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1. To assist in formulation and implementation of
Chapter 2: The Office Manager
Lesson Objectives
•Define what is a manager.
•Explain responsibilities of a manager.
•Present qualities of a manager.
•Identify and distinguish managerial and supervisory
duties/functions of a manager
OFFICE MANAGER
Office Manager – any person, appointed to head the
office. He/she is part of the management; responsible
for getting the work done in the office and has to ensure
that procedures and policies formulated by his/her
management are observed.
Responsibilities of a Manager
•Judgment and decision in determining plans and in
using data to control performance and progress against
plans
• The guidance, integration, motivation, and supervision
of the personnel comprising the enterprise, and carrying
out its operation
Qualities of a Good Manager
a. Leadership – the office manager should possess
an analytical mind to take care of different
situations arising in the office. It is the ability to
enthuse, inspire and guide subordinates.
b. Personal qualities – office manager must possess
tact, self-control, enthusiasm, sincerity, and
adaptability.
c. Professional interests – the Office Manager has
worked and gained practical experience in the
office of an organization doing similar type of
business or engaged in similar industry.
Functions of the Office Manager
1. Recruitment of staff
2. Training of Staff
3. Devising methods of work measurement
4. Coordinating
5. Discipline
6. Controlling stationery and supplies
OFFICE DUTIES
1. Managerial Duties 2. Supervisory Duties
Managerial Functions
the policies of top management
2. To design and implement new systems and
procedures 3. To review the systems and
procedures
3. To ensure the adequate staff are provided to
meet the workload, the redeployment of surplus
staff, etc.
4. To conduct interviews for and arrange appraisal
interviews regularly
5. To purchase equipment when necessary
6. To prepare, estimate and ensure that budgets
are adhered to
7. To deal with cases of indiscipline
8. To have consultations with trade union
representatives/officials in relation to training,
proposed changes in methods, productivity, etc.
Supervisory Functions
1. To ensure punctuality of the staff
2. To ensure that the office is clean, well-organized
and tidy
3. To recommend the purchase of equipment when
required
4. To report areas of work, work problems, staffing
difficulties, unsatisfactory equipment, etc.
5. To exercise continuous control over quantity and
quality of work
6. To ensure that work is done to meet
predetermined time schedules and standards, so
that no delays occur because of sickness, annual
holidays, etc.
7. To give on-the-job training to subordinate staff
What ‘Management’ Expects Of The ‘Office Manager’
1. One who, with a profit-oriented point of view, can build
and direct a smoothly functioning organization that will
perform the office services at a minimum cost
2. Management expects the office manager to show his
dynamic leadership by keeping a healthy dissatisfaction
with the past and present methods of doing the office
work, thus to work constantly for new and better
methods of doing the work
3. To be willing and able to delegate authority to his
associates and subordinates
4. To find and train key personnel and assistants to
supervise the work under his broad supervision
5. To set time for his own personnel development
6. To anticipate, visualize, and plan to solve tomorrow’s
office problems.

