OMSP UNIT-1

What is Office?
The term office is commonly used to mean a place where all paperwork is undertaken.
Common man’s view of an office is a place where some clerks and a few officers sit on chairs with a few files on their
table doing some writing
Office work is not confined to paperwork only, and it may not be confined to a particular place
The modern view is that office is the administrative centre of business where relevant records are prepared,
preserved, and made available for the purpose of efficient management of the organisation.
The term ‘office’ can be’ defined as any place where records are prepared, handled and preserved for future
reference, and making them available as and when required

Functions of Modern Office.

1. Primary Functions or Basic functions
2. Administrative/management functions
Primary Functions.
The basic functions of the office include
1. Receiving or Collecting Information
2. Orgainising,
3. Storing
4. Supplying Information.
 Receiving or Collecting Information: In every organisation, be it a government or private one, information
comes through letters, circulars, memos, orders, reports, etc., from within and outside the organisation.
1. Internal sources(Within the organisation in the form of letter, notes, memos, circulars, etc.)
2. External sources(from outside the organisation through letters, inquiries, order invoices circulars,
notices, etc.)
 Organising Information: The office mostly receives information in raw or crude form. The information so
received cannot be of any use to the management unless it is processed and presented in a suitable form.
While organising information, the task of the office comprises arrangement, summarising tabulation, and
graphic presentation of data
 Storing Information: The recorded information accumulated in the office needs to be preserved and
maintained for future reference. The basic objective of preserving information is to make these available as
and when required by management without delay.
 Supplying Information: Management decision making depends a great deal on the supply of accurate and
timely information. Management may need the information of a routine nature to be supplied by the office
periodically, like statements of attendance, stock position, cash, and bank balances, etc.
Administrative Management Functions
1. Planning
2. Coordination
3. Communication
4. Safety & Security
5. Cost Reduction
6. Public Relation
7. Staffing
 Planning: It has to be decided beforehand, what is to be done, who is to do, how it will be done, and when.
Planning is necessary to avoid wastage and delay, and to reduce the cost of operations.
  Coordination: Office has to synchronizes the efforts of individuals and departmental staff to ensure proper
timing and sequence of activities so that the organisation objectives are fully realized.
 Communication: Through communication, people are linked with the organisation to achieve a specific
objective
 Safety & Security: The office has to keep in safe custody the records of the organisation and also make
arrangements for the security of properties and assets of the enterprise e.g. buildings, office machines,
furniture, equipment, etc.
 Cost Reduction: It is only through improvements, in systems, methods, and procedures that the costs of
operation can be minimized With the adoption of the scientific methods in office administration, the office
must lay down systems, procedures, and methods of performing various activities.
 Public Relations: The public must also be kept informed about the policies, programmes of the organisation
with respect to matters of public interest Steps are required to be taken to build a good image of the
organisation in the minds of the general public.
 Storing Information: The recorded information accumulated needs to be preserved and maintained for
future reference. The basic objective of preserving information is to make these available as and when
required by management without delay.
 Supplying Information: Management decision making depends a great deal on the supply of accurate and
timely information. Management may need the information of a routine nature to be supplied periodically,
like statements of attendance, stock position, cash, and bank balances, etc.
Importance of Office-
The office is of vital importance in a in modern business enterprise due to the following reasons:
1. Office as a service centre
2. Office as a memory centre
3. Office as a channel of communication
4. Office as a co-ordinator
5. Office as a controller
6. Office as a intermediary
7. Importance of office to employees
8. Importance of office to customers
9. Importance to general public
 Office as a service centre
Office provides the services of typing, duplicating, printing, providing information from records, supplying forms
and stationery etc. No organisation can work smoothly without these services. Therefore, office is sometimes
referred to as a service department.
 Office as a memory centre
All types of information are arranged and preserved in the office and supplied to management as and when
required. Various transactions and activities of the organisation which are on record are preserved by the office.
Therefore, office may be described as the memory centre, information centre or brain of an organisation.
 Office as a channel of communication
It is through the office that communication, especially written communication, takes place between different
departments and different levels of the organisation. An organisation would fail, in spite of the best
organisational resources, if the communication system is not effective.
 Office as a co-ordinator
Office maintains links with all the departments of an organization and keeps every department informed about
what is happening in other departments. Thus, it provides the basis of coordination between departments.
 For example, office informs the production department about changing tastes and fashion in the market as
revealed by the market survey conducted by marketing department. Similarly marketing department is supplied
information about the cost of production to fix appropriate prices.
 Office as a controller
Control is a necessary function of management executed through office. It requires (i) establishment of
standards, (ii) measurement of performance against the standard (iii) ascertainment of deviation, and
(iv)correction of deviations from standards and plans.
 Office as a intermediary
The office maintains contact with outsiders and links the organisation with customers, suppliers, etc. It attends
to the enquiries, orders and complaints, and maintains liaison between government and the organisation.
 Importance of office to employees
Maintenance of attendance records, and preparation of wage and salary sheets for timely payment are the
responsibility of the office. It is also responsible for operating different employee benefit schemes, like group
insurance, provident fund, etc.
 Importance of office to customers
The office acts as a link between the business and its customers. Enquiries, orders, and complaints of customers
are taken care of by the office. It also advertises the products and their uses for information of the customers.
 Importance to general public
The office also acts as a link between general public and the organisation. It is responsible for creating a good
image for the organisation in the minds of people.

