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OFFICE PRACTICE AND PROCEDURES

Cutting edge practices for cutting edge performance.

OFFICE PRACTICE AND PROCEDURES Office Practice and Procedures could be defined as the efficient and effective ways of managing/handling the office; including: People, i.e clients, visitors, bosses and all staff; Tools and Equipment/Machinery, i.e computers & accessories and stationery. General Environment Practice means Actions rather than ideas A way of doing something that is the usual or expected way in a particular organization or situation Habits; a thing that is done regularly Improving skills; doing an activity or training regularly so that you can improve your skills Having a prior experience in the performance of work Procedure means the methods of doing something to arrive at the expected outcome Efficiency means doing the right thing Effectiveness means doing things right The Role/Functions of the Secretary The secretary plays a supportive role that is intended to help management to achieve its basic objectives. Work Planning Managing your Time (Prioritizing) Initiating Correspondence Replying Letters Meeting Deadlines Arranging Meetings Taking minutes at meetings Receiving visitors/students Records Management Qualities of a Secretary Personal qualities are as important as good education and skills. We would want to look at what external qualities are important, how to achieve these qualities, attributes that promote social harmony and why they are necessary. There are some personal qualities that enhance performance and career prospects in a Secretarial position; these are Being methodical, well organized, adaptable to different situations and having good memory Imagination, initiative, trustworthiness, honesty, loyalty and self-control Tact, discretion, common sense, helpfulness, good humour, patience, sociability and understanding Instinct for cooperation Test Questions and Answers (1) Are good organizers born or made? A few secretaries are born organizers but most of them acquire them through training (2) How can one be trained to do what is expected of them? (i) By always being present and getting to know the whole organization you work for, its aims, systems, strengths and weaknesses. (ii) By building a network of friends and acquaintances who will cooperate and help in emergencies (iii) By training the executive into good habits – such as telling you, at least, what is being done, why it is being done and when everything is to happen. (3) Why is Initiative Important? Many people hesitate to take the initiative due to cognitive dissonance. If there are no laid down systems for doing something, devise one, others will copy if it works, then you begin to build self-confidence and your self-esteem will be high. (4) What is the relationship between Trustworthiness, Honesty and Loyalty (i) Honesty is essential in every walk of life. Dishonesty leads to disgrace and even imprisonment. (ii) Trustworthiness requires others to have confidence in your honesty, discretion and sense of duty. (iii) Loyalty is a sense of duty to others, usually those in higher position. At the very top is the organization itself. We must be loyal to that end. A conflict of loyalties can arise between the organization and the executive and such a conflict can be a problem. (5) What is meant by Instinct for Co-operation Management have certain set objectives to meet if it is to play a proper part in the organization and realize both the organizational aims and personal self-esteem which are essential to enjoyable employment. This is exhibited by an excellent and skilled performance on the part of the Secretary to reduce friction over the work at hand and avoid retyping and other wasteful activities. The Secretary must feel a sense of identification with these objectives and of responsibility to help achieve them if management/secretarial partnership is to be successful. The Secretary’s Weapons Secretarial skills of typing with speed and accuracy, word processing etc. A very good command of the English language. Organizational abilities. Instinct for cooperation in achieving the aims of management. Since some of the Deans and Heads of Department are not conversant with office practice and procedures and the role of the office in relatation to the goals of the polytechnic, it behooves the secretary to play his or her roles effectively to support the day-to-day running of the office. Come to work early and close late. Organize yourself for the next day. INITIATING CORRESPONDENCE Letter writing is one of the most complex and difficult tasks in business, and it is quite likely that most people will make mistakes and these are promptly held as examples of incompetence which reflect on the organization as a whole. Strangely enough, however, every individual thinks that his/her own method is irreproachable and this perception has led to a situation where we find it difficult to change our habits, however appalling these seem to other people. It is for this reason that bad practice in letter writing – the perpetuation of outdated and overworked phrases and stilted language, has persisted, particularly in bureaucratic