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Chapter 2 QUALITIES OF AN OFFICE WORKER
Lesson Objectives
• Present good qualities of an office worker.
• Explain each quality.
• Provide examples that manifest each quality
QUALITIES TO GET YOU AHEAD IN THE WORKPLACE
Enthusiastic - Being enthusiastic at work is all about
mental stability and acceptance of your work.
Efficient - To be efficient means “performing or
functioning effectively with the least waste of time and
effort.” -When you are effective, you are doing the
intended result. But when you are efficient, you are doing
the intended task, but with the least time and effort.
Excellence - It simply means that you must give yourself
some pressure, to strive for better.
Do not be contented with good. Go for GREAT.
Be the “EARLY BIRD” - Starting early for work, to
maximize productivity.
• Keep your word
• Be reliable
• Manage your time well
• ALWAYS have good manners
• DO NOT GOSSIP
• Be discreet
• Be PROFESSIONAL
• DRESS professionally
Being Professional - To be a professional depends on how
you work, your attitude towards work, and your behavior
towards other people and your workplace. These traits
make you a valuable asset to an organization.
Something to ponder:
“ The master may get better work from an UNTRAINED
APPRENTICE than from a SKILLED REBEL.”
Other traits of an Office Worker
• Communication skills
• Honesty
• Technical competency
• Good worker
• Flexible
• Determination and persistence
• Ability to work in harmony with others
• Eagerness to acquire new knowledge
• Problem solving skills
• Loyalty
• Integrity
Types of Flexibility
1. Formal Flexibility – the policies are “officially approved
by human resources, policies as well as any official
policies that give supervisors discretion to provide
flexibility.”
2. Informal Flexibility – refers to policies that are not
official and not written down, but are still available to
some employees, even on a discretionary basis.
Advantages of Work Flexibility
1. It reduces absenteeism, overtime, sick leave and
tardiness.
2. It reduces stress.
3. It improves performance, quality, productivity,
and job satisfaction.
4. Increases commitment and job engagement.
5. Curbs turnover.
Teamwork
• Fostering teamwork is creating a work culture
that values collaboration.
• In a teamwork environment, people understand
and believe that thinking, planning, deciding and
actions are better when done cooperatively.
• In a team, the following are important:
1. Trust;
2. Competence;
3. Commitment;
4. Consistency; and
5. Cohesion
Integrity
• Integrity can be defined simply as being true to your
word, being authentic in your actions and speech,
demonstrating the kind of behavior that you would like
to see your employees have.
• Integrity, like leadership skills, is something that you
have to practice.
• It takes effort to honor your word everytime and to be
example you want from your employees even when you
are under stress or simply have a personality conflict
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CHAPTER 4: OFFICE LOCATION, LAYOUT, AND WORKING
ENVIRONMENT
OFFICE LOCATION
• The location of the office can contribute much to
better business because of its convenience to
the public and to the working staff, as well as the
facilities it offers for doing business
expeditiously and at less cost.
• There are several factors to be considered in the
choice of location for the office.
Office Location
1. Size of the office staff
2. Relation of the office activity
3. Accessibility to clients and all other interested
person
4. Mailing and communications facilities
5. The general character of the neighborhood
6. Cost of floor space
7. Employee transportation facilities
8. Local tax policie
9. Possibility for expansion of office space
Office Layout Objectives And Principles Questions that
must be answered before drawing your blueprint:
a) What are the floor space requirements and what
should the size of the building would be?
b) Where shall each of the different office space
functions be located?
c) Is it possible and desirable to lease portions of
the building to others?
d) What maintenance and repair work will be
necessary?
e) How much can the company invest in the
property?
Principles Of Office Layout
1. Inter-department relationship. The degree of
relationship of one department to another department is
taken into consideration.
2. Flow of work. The manager has to make the flow of
work as regular as possible; regular flow of work
minimizes bottlenecks and easily performance of work
also.
3. Maximum utilization of floor space. Every employee
must be given adequate space to ensure his health and
efficiency.
4. Space requirements for staff and equipment.
Adequate space must be provided in between desk to
reduce congestion and allow free movement.
5. Effective supervision. Employees should face the
supervisor whose seat should be placed towards the near
of the working group.
6. Flexibility and uniform appearance of office. The
equipment used in the office should be of uniform type
to ensure greater flexibility and uniform appearance of
office.
7. Office systems and procedures. This can be attained
only when the placement of employees and equipment
is in such a way that they are fit in with the office system
and procedures in operation.
8. Proper lighting. placement of desks and chairs should
be in such a way that no employee faces an objectionable
light source (e.g glares).
9. Employee morale. Office layout should ensure job
satisfaction and morale of employees.
10. Number of private offices. Private offices are
separate rooms, cabins or cubicles which are positioned
off from the other parts of the office.
11. Ventilation. Fresh air is necessary for efficient
performance of work.
12. Expansion. The additional equipment need to cope
with the additional staff members.
13. Service facilities. Drinking waters, wash rooms,
canteens, lifts or transportation services, rest rooms,
computer, internet services are needed for the physical
comfort and well being of the employees.
14. Balance. Pleasing appearance improves the image of
the office in the eyes of the customers and the general
public.
15. Safety. An office should provide an adequate number
of safety measures. Sturdy cabinets must be used to
maintain old files, and fire and hazard systems must be
installed to prevent damage to property and lives of
employees
Office System
➢ Is a network of procedures which are integrated
and designed to carry out a major activity,
Three factors that are involved in office work:
• People
• Form
• Equipment
Office System
➢ Office system means planning of an office work
systematically to achieve the main and subsidiary
objectives of an organization within minimum
efforts and costs.
➢ It is an orderly arrangement of whole activities of
an office and framing of procedures to be
followed for the effective and economic
performance of work.
Importance of Office System
Principles of Office System
1. To avoid interruption in the flow of work
2. To avoid duplication of work and records
3. To avoid unnecessary movements
4. To avoid unnecessary writings
5. To avoid using unnecessary forms
6. To prepare the best use of specialization
7. To adopt labor-saving machines
8. To minimize staff works
9. To apply the principle of management
10. To have simple, economic, efficient, and practicable
system and procedures
11. To avoid unnecessary verification
12. To use simple forms to be filled in
13. To avoid use of machines
14. To increase the efficiency of office work
15. To achieve goals at the minimum cost.