Objectives of Office-
The Key Objectives of Office are:
 To plan the activities of office and ensure their execution: Generally, the office manager plans different
activities of the various departments and accordingly it is implemented with the help of other employees.

 To coordinate the activities of the various departments: Co-ordination is the act of organizing, making
different people or things work together to achieve desired goals in an organization. It is essential in an
office to coordinate various activities of different departments.

 To preserve all the records of the business: An office needs to keep large amount of data in its data base. So
it should have a proper record keeping system. It also needs to maintain books of accounts, registers, books
of references, statutory and non-statutory registers, etc. for carrying out different activities.

Types of office-
The various types of office are as follows:
1. Front Office
2. Middle Office
3. Electronic Office
4. Virtual Office
5. Back Office
6. Paperless Office
7. Open Office
8. Private Office
 Front Office
It is a business term that-refers to a company’s departments that come in contact with clients including the
marketing, sales and service departments. The front office welcomes visitors, meets and greets them and
handles their queries.
 Middle Office
Middle office comprises departments of financial service that manage position keeping. These divisions ensure
that transactions capture profit flows. The middle office is usually a part of operations division, which is also in-
charge of settlement. Due to their critical role, middle office functions along with front office and is supervised
by the back office managers.
 Electronic Office
It was a term coined to cover the increasing use of computer-based information technology for office work,
especially in the 1980s. it is widely used since all modern office are electronic offices.
 Virtual Office
It is the combination off-site live communication and address services that allow users to reduce traditional
office costs while maintaining business professionalism.
Virtual office implies space utilization, but a full application includes professional live communications of tele-
conferencing.
 Back Office
It is a part of most operations where tasks dedicated to operating the company are performed. The term comes
from the building layout of early organizations where the front office would contain the sales and other
customer facing staff and the back office would be those manufacturing or developing the products or involved
in administration but without being seen by customers.
 Paperless Office
A paperless office (or paper-free office) is a work environment in which the use of paper is eliminated or greatly
reduced. This is done by converting documents and other papers into digital form, a process known
as digitization. Proponents claim that "going paperless" can save money, boost productivity, save space, make
documentation and information sharing easier, keep personal information more secure, and help the
environment. The concept can be extended to communications outside the office as well.
 Open Office
When we talk about open office spaces, we refer to office layouts that utilize large open spaces instead of
enclosing employees in offices and cubicles. In this open office space, there are typically long rows of desks
without any dividers, allowing for more collaboration for a boost to company culture. With these open
environments, employees have free reign to congregate in a shared environment, moving throughout the office
layout for a more flexible environment.
 Private Office
Unlike open offices, a private office space features a lockable room that is within a shared office space. With a
private office, employees can ensure a quiet and secure space. This is perfect for those with many phone calls or
roles that require a bit more confidentiality than a communal space can provide.
These private space options come in a range of sizes, whether you need an office for just one person or an entire
team.
Although the operations of a back office usually not given a lot of consideration, their contribution to the business is
significant. Examples of Back Office tasks include Accounting, Computerization of transact running (operation
architecture), accounting and human supported by software and database.
 Relation Of Office With Other Departments Of Business Organization-
The office serves as the co-coordinating link in any organization. For co-coordinating the activities of different
departments in an organization, office has to keep relations with each and every department. For example, orders
for raw materials, sales, complaints, appointments etc. are passed through office only.
Office needs information of many kinds from different functional departments for framing general policies. Office
supplies information needed in performing the functions of production, sales, personnel etc. and collects
