What are the duties and responsibilities of an office manager? Read on to find the answer…
An office manager is a professional who ensures that there is a smooth flow in the operations and working of the office. To achieve this, he performs a number of tasks, such as maintaining the office records, delegating and supervising work of the employees, scheduling appointments for the seniors in the office, ordering the supplies needed for the office to function, etc. If you are interested in this profession, let me tell you that an office manager’s work profile varies a lot, depending upon the size of the organization and the industry he is employed in. Nevertheless, the below given list of duties will give you a fairly good idea of the same. Have a look…
Office Manager Job Description
Administrative and Secretarial Duties
The main responsibility of an office manager is to keep things organized in the office. So, he takes care that there is a proper filing system and records are maintained in such a way that concerned people have easy access to them and at the same time, security of the records is maintained. An office manager, especially in a small organization, may be expected to perform certain secretarial duties as well, such as taking phone calls, scheduling appointments, maintaining correspondence with clients, taking dictation and typing documents, amongst others.
Supervision, Recruitment, Training and Appraisals
In addition to these administrative responsibilities, an office manager delegates and supervises the work of the employees. If some employees are overworked, an office manager ensures that there is equitable distribution of work or some new employees are hired to lessen the said employee’s burden. In some organizations, hiring and training new employees is also his responsibility. During performance appraisals, when the salaries and increments of the employees are being decided, office manager’s inputs and opinions are taken into consideration by the management.
Maintenance, Purchase and Security
An office manager is responsible for maintenance of the office exteriors and interiors. If some furniture needs to be changed, new equipment needs to be ordered, it is office manager who does the needful. Purchases, including those of stationery, toilet and pantry supplies, etc. are all handled by an office manager. An office manager ensures that the safety procedures are in place in the office so that the employees feel secure and can give their best to their work.
Accounting and Finance
An office manager handles accounting and finance in many organizations. Keeping a track of the number of days an employee is absent and then calculating the salary accordingly, is a part of his job. Payment of bills, calculation and timely payment of taxes, maintaining financial records, these are all taken care of by an office manager.
Office Manager Salary
To become an office manager, a person needs to be good at planning, organizing, decision making and problem solving. He should also possess leadership skills, people’s skills and communication skills. As for the educational qualifications, a bachelor’s degree in administration or management will help a candidate perform his job well. An office manager’s salary, at present, can be anywhere between $24,000 to $ 59,000, depending upon his experience, the industry he is employed in and his location. This makes it a reasonably well paid career, considering today’s economic scenario.
An office manager conveys to the management how the office and the employees are functioning. When the office procedures, rules and policies are framed, office manager is a part of the whole process. He conveys the same to the employees so that they are aware of what is expected from them. This shows that an office manager’s work is of prime importance and pivotal to the success of any organization. So, if you are ready to take on such a big responsibility, inculcate the skills mentioned above, to make a head start in this field.