What is Office Manager? Function, Role, Qualities, Managerial

  • Post last modified:4 July 2021
  • Reading time:12 mins read
  • Post category:Office Management

What is Office Manager?

An office manager is the executive in-charge of an office and his main function is to organize and control it is such a manner that this service function is performed efficiently and effectively. The office manager should stand above the internal politics and coordinate their activities for the benefit of the organization as a whole. Moreover, he should ensure that there is good coordination at his own level.

An office manager is responsible for facilitating the efficient functioning of an office via a range of administrative, clerical, financial and managerial tasks. An employee of a business or organization whose duties typically include allocating physical resources such as office space and supplies, scheduling internal events, overseeing operational staff such as accountants, technicians, and administrative personnel, and other details necessary to run an office in any industry or field.

An office manager is the person responsible for managing an office and keeping the company running smoothly. This position requires a special kind of person. Not everybody is fit to be an office manager. The duties of this job are often as diverse as the company itself.

While most departments keep to themselves and don’t have a need to interact much with other departments, the office manager needs to interact with all the departments and fully understand what is going on in each department. Besides the CEO of a company, no one knows the ins and outs better than the office manager.


Function of Office Manager

  1. Leadership
  2. Co-ordination
  3. Recruitment of Staff
  4. Training of Staff
  5. Motivation
  6. Discipline
  7. Accounting
  8. Controls Stationary
  9. Secretarial Services
  10. Organizer and Supervisor

Leadership

He has to control his office. The office manager is important for the smooth running of the organization. He is in charge of public relations. He helps other departments to achieve their goals. He has complete control over the work done in the office.

Co-ordination

He has to select the persons- right persons for the right jobs.

  • He will have to work and carefully see that the policies laid down by the management are implemented.

  • He is the connecting link between the top management and the workers. Workers approach him for their grievances and difficulties and manager has to redress them. If he is not able to do the needful, he must place it before the management.

  • He has to work and safeguard the firm, where he is an office manager.

  • His primary duty is to the management and secondary duty to the workers. He must please both the parties. If either one of the parties is annoyed or neglected, he will be regarded as a bed manager.

Recruitment of Staff

He has to select the right person for the right job. For that he invites applications, conducts interviews and selects personnel.

Training of Staff

He provides training to the new employees as well as old employees to improve their skill in the latest techniques of management.

Motivation

He measures the employees work and output and offers rewards which increase their efficiency and ensure their better cooperation and lead to the promotion of the staff.

Discipline

Discipline in the office depends upon him. The rules and principles of the management should be followed by the sub-ordinates. He must have ability to speak. New methods cannot be accepted, unless full explanation is followed. He has to convince others about the fact findings.

Accounting

He has to keep a close touch with the accounting and costing section.

Controls Stationary

He has to safeguard the furniture, fittings, machines, equipment and various types of records.

Secretarial Services

He maintains statutory and accounts books, holds meetings, drafts reports and minutes etc. Thus he does the secretary’s functions.

Organizer and Supervisor

He organizes and supervises the office correspondence, messenger services, communication system, filling and indexing, protection of records etc. There is no hard and fast rule as to the functions of an office manager. His functions depend upon the type and size of the organization.

He has to face difficult situations very tactfully, and must have pleasing manners always in dealing with critical positions and in suggesting suitable ideas. He must be tactful


Role of Office Manager

A typical job description for an office manager might be the following.

  • Maintain office functions by organizing and monitoring staff.

  • Keep the office organized to increase office efficiency.

  • Maintain critical records for the company and maintain a procedure for the handling of sensitive data including storage and disposal.

  • Prepare reports to keep management informed of the activities of the company.

  • Schedule, assign and oversee employees.

  • Prepare annual budget and plan purchases to stay within the budget.

  • Maintain a team spirit and a healthy work environment.

Qualities of Office Manager

The qualities of an office manager are presented below:

  1. The office manager must be able to plan the office work, organize the work among office staff according to their ability and aptitude, direct and motivate staff to perform the work efficiently and economically and to maintain discipline and harmony among the staff fairly and firmly.

  2. A good office manager should have as wide and varied a business experience as possible.

  3. Office manager must have a good command of language.

  4. He must be a model leader to his office staff.

  5. He must be deal with the problems more confidently and firmly.

  6. He must be a good organizer.

  7. He must be able to take sound and firm decision but there is no hasty decision.

  8. He must be well aware of office work and the purpose of doing such work.

  9. He must have an ability to give clear direction to others. In other words, the listener should understand what the office manager means.

  10. He must be a common man to every office staff.

  11. He must be a pioneer in doing office work.

  12. He must be sincere to do his duties.

  13. He must understand the feelings of office staff and human nature.

  14. He must present the office before the office hour and available throughout the office hour.

  15. He must be able to create team spirit among office staff.

  16. He should have self-confidence and self-control.

  17. He should not get angry at any cost.

  18. He must be constantly in touch with the new facts and methods of office work in order to increase the efficiency of office staff.

  19. Most of the above mentioned qualities are inherent or inborn, although some of these qualities can be acquired or improved through practice and training.

Managerial Qualities of Office Manager

Office managers essentially ensure the smooth running of an office on a day-to-day basis and may manage a team of administrative or support staff. Responsibilities typically include:

  • Organizing meetings and managing databases.
  • Booking transport and accommodation.
  • Organizing company events or conferences.
  • Ordering stationery and furniture.
  • Dealing with correspondence, complaints and queries.
  • Preparing letters, presentations and reports.
  • Supervising and monitoring the work of administrative staff.
  • Managing office budgets.
  • Liaising with staff, suppliers and clients.
  • Implementing and maintaining procedures/office administrative systems.
  • Delegating tasks to junior employees.
  • Organizing induction programs for new employees.
  • Ensuring that health and safety policies are up to date.
  • Using a range of software packages.
  • Attending meetings with senior management.
  • Assisting the organisation’s function by keeping personnel.
  • records up to date, arranging interviews and so on.

Administrative Qualities of Office Manager

The best quality of an administrator is organizing. A good administrator should have first patience and good communication skills to be able to understand and answer questions, have a positive body language, and the natural like of helping people and doing other tasks.

  • Communication Skills. Communication, interpersonal relationship and listening skills are possibly the top desired qualities every company looks for in an administrative assistant.

  • Organizational Skills

  • Time Management Skills

  • Dependability and Reliability

  • Confidentiality

  • Customer or Client Service Orientation

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