information from these departments for general policy framing and co-ordination.
 Office and Production Department
The production department is concerned with the production of goods and services. Raw materials, machines,
equipments etc. are needed to produce goods. They depend upon office to get their requirements.
The office makes purchases on behalf of the production department and also informs the production
department the requirements of consumers and customers. The office is also provide common services to the
production department, like, purchases correspondence, filing, market research, the trend of the market etc.
 Office and Marketing/Sales Department
The office is always keep relations with customers. It is the office receives enquiries, orders etc. Enquiries are
replied. Orders are executed by the sales department and the bill is sent through office. Complaints from
customers are received by the office and convey them to sales department.
When sales go down, the office helps in marketing research to find out the reasons for low sales. The reasons
are known to departmental heads, who take step to overcome the situations. Office receives information on
behalf of sales department and office gives information to sales department, apart from general or common
service, such as mailing, filing, communication etc.
 Office and Purchase Department
Materials, stores, plant, machineries etc. needed for the purchase department is arranged by the office. Office
assists the purchase department in inviting quotations or tenders, in sending orders, receiving invoices, making
payments etc. It also gives general services to purchase department and maintains purchase journals, ledgers
etc.
 Office and Accounts/Finance Department
The accounts department maintains all the records of all business transactions with the help of office. The office
prepares various financial statements and reports for the top management.
Correspondence on behalf of accounts department is conducted by the office. It renders assistance to maintain
the books of accounts, budgets, salaries and wage bills, invoices, collection of debt etc.
 Office and Personnel Department
The personnel department is created only to provide necessary help to the managers in performing the staffing
function. Without the productive efforts of human being, material resources would be meaningless and idle.
Recruitment, training etc. are routed through office.The office maintains the records of all the employees. The
workers or the employees can communicate with the management through office. There is a close link between
the office and personnel department.
 OFFICE MANAGEMENT-
Office management refers to the process of planning, organizing, guiding, communicating, directing, coordinating
and controlling the activities of a group of people who are working to achieve business objectives efficiently and
economically.

Elements of Office Management

Elements of office management are termed as pillars of a building. If pillar is strong, certainly, the building is also
strong. Hence, efficient functioning of office management is based on the elements of office management.
Following are the essential elements of office management.
1. Personnel- Office personnel are actually performing the office work. Generally, the selection and placement of
office personnel is carried on by the office manager in small organization. In large organization, staffing is carried
on by the human resource management department. In both the case, the office work is to be performed by
allocating the work to each individual according to their efficiency, guide the personnel to do the work with the
help of means available in an office within a specified time and control the activities of office personnel. The
office manager has to do all these activities.
2. Means- Means refers to tools used to perform the office work. Means include pen, pencil, eraser, paper, ink,
office forms, typewriter, computer, printer, calculator and the like. Adequate tools have been supplied in an
office and put them to the most efficient and economical use for achieving objectives.
3. Environment- The nature of business determines the environment of an office. The various office works have to
be carried on under a particular condition or environment. A working environment is created and maintained for
the smooth performance of office work. It is the duty and responsibility of an office manager to bring suitable
environment by adopting various procedures and practice.
4. Purpose- The office personnel must be aware of the purpose for which a particular work is carried on and the
impact of such work on others’ performance. The office manager teaches the purpose to office personal. If not
so, the performance of office work does not bring the most efficient and economical use of office resources and
achieve the objectives.