organization/institutions. One of the most difficult problems for a new member of staff to combat is the house style, i.e the one that is approved by the organization as a whole and more importantly, by his/her immediate superior. Even if the style is poor, it is difficult to oppose it. Once you understand how the office runs, you will be able to initiate all routine correspondence without being told to do so all the time. Do not only type what your boss writes for you. The communication must start from your desk. You may have to initiate correspondence if: Information is needed by a certain deadline Your boss is out of the office; for example, student enrolment, information about Lecturers, number of registered students, semester course outlines, end-of-semester examination results etc. These are routine information you have been working on most of the time. Sometimes such pieces of information should be prepared without having to wait for your boss’s instructions. Such information can be in a memo form, using the layout you are familiar with. On the other hand, letters could be drafted for your boss’s approval before they are typed and sent out. However, if it is one on which action cannot be taken on it until your boss is in, put it on a file and put an ACTION SLIP on it. In initiating correspondence: First use an appropriate salutation and heading Always use the first paragraph to say why you are writing the letter to someone Keep the content of the letter direct and to the point Always use a gentle friendly closing sentence so as not to have an abrupt ending For those correspondence that you do open Date-stamp it with the correct date Pass all inward correspondence on to your boss so that he/she knows what has come in for the day. When he/she has finished with them, he/she will give them to you and you would then need to file them. If he/she has to reply, initiate the correspondence. These are some of the main reasons for writing business letters: To provide a convenient and inexpensive means of communication without personal contact To seek information To furnish evidence of transactions entered into Provide a record for future reference Building goodwill by creating in the mind of the reader an impression of the writer’s organization as one that is efficient, reliable and anxious to be of service. If letters are to fulfill these requirements effectively, hasty composition will not do. Letters must be carefully thought out and planned. Drafting the Letter Get your thoughts down on paper and as you read through your draft, ask yourself such questions as the following Can I shorten my letter without in any way detracting from its clarity, e.g. by deleting unnecessary words or condensing wordy phrases Does my letter contain expressions so badly phrased to give offence? In initiating correspondence: First consider what you want your letter to do Think of the person you are writing to What sort of Person is he? What does he expect to get from me and what sort of reception is he likely to give my letter? Not until you have answered these and similar questions can you say what should be said in the way most likely to achieve the result you are after. Put yourself in the shoes of the reader. No letter can be completely successful unless the writer adopts this attitude of looking at the matter from the reader’s angle. Use the Right Tone The letter must establish rapport with the reader and accepted favourably by him/her if the message is to be effective and evoke the response which the writer is seeking. Plan your Letter Assemble relevant facts Select the right approach You must be clear about what you want to say and prepare a plan In initiating correspondence you need to IMPRESS Idea - Decide on the principal aim(s) of the letters Method - Structure the letter’s main points in a plan Paragraph - Follow the opening, body (middle) and closing scheme Recipient - Remember who will receive the letter Emphasis - Guide the letter’s progress to its action statement Style - Employ a style appropriate to the letter’s aim(s) Safety - Check the letter for errors or omission before dispatch A letter containing spelling or punctuating errors or both creates a poor impression. Whenever there is a slightest doubt over the spelling of a word, consult a good dictionary. Some Identified Problems Lack of training and education Poor channel of communication Talking on phone for long hours Printing large amounts of private work Inserting external drives from outside the office Economic use of sheets and ink Individual culture conflicting with organizational culture Lack of attention to detail Underestimation of role Lack of initiative Lack of self motivation to achieving organizational goals Transcript turnaround time Read application for transcripts to confirm Date, index Nos. and addresses Let your boss know you are leaving the office Calculation of attitude A B C D E F G H I J K L M 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Calculate the following: (1) Hard work = (2) Commitment = (3) Dedication = (4) Attitude = 100% (5) Happiness = (6) Understanding = (7) Qualification = (8) Experience =
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