Office Management

Meaning of Office
 The office is the administrative centre of a business.
The purpose of an office has been defined as the
providing of a service of communication and records.
 The act of collecting, processing, storing and
distributing information comprise the functions of the
office.
 An office is a place where business is transacted or
professional services are available.
 An office is the place where work in connection with
the preparing and furnishing of information is done.
 Office Activities
Many activities are commonly carried out by all the
offices. Some of these activities are:
 Processing Incoming Mail
 Processing Outgoing Mail
 Dictation
 Transcription
 Typing
 Printing
 Copying
 Filing
 Records retrieval
 Records disposal
 Communication
 Office Functions
The functions classified into two categories:
I) Basic Functions ( or routine functions)
II) Administrative management functions

I) Basic Functions
a) Receiving Information
b) Recording Information
c) Arranging Information
d) Giving Information
II) Administrative Management Functions
a) Management Functions
1) Planning
2) Organising
3) Staffing
4) Directing
5) Communicating
6) Controlling
7) Coordinating
8)Motivating
b) Public Relation Function
c) Instituting Office Systems and Routines
d) Retention of records
e) Safeguarding Assets
f) Form Designing and Control
g) Stationary and Supplies Control
h) Selection and Purchase of Office Appliances
i) Personnel Function
j) Controlling Office Costs
 Office Management
 Office Management is that branch of
management which is concerned with the
services of obtaining, recording and analysing
information of planning and communicating, by
means of which the management of a business
safeguards its assets, promotes its affairs and
achieves its objectives.
 Office Management as a function is that branch
of the art and science of management which is
concerned with the efficient performance of
office work, whenever and wherever that work is
done.
 The main elements of Office Management
1. Managerial Skills
2. Administrative Knowledge
3. Clear Objectives
4. The Office Functions
5. The Communication Network
6. The Staff and Environment
7. Software and hardware
 Functions of Office Management
1. Planning: Planning is concerned with deciding
in advance what is to be done. To plan is to
produce a scheme for future action.
Steps in Planning: 1. Establishment of Objectives
2. Establishment of Planning Premises
3. Search for Alternative Course of Action
4. Evaluation of Alternative course of Action
5. Selection of a Course of Action
6. Formulation of Necessary Derivative Plan
2. Organising: The function of organising office
activities refers to the creation of a structure of
duties and functions of the office personnel to
achieve the objectives of the enterprise.
3. Staffing: Staffing an organisation refers to the
selection of men for the various jobs. Staffing
involves selection, recruitment, training,
development, promotion and remuneration of
employees.
4. Directing: The process of direction refers to
the way an executive issues instructions to his
subordinates and otherwise indicates what it is
that should be done. Direction includes
leadership, communication and supervision.
5. Motivating: Motivation moves a person to action. The
most important task of office management is to motivate
employees so that they may direct their efforts towards
the accomplishment of organisational goals.
6. Coordinating: Coordination means balancing and
keeping the team together by ensuring a suitable
allocation of tasks to the various members, and by
seeing to it that these tasks are performed with due
harmony among the members themselves.
7. Controlling: To control is to determine what is being
accomplished, that is to evaluate performance and if
necessary, to apply corrective measures so that
performance takes place according to plan, Controlling
helps to ensure that what is planned is going to be
accomplised.
Office Organisation
1. Organisation is a group of people who are
cooperating under the direction of leadership for
the accomplishment of a common end.
2. Organisation is concerned with the arrangement
of work, with the division of activities and with the
allocation of duties, authority and responsibility.
3. Organisation is a process of welding together a
framework of portions which can be used as a
management tool for the most effective pursuit of
the goals of an enterprise.
Characteristics of an Organisation:
i) It is a group of individuals which may be small or
large.
ii) The group in the organisation works under the
direction of executive leadership.
iii) It is function of the management.
iv) It refers to a structure of duties and
responsibilities.
v) It is a continuous function and is performed in
varying degrees by all levels of management from
the first line supervisor to the top executive of the
enterprise.
 Steps in Organising
1. Knowledge of objectives
2. Division of Work into Activities
3. Grouping the Activities
4. Defining and Assigning Activities to jobs
5. Fitting Personnel into jobs
6. Delegate Required authority
7. Create Organisational Relationship
 Formal and Informal Organisation
Formal Organisation: A formal organisation is one
in which position, responsibility, authority and
accountability at each level is clearly defined. A
formal organisation is bound by rules, systems,
procedures and methods as laid down by the top
management from time to time.
Informal Organisation: An informal organisation
always exists together with a formal organisation
in every enterprise.
An informal organisation is that network of
personal and social relations which is not
established by formal organisation.
 Types of Organisation
The process of organisation involves the
grouping of activities and the establishment of
authority relationship among these activities.
Four different types of organisation:
i) Line organisation
ii) Functional organisation
iii) Line and staff organisation
iv) Committee orgainsation
 1. Line organisation
It is the oldest as well as the most common
type of organiosation. It is also known as
the scalar orgainsation or military type of
organisation, as this type of organisation is
usually found in the army. It is also known
as the vertical or direct organisation, for the
lines of authority and responsibility in these
organisations are direct.
 2. Functional organisation
In a functional orainsation, authority does not
flow from top to bottom, as it does in line
organisation. Instead, activities are divided
according to functions (production, finance,
sales etc.) A specialist is placed in charge of
each function or a group of related functios.
 3. Line and staff organisation
The basic principals of both the line organisation
and the functional orgainsation have been
combined in another form of organisation known as
the line and staff organisation. In business , this
form of organisation is very popular.
 4. Committee Organisation
The committee organisation is not an independent
form of organisation but generally functions in
conjuction with some other formof organisation.
Committees are found to exist in different areas and
at different levels of an organisational structure, in
both business and non- business organisations.
Types of Committee:
1. Executive committee
2. Standing Committee
3. Ad- hoc committee
4. joint Committee
5. Office Committee
 Organisation Charts
An organisation chart is a diagrammatical form which
shows the important aspects of an organisation, including
the major functions and their respective relationship.
An organisation chart is adiagram of the formal authority
structure.
Types of Organisation Chart:
On the basis of the pattern of structure:
i) A functional organisation chart
ii) A personal organisation chart
iii) A master organisation chart
On the basis of construction:
i) Vertical chart
ii) Horizontal chart
iii) circular charts
 Office Administrative
Administrative office management is the
organising, planning and controlling of office
activities and the leading of people to achieve
the objectives of the business firm. Office
activities include communication, computing
and summarising, operating results, record
keeping through accounting and filing
procedures and systematizing and cost
reduction through systems and procedures
analysis.
 Functions of Administrative Office Management

