision or goals for the team
  • communiction is open and constructive
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16
Q

TEAM FORMATION/ROLES
What are the Stages of Team Formation?

A
  1. Forming
    the team is new; the members are positive, polite, and anxious, roles and responsibilities are not clear
  2. Storming
    members start to push against the boundaries covered in the Forming stage, often starts when there are conflicts between member’s working styles
  3. Norming
    members start to resolve their differences, appreciate colleagues’ strengths, and respect leader’s authority
  4. Performing
    the hard work established leads, without friction, to the achievement of the team’s goals
17
Q

TEAM FORMATION/ROLES
Roles within a Team:

A

Ideas Person
* someone who is creative, imagineative, and has the abilty to solve problems

Motivator
* someone who can get things moving and drive the team forward

Organiser
* someone who can plan and co-ordinate activities, and pull things together

Implementer
* someone who can get tasks started and turn ideas into actions

Checker
* someone who can monitor and ensure that tasks have been carried out correctly

Finisher
* someone who ensures that tasks are completed

Go-Getter
* someone who develops contacts and can seek out resources

Team Player
* someone who thinks about the people in the ro and listens to others to minimise conflict

Specialist
* somene who can provide vital knowldge and skills

18
Q

SKILLS OF TEAM MEMBERS
Types of Skills:

A

Leadership
* being a good, reliable team leader, results in the team being motivated towards their goals and minimises conflict within the team

Ability to Resolve Conflicts
* be able to clear up/solve conflicts within the team itself

Communication
* put thoughts into words for everyone to understand, must be able to communicate verbally and in writing

Listening
* taking in and respecting other’s ideas and points of view

19
Q

SKILLS OF TEAM MEMBERS
Benefits of Teams to Individuals:

A
  • ** increased morale and motivation**
    increased job satisfaction and lower staff turnover
  • risk-taking
    ability to share the risk, encourages individuals to try out new things they might not have tired
  • sense of being valued and belonging
    icreased feeling of belonging and team identity
  • shared knowledge and skills
    a good mix of skills and ideas being distributed within the team, resulting in development of the individual’s role in the organisation
20
Q

SKILLS OF TEAM MEMBERS
Benefits of Teams to Organisations:

A
  • multi-skilling
    allows the workforce to be more flexible and adapt to needs as required
  • higher productivity
    increased productvity and lower staff turnover (due to increased morale and motivation)
  • responsibility
    effective teams need less supervision which can result in layers of management and costs for an organisation being reduced
  • pooled resources
    brings people with a variety of skills and knowledge together to generate more ideas and solve more problems