Running head: OFFICE ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT 1
OFFICE ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT
1.Functions of an office
An office is a room set aside by an organisation to help to carry out clerical work.
Alternatively, an office is a building, room, or place set aside for administrative, communication,
or clerical work of an organisation. Both big and small, every organisation has an office where
the administrative and other indispensable official functions concerning the organisation are
carried out. In an office, different functions are being carried out. Such functions range from
,OFFICE ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT 2
receiving, recording, processing, arranging, and safeguarding the company's information and
supervisory and accounting functions.
The following are the functions of an office
a) Receiving and recording Information: The Office, through various sources such as
letters, parcels, invoices, telephone calls, fax and through personal contact with
people that visit the organisation receives information. Information received is
recorded and kept safe. The essence of keeping the records is to make them readily
available when needed by the management, staff and even clients of the organisation.
The information received and recorded help the management in making informed
decisions about the company.
b) Processing Information: For effective and adequate use of the information received
and recorded by an organisation. It must be processed by breaking it down so that it
would be understood by those who would use them. By doing so, every staff in an
organisation can internalise and keep up with the company undertakings, hence
providing quality services.
c) Arranging Information: Having collected, recorded and processed the information,
they are not left to scatter about or left in a disorderly way. Information collected
must be kept decently and in order. They must be arranged through collecting,
sorting, grouping and filing. This helps in the easy retrieving of required information
hence quick services delivery.
d) Safeguarding the Company's Information and Assets: The functions of an office
do not end in collecting, recording, processing and arranging information. Unsafe
, OFFICE ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT 3
guarded information is as good as collecting no information, and this may jeopardise
the company. Information collected must be kept safe through filing, and the
company's secret must be kept away from unconcerned persons.
2. Office Layouts
Office layout means the systematic arrangement of office equipment, machines, and
furniture and provides adequate space to office personnel for regular work performance with
efficiency. An office layout helps the management organise things better while letting your
employees produce quality work in a comfortable and vigorous working environment. A suitable
office layout enhances the overall look and feel of commercial space and encourages staff to get
the most out of their productivity in a well-organised manner.
1. Open Office Layout
Under this plan, an entire floor area is divided by low partitions where employees may
have their own desks or share a table with other employees. However, each employee will be
given a separate chair and a computer, but the overall workspace will remain non-territorial.
Advantages of open office layout
a) Enhances Verbal Communication
Since open office plans don't have doors or any other physical barriers, there is a good
chance of improved communication among employees. It makes it super-easy for staff members
to interact with each other and assign their work accordingly. This can also fasten the flow of
information and encourages teams to perform their jobs without any hindrance
b) Cost-effective
OFFICE ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT
1.Functions of an office
An office is a room set aside by an organisation to help to carry out clerical work.
Alternatively, an office is a building, room, or place set aside for administrative, communication,
or clerical work of an organisation. Both big and small, every organisation has an office where
the administrative and other indispensable official functions concerning the organisation are
carried out. In an office, different functions are being carried out. Such functions range from
,OFFICE ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT 2
receiving, recording, processing, arranging, and safeguarding the company's information and
supervisory and accounting functions.
The following are the functions of an office
a) Receiving and recording Information: The Office, through various sources such as
letters, parcels, invoices, telephone calls, fax and through personal contact with
people that visit the organisation receives information. Information received is
recorded and kept safe. The essence of keeping the records is to make them readily
available when needed by the management, staff and even clients of the organisation.
The information received and recorded help the management in making informed
decisions about the company.
b) Processing Information: For effective and adequate use of the information received
and recorded by an organisation. It must be processed by breaking it down so that it
would be understood by those who would use them. By doing so, every staff in an
organisation can internalise and keep up with the company undertakings, hence
providing quality services.
c) Arranging Information: Having collected, recorded and processed the information,
they are not left to scatter about or left in a disorderly way. Information collected
must be kept decently and in order. They must be arranged through collecting,
sorting, grouping and filing. This helps in the easy retrieving of required information
hence quick services delivery.
d) Safeguarding the Company's Information and Assets: The functions of an office
do not end in collecting, recording, processing and arranging information. Unsafe
, OFFICE ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT 3
guarded information is as good as collecting no information, and this may jeopardise
the company. Information collected must be kept safe through filing, and the
company's secret must be kept away from unconcerned persons.
2. Office Layouts
Office layout means the systematic arrangement of office equipment, machines, and
furniture and provides adequate space to office personnel for regular work performance with
efficiency. An office layout helps the management organise things better while letting your
employees produce quality work in a comfortable and vigorous working environment. A suitable
office layout enhances the overall look and feel of commercial space and encourages staff to get
the most out of their productivity in a well-organised manner.
1. Open Office Layout
Under this plan, an entire floor area is divided by low partitions where employees may
have their own desks or share a table with other employees. However, each employee will be
given a separate chair and a computer, but the overall workspace will remain non-territorial.
Advantages of open office layout
a) Enhances Verbal Communication
Since open office plans don't have doors or any other physical barriers, there is a good
chance of improved communication among employees. It makes it super-easy for staff members
to interact with each other and assign their work accordingly. This can also fasten the flow of
information and encourages teams to perform their jobs without any hindrance
b) Cost-effective
