Handouts for Office Management

1. West VisayasState University-Janiuay Campus
SCHOOL OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
Janiuay, Iloilo
Lecture Notes in Office Management 1
Introduction to Office Management
OFFICE
Office is a part of an organization. It is a place where records of various activities are
kept. According to Denyer, Office is place where clerical operations are carried on. It is not a
mere place but a place with various activities.
In the word of mills and Standingford, ‘the purpose of office has been defined as the
providing of service of communication and record. The office collects information about the
various activities of the organization from both internal and external sources, the structure of
relationships and responsibilities, authorities and duties by means of which work to be done by
the personnel and means to do it are brought together and coordinated.”
SIGNIFICANCE OF OFFICE
Office is the center of an organization. According to Prof. Dicsee, “An office is to a
business, what the main spring is to a watch.” The office provides the necessary information on
the basis of which plans and policies may be formulated and results assessed. It is the function
of the office to coordinate the activities of the functional departments is reflected in the
organizational set-up of the business. According to Leffingwell, W.H., ‘A well organized office
makes it possible for management to plan its operations intelligently, to put its plans into effect
surely, to follow their progress currently, to determine their effectiveness promptly, to appraise
the results without delay, and to coordinate all the activities of the business.”
The term office activities include receiving, collecting, recording, processing and
communication of information. When management decisions are based on accurate, complete
and timely information, these are likely to lead to better performance of the organization. In the
modern office almost all clerical work is carried on with machines. The modern offices are well
air conditioned, ventilated and illuminated with pleasing colors. Leffingwell and Robinson
observed, “The essential feature of an office is the work itself, not who does it or where it is
done. If it is office or clerical work in one place, it is office or clerical work everywhere,
regardless of where the work is done or who does it”.
MAIN OBJECTIVES OF AN OFFICE
According to the Random House Dictionary, an office is a place where business is
transacted or professional services are available. As opined by G.R. Terry, “Office work includes
verbal transaction of information as production of written records and reports in order to provide
the means for quickly summarizing large amount of data to supply a factual basis of managerial
control”. The key objectives of an office are:
1. To plan the activities of office and ensure their execution.
2. To coordinate the activities and the various departments.
3. To preserve all the records of the business.
4. To maintain books of accounts, registers, books, statutory and non-statutory registers,
etc. of the business.
OFFICE FUNCTIONS
According to J.C. Denyer, “the basic functions of an office can be said to be receiving,
arranging and giving information”.
a. Receiving information – information relating to office may be obtained from internal or
external sources. Information can be received from internal sources like section
departments and external sources like government departments, suppliers, other
companies, clients, etc. information is received through letters, orders, invoices,
telephone calls, fax, e-mails, etc. from both internal and external sources.
b. Recording information – records have to be created and maintained for all information
obtained from internal or external sources. While some of the records have to be
maintained statutorily, some are required to be kept in the office itself, to meet the
requirements of the Office Manager in planning and controlling the affairs of the
business.

2. West VisayasState University-Janiuay Campus
SCHOOL OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
Janiuay, Iloilo
Lecture Notes in Office Management 2
c. Arranging information – information so gathered from various sources have to be
supplied in the prescribed format like invoice, payroll, accounting statements, statistical
statements, etc.
d. Giving information – from the records maintained in the office, the required information in
the form of instruction, orders, statistical and financial statements estimates etc. are
given to the management by the Office Managers.
FLOW OF WORK
In any organization, office work is performed by innumerable employees. The flow of
work must be ensured in such a way that office work is done with maximum efficiency and
minimum cost. The term “flow of work’ is connected with the ways in which work moves along
from one operation to another. It should be planned in such a manner so as to keep every
employee steadily employed during the working hours.
The flow of work should be planned in such a way, that there is least possible wastage
of time from backward movement and motion through interruption in the flow of work. In other
words, work must always move forward from the beginning to end. Avoidance of delay in
unnecessary movement of files is possible on account of preparation of flow charts.
OFFICE MANAGER
Any person, appointed to head the office is an Office Manager. He is a part of the
management. He is responsible for getting the work done in the office and has to ensure that
procedures and policies formulated by his management are properly implemented. The office
manager is required to plan, organize, direct, control and coordinate various departments. The
designation by which an office and the area of management responsibilities vested in him.
Designations like Office Manager(administration), Administrative Manager, Office
Superintendent, General Manager(Office) are being used to give a respectable status for the
person heading the office.
QUALITIES OF A GOOD MANAGER
Leadership – as a leader, the office ,manager should possess an analytical mind to take care of
different situations arising in the office. Leadership is the ability to enthuse, inspire and guide
subordinates.
Personal qualities- there is a long list of personal qualities that the Office Manager must
possess, more important of which are tact, self control, enthusiasm, sincerity and adaptability.
Professional interest – there is a number of professional organizations and publications with
which the Office Manager should be familiar. Outstanding among the associations is the
Administrative Management Society, a chapter oriented society that is concerned with the
identification, development, and dissemination of modern business management techniques
and philosophies as these fall within the growing areas of responsibility of the body of
management knowledge and techniques that has come to be known as “Administrative
Management”.
FUNCTIONS OF THE OFFICEMANAGER
1. Recruitment of staff – office manager is entrusted with the task of recruitment of staff.
While making a final selection, he would be required to do quality rating in order to
determine the suitability of the job to the man.
2. Training of staff – the training programs are to be devised not only for the new recruits,
but also the old hands are to be kept in touch with the last appliances, techniques and
process office management.
3. Devising methods of work measurement - This is fundamental function. Suitable
methods of compensation should be devised by the Office Manager to ensure efficiency
and cooperation of the staff.
4. Coordinating – coordinating the tasks of various workers on the office is essential for its
existence.