1. Improve operating efficiency

2. Maintain uniform procedure
3. Optimum utilization of resources
4. Reduce office expenses
5. Minimize the operating expenses
6. Fixation of responsibility
7. Facilitating the introduction of new checks
8. Achieving organizational goals
9. Simplify the training
10. Reducing errors
11. Smooth running of an office
12. Prevention of fraud
13. Better coordination
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Office Systems and Procedures
Organizational undertakings have certain well –defined
objectives. These objectives can be attained only when it
is approached in a systematic way. The Organization itself
is a system comprising of several sub-systems.
➢ Office systems are a continuation of several
procedures integrated together in such a way as
to attain the needed objectives
➢ It is defined as a network of routines, which are
designed and integrated to carry out office work.
In other words Systems comprises of various
interconnected routines.
➢ According to Miltion Reitzfeld “Success in
business, government and non-profit venture is
determined by the maximum utilization of
people, information and resources. Such utilities
can be achieved only through the development,
installation and supervision of appropriate
systems and procedure
➢ According to Terry, “A system is a network of
procedures which are integrated and designed to
carry out the major activity”
➢ According to Littlefield, A system may be defined
as, “a ground of interrelated and interdependent
parts operating in sequence according to a
predetermined plan in order to achieve a goal or
a series of goals
7. The principle of management by exception
should be used.
8. Only a few exceptions to the functional
procedure should be allowed.
9. Unnecessary checking should be avoided.
10. Possibilities to make best use of machines
should be provided.
11. The system should be simple and easy to
understand
Office Procedures
The term procedure denotes a planned sequence of
operations for handling recurring transactions uniformly
and consistently.
Definition of “Procedure”
➢ Procedure is a routine, which has been planned
in order to handle recurring operations uniformly
step by step. It is a guide to management as to
who should do, what, how, and when.
➢ According to Charles O. Liberty “Office
procedures are a series of clerical acts organized
under supervision to accomplish the purpose of
the office”
FLOWCHARTING
It is a technique used to arrange the sequence of steps
required for the operation of a program.

Principles of Office Systems

• Every office has its own systems. The systems are
not identical in all offices. They vary with the type
and size of business. However, whatever system
is evolved, it should ensure maximum efficiency.

1. Good flow of work without bottlenecks should

be ensured.
2. Unnecessary duplication of work and records
should be avoided.
3. Movement of staff should be kept to a minimum
4. Unnecessary writing would be avoided.
5. Best use of specialization should be made.
6. The amount of paper work should be the
absolute minimum.
Importance of Systems and Procedures

1. Reduce errors and waste motion of machine

operations.
2. The cost of performing routine office work is
reduced.
3. Responsibility can be easily fixed.
4. Good office system and procedure helps in
smooth running of office and help to reduce
delay in work.
5. It helps for speedy dispatch of work.
6. Systems & Procedure include internal checking;
they assist in the prevention of fraud and have
control on work.
7. Good system helps to maintain better Co-
ordination between departments
8. Helps the management to train the staff.
9. A good system will reduce the chance of error
and improve the efficiency of the organization.
10. A good system will give instructions to
employees what has to be done, when and
where and gives information on the organization
supporting various systems

Limitations of Systems and Procedures

1. The efficiency of the system depends on

planning. If the planning is not done properly the
whole systems would fail.
2. Strict adherence to a system makes it inflexible
and it may not work smoothly.
3. The system may not be useful when changes take
place.
4. The efficiency of the system should be evaluated
and decided by making a cost-benefit analysis of
it. If the cost is more we cannot use that system.