DUTIES OF OFFICE MANAGER-

Duties may be defined as the collection of tasks or actions associated with a particular job. Each job in the
organization involves performance of certain tasks by the holder of that job position in the organization.
Accordingly, duties of an office manager have been summarized below:

1) Maintaining office services: Office manager is responsible for smooth functioning of the office and thus, he needs
to maintain various services of the office such as:
i) proper organization of office operations and procedures;
ii) preparation of payroll;
iii) controlling of office correspondence (Inbound and outbound);
iv) dealing with complaints and queries;
v) putting appropriate filing and indexing systems in place;
vi) review and approve office supply requisitions such as ordering stationery and furniture;
vii) delegation and monitoring of various clerical functions;
viii)booking transport and accommodation;
ix) organizing company events or conferences; and
x) preparing letters, presentations, and reports, etc.
2) Providing past references: It is the duty of the office manager to define and establish various procedures for
proper maintenance of office records. These procedures include defining procedures regarding how to retain,
protect, retrieve, transfer, and dispose of office records. These procedures provide historical references to new
employees and help in smooth functioning of the office.

3) Maintaining office efficiency: It is the duty of the office manager to plan and implement various systems of the
office such as office layout, material, supplies and equipment procurement, etc. Effective planning and proper
implementation can help in efficiency in office operations

4) Designing and implementation of office policies: Office managers are responsible for making policies. They
establish standards and procedures for various office activities. They are also responsible for proper implementation
of these policies and procedures. In order to ensure the implementation of the policies, it is the duty of the office
managers to measure and compare the results against the standards and make necessary adjustments.

5) Employee scheduling and assignment: Office manager’s duties include scheduling and assigning of employees to
ensure that office operations are accomplished with optimum resource allocation. It is the duty of the manager to
delegate tasks to junior employees and to take a follow up of the work results.

6) Providing relevant information to management: It is the duty of the office manager to manage various databases
of the organization. In addition, h/she should periodically summarize and spot the trends in the information gleaned
from these databases for putting up in meetings. S/he is responsible for reviewing and analyzing important/special
reports and making summary of these reports available to top management for suitable action.

7) Ensuring continuity of office: In order to ensure continuity of any organization, it is mandatory to ensure regular
supply of work force through recruitment, selection, orientation and training of human resources. Office managers
assist HR department in all these functions. They keep employees’ records up to date, arrange interviews, organize
induction programs and training programs for new employees and thus help in maintaining the office.

8) Motivating office staff: Office manager monitors, supervises, and appraises the work of administrative staff under
him/her. Office managers coach, counsel, discipline, and motivate office staff by employing fair evaluation and
promotion rules.

9) Updating self: In order to remain relevant and up to date in the changing work environment, it is the duty of
office manager to update and enhance his/her professional and technical knowledge by attending educational
workshops. S/he should be a member of the professional societies, should subscribe professional publications, and
establish and grow professional network.

10) Managing office budgets: Office manager facilitates top management in achieving financial objectives. For this,
they prepare annual budget, schedule expenditures, analyze variances in standards and actual figures and on the
basis of the deviations they take initiate corrective actions.

11) Accomplishing team efforts: It is the duty of office manager to liaison with various stakeholders in organizations
such as staff, suppliers, and clients for synergistic results.