3. West VisayasState University-Janiuay Campus
SCHOOL OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
Janiuay, Iloilo
Lecture Notes in Office Management 3
5. Discipline – the office manager should see to it other people come in time, observe
telephone calls, dress and behavior.
6. Controlling stationery and supplies – he is required to enforce proper control over
stationery and supplies into the office.
OFFICE MANAGEMENT
The word “manage” comes from the French word “manage” which means managing a
horse. The dictionary meaning of the word “manage” is “to conduct, to control or to administer”.
In other words, it is an act of guiding or controlling the affairs of an organization to achieve a
given aim or purpose. It is the function of office management to organize, guide and control the
activities of the office personnel to achieve this common objective.
DEFINITION OF OFFICE MANAGEMENT
“Office Management can be defined as a task of planning, coordinating, and motivating the
efforts of others towards the specific objectives in the office.”
- George R. Terry
“The art of guiding the personnel of the office in the use of materials, methods, machines and
equipment appropriate to their environment in order to achieve its specified purpose”.
- Mills and Standingford
“Office Management as a function is that branch of the art of science of management which is
concerned with efficient performance of office work, whenever that work is done”.
- Leffingwell and Robinson
ELEMENTS OF OFFICE MANAGEMENT
1. Purpose – an office manager is not only a part of management, but also an important
link between the office and departments: outsiders like suppliers, clients, etc. In order to
carry out the various activities effectively, he has to make correct decisions. Clear cut
objectives/goals of an organization will definitely provide proper direction to ensure
implementation of plans, policies, programs, budgets, etc.
2. Means- the means are necessary in order to carry out the various activities like filing,
copying, records retrieval and disposal, processing of incoming and outgoing mail,
communication, and management information system. The term “means’ include forms,
stationery, furniture, premises, equipments, etc. as well as methods and techniques of
performing activities.
3. Personnel – otherwise known as human resources are a very significant part of
management. The office manager has to ensure implementation of plans, and policies
pertaining to effective recruitment and selection of right persons for the right job;
provision of appropriate training and development program and scope for satisfactory
fair promotion and transfer.
4. Environment – office environment has an important bearing on the efficiency of
employees. It comprises lighting, ventilation and temperature control, interior decoration,
office furniture, security, safety, sanitary arrangements, etc.
FUNCTIONS OF MANAGEMENT
1. Planning – it is the first and foremost function of office management. Almost all
managers plan whether they are at the top, middle or bottom of organization. In the
words of M.E. Hurle, “Planning is deciding in advance what is to be done. It involves the
selection of objectives, policies, procedures and programs for “ attaining enterprise
goals”. Planning is done with the aim of calking out future course of action. Its main
purpose is to provide a guideline for individuals engaged in the enterprise.
2. Organizing – it is very essential for accomplishing the objectives of the enterprise set by
the administration and planned by the management. It involves the establishment of an
organization structure through the determination and grouping of activities, the
assignment of activities to the specific departments and individuals, defining role and

4. West VisayasState University-Janiuay Campus
SCHOOL OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
Janiuay, Iloilo
Lecture Notes in Office Management 4
establishing relationships, the delegation of authority to carry out the responsibility and
provision of coordination of men and work.
3. Staffing – it is an executive function which involves the recruitment, selection, training,
placement, compensating promotion and demotion and finally the retirement of an
employee. Thus staffing is a process of managing the organization and keeping
manned. The sole aim of staffing is to take the right man for the right job.
4. Coordinating – some authors consider coordination as a separate function of office
management while many others call it as “essence of managership”. The process of
coordination involves synchronizing individual actions with the goals of the enterprise.
Today, organizations have grown in size and in character. A large number of people
work there in. so coordination has become very necessary.
5. Directing – direction is also an important function of office management. As the process
of management is concerned with getting work done through and with people, they
require continuous encouragement to work effectively. According to Terry “Directing
means moving to action and supplying stimulative power to group of people”. So
management guides and leads them continuously.
6. Controlling – the next function of office management is controlling. In other words of
Henry Fayol, “ In an undertaking control consists in verifying whether everything occurs
in conformity with the plan adopted, the instructions issued and principles issued”. Thus
control is measuring and correcting device. It measures performance against goals and
plans. The control ensures effective planning. Without devising control mechanism,
planning and organizing of an office are ineffective.
7. Budgeting – it is an estimate of income and expenditure for a definite period, expressed
in terms of numerical units. It is required prior to carrying out office operations, so that
proper system of control may be established, to keep the expenditure within limits set by
the various budgets.
EEFECTIVE MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES
1. Communicate the big picture
2. Delegate work and responsibilities
3. Help employees set goals
4. Recognize problems
5. Reward employees
6. Be a mentor
7. Give reviews
8. Have a heart
9. Take time to be a manager
10. Managing change
11. Be up front of employees
12. Involve key communicators
13. Create an effective message
14. Listen to your employees