Transcript Slide 1

Higher Administration
Administrative Services
Outcome 1
Effectiveness in the Workplace
Role of the administrative assistant
Someone who provides the
organisational skills and
support to the organisation
in terms of information and
communication.
Duties of the Admin Assistant
General office services such as:
filing,
 document production,
 mail handling,
 reprographics and
 making travel arrangements, etc

A more senior administrative
assistant will be expected to:
possess good organisational skills, the ability to
prioritise tasks and meet or negotiate deadlines;
be reliable and discreet;
be an effective coordinator of activity;
be able to work without supervision;
possess high-level communication skills;
liase well with customers and staff (including
middle and senior managers)
possess good ICT skills, be able to compose
and present material - business letters/memos
for themselves and on behalf of others.
Job Description
A formal statement
describing the
purpose and duties of
a particular job.
Job Description
Job title/department
Purpose – general statement of the major intent
of the job
Duties – specific details of what is involved in the
job
Responsibilities – who the employee is
accountable to
Salary/wages – a statement of the salary scale,
increments, bonus rates, fringe benefits (eg
private health schemes, company car, etc)
Person Specification
A description of the skills and
qualities required from the
potential employee
Usually categorised as either
desirable or essential.
Person Specification Example
Individual and Organisational
Targets – Action Plans
For larger or longer
term projects
Tasks arranged in
order
Estimated timings
Notes re: actions or
changes in priorities
Individual and Organisational
Targets – Priorities List
Some tasks
detailed on an
Action Plan would
be transferred to a
Priorities List (To
Do List).
Prepared on a daily
or weekly basis.
See example.
Dealing with changing priorities –
unexpected circumstances
A member of staff fails
to show up for work.
The computer network
crashes.
A line manager suddenly
changes a deadline for a
piece of work.
Printer problems, etc.
Dealing with changing priorities
Design work schedules with a
degree of flexibility.
Tasks should not be left to the last
minute!
Mixture of high, medium and low
tasks.
Remain calm
Setting targets
S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Agreed
R – Realistic
T - Timed
Example Target 1
By the end of next
month a database
of 100 suitable
UK hotels for
company travel
business is to be
compiled for use
within the
organisation.
Example Target 2
Within the next
2 months the
manual filing
system detailing
employee
records is to be
transferred to a
database.
Example Target 3
By 30 September
the administrative
assistant is to
attend a training
course covering
the preparation of
PowerPoint
presentations.
Personal development planning
A document
which can be
used to record
formally areas
of strength and
areas for
development.
A PDP allows an employee to…
focus on specific
aspects of his/her job;
identify skills the
employee already has,
which can be shared
with other employees;
identify training needs;
expand his/her job role
within the organisation.
See example.
Controlling & Monitoring Targets
A system for controlling and monitoring
targets must be in place.
These systems must not be overcomplicated, and
should not be viewed by employees as a
way in which they are being spied upon.
Should be seen as a constructive aid to
help the individual worker achieve targets
and receive any necessary assistance.
Methods for controlling/monitoring
random or sample checks
double checks
buddy systems
mentoring systems
Gantt charts
periodic method and systems audits
Target Progress
Control mechanisms should aim to establish
sooner, rather than later, whether targets are
running to the planned schedule. To do this:
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Monitor progress on an on-going basis.
Ensure there are good communication channels
allowing employees to discuss whether or not targets
are on schedule.
Progress can be discussed and recorded at:
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regular team meetings
regular one-to-one meetings between employee and
line manager.
Deviations from Planned Targets
With your line manager you should discuss the following:
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Were the targets SMART and understood?
Did any unforeseen circumstances arise that caused the
work to fall behind schedule, e.g. absence from work?
Did the actions of others whom you were dependent upon
hold up the work?
Was the work plan structured correctly or did additional
tasks occur after the job started?
Did the task extend beyond your capabilities and
experience?
Did your line manager support you when undertaking the
task?
Time Management
One of the most
important skills for
effective working
Time is a resource which
is easy to waste –
whether it is spending 10
minutes looking for a
document we didn’t make
the effort to store
correctly, or talking to
colleagues about a
problem instead of taking
action on it.
Good time-mgt techniques ensure:
the best use is made of the time available
time-wasting activities are minimised
more time is made available for important
or urgent jobs.
Problems resulting from poor time
management
Activity panic

Jobs left unfinished and the administrative assistant is left
running from one crisis to another as deadlines approach.
Reaction not action

Planning of tasks becomes unmanageable and situations arise
where the administrative assistant has to react to crises rather
than planning and prioritising tasks methodically and carefully.
Work overload

Being pressed for time which results in an ever-increasing list of
jobs that still have to be tackled.
Stress

Poor time management leading to stress with the administrative
assistant feeling that the work will never be completed.
Time Stealers
See page 15 of notes
Task Management
The following organisational or planning
aids can assist the administrative assistant
in managing tasks:
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desk diaries
electronic diaries
reminder systems
Priorities Lists/Action Plans.
It is also helpful to:
Keep the workstation tidy
Use trays to help organise tasks – eg IN, OUT, WORK
STARTED (or PENDING), and FOR FILING
Label files clearly
Tick off jobs on Priorities Lists/Action Plans as they are
completed
Replace papers in files and put the files away before
leaving the workstation if interrupted in the middle of a
job
Monitor progress carefully, especially where there is a
target completion date. If the task is not going to be
completed on time - tell the line manager immediately
Task Management Skills
Organisation
Prioritisation
Delegation
Control
Assertiveness
Negotiation
Resource management
Evaluation
Impact of Effective Time and Task
Management
increased productivity/quality of work
improved effectiveness/meeting deadlines
better organisation
good customer relations – through meeting
deadlines/orders, etc.
increased competitiveness in the marketplace
lower stress levels amongst staff
elimination of procrastination and indecision
good work relationships
job satisfaction
better promotion prospects.
Consequences of poor time & task
mgt
poor productivity
poor quality of work
increased costs
unmet deadlines
unhappy customers/suppliers
low level of competitiveness in marketplace
stress-related absence
poor work relationships
poor job satisfaction.
Team Working
“No
man is
an
Island.”
Definition
A team is a
group who have
been specially
formed for a
particular
purpose – to
achieve a
particular aim.
Team Characteristics
A shared purpose
or goal.
A sense of
belonging to a
team (having an
identity).
A dependence or
reliance on each
other.
Effective Teams
There have been many
studies into what makes
teams effective and a
number of factors have
been identified…
Team Size
Normally 46 team
members
(dependant
on task).
Team Roles
An ideas person
A motivator
An organiser
An implementer
A checker
A finisher
A go-getter
A team worker
A specialist
Factors affecting Teams
Composition
DevelopmentCohesiveness
Nature of task
MaintenanceEnvironment
Leadership