They may be the first person that staff talk to when they arrive at work each day. Office managers keep businesses running smoothly, overseeing various aspects of daily operations, such as hiring new staff and ensuring all duties are completed on time and within the office budget.
Office managers need to know every employee’s schedule, or at least, they have access to everyone’s schedules. They plan, coordinate, and control the smooth running of activities. Being in an office manager role, you will need to know how to manage processes, procedures, documentation, project management and communications. You will also need to understand supervision, training, and administration, and how such matters benefit the business.
Qualities that make a good office manager
As office managers need to know the ins and outs of the office, what skills will you need to help you in your role? Here are some skills to possess:
Interpersonal & communications skills
An effective office manager works closely with many people, from new hires to top executives. As such, they must be able to communicate effectively to resolve conflict and provide clear direction. They may also be required to offer secretarial support to senior stakeholders.
Multitasking skills
Office managers may be pulled in all directions every other day by different people requesting information and asking for advice – from changing the printer ink and finding stationery, to checking courier packages and finding out the boss’s schedule. They need to juggle different tasks and work independently.
Time management skills
Office managers should know how to manage their time effectively to schedule tasks properly and plan ahead for upcoming deadlines.
Organisational skills
Possessing good organisational skills helps office managers take charge of their workload, and ensure everything gets done in a timely manner.
Administrative skills
Many of the tasks of office managers may be administrative in nature, be they answering phones, purchasing office equipment, and filing paperwork. They may be required to draft documents, help with payroll, and keep an organised office environment. They may also need to be proficient in computer programmes like the Microsoft suite. To upskill, consider basic accounting and finance knowledge.
What are the characteristics of a good office manager?
Office managers with high emotional intelligence and people skills will be valuable to the company. They need to be friendly and approachable as they often have to work with other colleagues, at times helping to train new staff.
Managing the office and sometimes multiple schedules would require someone who is level-headed and can maintain a calm demeanour. As an office manager, it is good to keep on learning and growing your knowledge in various ways, such as through reading management literature, attending seminars, company events or conferences and taking courses, while also keeping up with technology.
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What does an office manager do?
The duties and responsibilities of an office managers vary with each organisation. In one, these could include organising, planning and overseeing a large pool of administrative assistants, while in another, it means working in a much smaller team with one or two members.
Duties can include organising meetings and arranging appointments, dealing with correspondence, ordering stationery and furniture, preparing letters, presentations and reports, supervising and monitoring the work of the team, managing office budgets and working alongside other administrative managers.
On top of that, office managers are also the key liaison between staff, suppliers and clients, and may need to chair meetings and allocate leadership roles among the staff. In larger organisations, there could also be a chance to become involved in special projects.
What does the career path for an office manager look like?
Armed with office management qualifications, an officer manager is a step up from an office administrator role. With the right administrative skills and knowledge, office managers can then move into more senior management positions later in the career, or move to another organisation if required.
This article is contributed by Michael Page.
