As an office manager, it is your job to keep the office going as proficiently as is possible. Although, when you put together a group of people with many different personalities, various pieces of office equipment and software tools, and a huge list of distractions, office management can become a bit difficult. It is imperative that you do not let any of this chaos distract you. It should even be motivation to get and keep your office in shape!
Communication Skills
Being an active communicator is extremely important in regard to everything you do as an office manager. You must be able to lead meetings, step in for the other managers and the managing director, and represent your executive at public functions. You also need to develop and polish your public speaking skills. If you’re not comfortable doing any of these things, brush up on your skills! Attend networking events, accompany one of your team the next time they have a speaking engagement or conference, and volunteer to present something at the next office meeting. Find ways to learn as much as you can about communication every chance you get. All of these things will help you become a better office manager and communicator!
Be Proactive
It’s imperative to be able to foresee all and any future needs that the office may have as an office manager. What normally happens at certain times of the year? Are there certain places that offer competitive pricing for office supplies that are cheaper than what you normally buy? Are there things that your boss always asks you for every Friday? Think about whether there is a way you can set up a process so ongoing tasks are done before they become urgent. As much as possible, you want to get away from stress and urgency. Speak to your boss about what needs he or she sees happening in the next few months and continue asking what might be needed at meetings so that you can stay ahead of the game. Sometimes, your boss might forget something until the very last minute but if you are continually reminding him or her, you’ll know what to do before it becomes urgent. Also, looking at companies such as https://www.nationalbc.co.uk/ to help you with all of your telecoms and utilities will take stress off of your shoulders will the company bills and allow you to be proactive with other office problems.
Keep Detailed Records
Having an established paper trail doesn’t just protect a business from harm — it’s also vital for organization. When you write most things down, you will always be able to find notes again. As the office manager, you can take point on record keeping, setting up your own system for recording information and storing records appropriately. Most businesses now have online copies instead of hard paper copies. Put shortcuts to your most-used documents and folders on your computer’s desktop so that you can get to them with one mouse click. Don’t let files languish in generic folders. Move them to the correct storage site on your server or shared drives as soon as you create or receive them.