1. Layout
Equipment
Organisation
Communication and correspondence
Records Management
Reproduction
Forms Control
Personnel management
System and Procedures
Work Measurement
Budgeting and cost analysis
Reporting
 Records Management
Record: Any written data that are made for possible
future use. The “records” includes all forms of
information processing media used by a business,
whether they are in the forms of correspondence,
vouchers, cards, registers, files, tapes or microfilms
of the records. They may be classified into the
following categories:
1. Correspondence Records
2. Accounting Records
3. Personnel Records
4. Legal Records
5. Other Business Records
 Records Management
Record management is the management
control of records.
Purposes of Record Management:
1. To keep an Orderly, Account of Progress
2. Facilitate Preparation of Statement of True Condition
3. To Facilitate Comparisons
4. To Detect Errors and Waste
5. Legal Formalities
 Filing
Filing is a form of record- keeping. Documents are
filed in order that they may be available for use at
some future date, that is the precise purpose of
making records.
Filing is the process of so arranging and sorting
original records, or copies of them, that they can
be readily located when required.
Filing the following major objects:
1. Proper arrangement of records.
2. Proper sorting of records.
3. Easy availability of records.
 Characteristics of a Good Filing System
1. Compactness
2. Accessibility
3. Economy
4. Simplicity
5. Flexibility
6. Easy Location
7. Cross Reference
8. Retention
9. Classification
10. Minimum Misfiling
11. Safety
 Methods of Classification
There are six different methods of
classification. These are:
1. Alphabetical Classification
2. Numerical Classification
3. Alphabetical Classification
4. Geographical Classification
5. Subject Classification
6. Chronological Classification: Under this
classification, records are filed and arranged
in strict date order.
 Methods of Filing
1. Conventional (or Old) Methods: The important
conventional filing methods are:
a) Metal Holders
b) Card Board Files
c) Bound Books
d) Spike or Pillar and Post Filling
e) Expanding Pockets
f) Concertina File
g) Box Files
h) Pigeon- Hole Methods
i) Press Copy book Method
 2. Modern Filing Methods

a) Horizontal Filing
b) Vertical Filing
c) Microfilm Files
d) Computer Filing
 Indexing
An index is anything that points out or indicates. It
is a ready guide to the location of the required file
record.
The term indexing should not be confused with
classification. Classification is a method of filing,
while indexing is basically a reference to the matter
filed.
Advantages: 1. Indexing helps the filing clerk to locate easily
the documents.
2. A good system of indexing ensures cross- reference.
3. Indexing improves the efficiency of the records
administration.
 Types of Index
The various of indexes are also known as the
methods of indexing. Some of the important types of
indexes are described below:
1. Page Index: This type of indexing may take the
following forms:
A) Bound Book Index
B) Looser Leaf Index
C) Vowel Index
2. Loose or Vertical Card Index
3. Visible Card Index
4. Strip Index
5. Wheel Index
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