OFFICE MANAGMENT
INTRODUCTION:
In
this unit we are going to learn on the concept of office, how it works, the
various functions of office, office
accommodation, the furniture and stationeries used and the correspondence and
filling systems. The word management means to control, so we can say that, Office
management means planning, organizing, controlling and administering activities
in an office. Office is a place of business where professional or clerical
duties are performed.In the later part of the unit, you will be able to know
the various aspects related to office management.
MEANING
OF OFFICE :-
According to Webster
Dictionary, “Office is a place where business is carried on”. But, in general
office comprises a room or rooms where official works are done. It is doesn’t
matter whether it is run by an individual or a firm or private or public
organization or even by government.
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So, we may say that office is a place where the policy on
administration matters and decisions are taken. Office may be small or of
medium size or a very large one.In an office, daily works are done that can be roughly
mentioned as follows:
Office Functions:
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To receive and collect information.
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To record such information
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To arrange the information suitable to management
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To furnish information to the management
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To maintain records
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To safeguard the assets
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To maintain good relationship with the public
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And Some of The Other Functions:
The
functions of a modern office can be divided into the following categories; and
they are:
1. Basic
or routine functions.
2.
Administrative management functions or ancillary functions.
The
following are the basic functions of an office:
1. To
receive or collect information.
2. To
prepare a record of such information.
3. To
process and arrange such information.
4. To
supply readymade information to the authorities when asked for.
1. To receive or collect information:
The
primary function of the office is to receive information from the various
departments of the organization or from outside through enquiries, reports,
orders, circulars, complaints, messages etc. If the information received is not
complete, the office tries to collect information by sending out enquiries of
clarifications.
There may
be different types of meeting within or outside the organization and pieces of
information will be helpful to the management and therefore the office has to
collect it.
2. To prepare records of information:
Information
is usually received in the form of letters, enquiries, phone calls etc. and
this information has to be converted into other forms, which can easily be
followed by the management. These are orders, quotations, price-lists, replies
to enquiries and complaints, account books, etc., within the organization. All
these records will be retained for further reference.
According
to the nature of the information, the record may be retained for many years or
they may be safely kept for a few years, after which they can be destroyed. The
records of information prepared in the office must be preserved safely, made
available to the management within no time and must be easy to understand.
These
records maintained by the office will be reference for further dealings.
Moreover, every business has to keep up- to-date books of accounts which are
required to record all business transactions.
The books
like cash-book, purchase book, sales-book, goods returns book, productive
expense and other ledgers are to be kept by every office. Besides the
account-books, other books will have to be maintained by the office in order to
have a smooth function of the organization.
3. To process and arrange information:
The
information received by the office may be lengthy and the same in its original
form may not be much useful to the management. Therefore, after collecting such
information, it will be processed, categorized, arranged and systematically
kept for readymade information.
Certain
letters will have to be converted into charts, statements etc. by doing
calculations or analysis over such information. For instance, orders have been
received every day and complied. The orders themselves will not serve any
purpose to the departmental head because the orders may be in the form of
letters.
Therefore,
it will be most useful to the Sales Manager, if these have been shown in a
compact form, say sales week wise. This can be done through charts, statements
etc. Then the sales manager is at ease to understand the position of the sales
by looking at the statements or charts and come to a decision within no time.
Thus it
is possible for all the departments or the management to understand the
position easily and quickly and come to certain conclusion. If the information
is not properly analyzed or arranged, much time will have to be spent.
An
efficient office supplies readymade information to departments or managers who
take proper decisions on the basis of such information supplied. Therefore, a
good office is the foundation of a business organization.
4. To supply readymade information to the authorities:
An office
is a machine which receives raw materials (scattered information) and produces
various items through processes (compiled and tillable). The office receives
information through letters, phones, meetings, complaints, business
transactions, etc.
These
pieces of information are further recorded in proper books processed and thus
converted into charts, graphs, statements, and diagrams etc. which show the
complete picture of one type of dealings. The processed information is ready
made information and is easy to understand at a glance.
Usually,
the office supplies information relating to estimates, statements of accounts,
progress report, book debts, sales, castings etc.
The
information kept by the office must be complete and accurate and supplied to
the authorities as and when required, without wasting time. If the supply of
information is also kept in such place where it is easily visible and available
at any time, it is a great advantage.
Administrative and Management Functions:
1. Management function:
The most
important administrative functions of the manager include planning, organizing,
staffing, directing, communicating, controlling, coordinating and motivating.
The office manager must organize the office on modern lines for the efficient
and effective performance.
2. Development of office systems and procedures:
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