Office management

Concept of office:
The office is an important and an indespeable organ of business organisation. this is the place from where all the functions relating to administration, management and control are performed. The term ‘office’ may be studied from two ways i.e. traditional and modern point of view. From a traditional point of view, office is that particular place of an organisation where both executive and clerical functions are performed. However, according to modern concept, office is the administrative centre of the organisation where both executive and clerical works are performed. Office is the work itself, not who does it or where it is done. Work can be done in the office, factory, store or by visiting the customer.
According to J.C. Denyer, “Office is a place where clerical operations are carried on.”

Functions of an office:

1. Basic function:
2. Receiving and collecting information: Receiving and collecting different types of information from different sources are the primary function of an office. The information is received from internal as well as external sources. Letters, circulars, reports, invoice, inter department notes, etc. are the internal sources of information. External sources of information are suppliers, customers, competitors, stockholders, Bank, research institution, financial institution, government and the general people.
3. Processing and arranging information: which is the most significant function of an office. The information collected and recorded cannot be readily used for division making purposes. South information needs to be processed and arranged in such a manner that it can be used for the given purpose. Processing information involves preparing notes, starting, editing and totalling, and making summaries, diagrams and graphs.  All the process information needs to be arranged in a logical way and in the form is required by law.
4. Communicating or supplying information: an office provides a variety of information to anyone concerned. The processed information is communicated to different sections and departments. Inside the organisation and to suppliers, customers, investors, governmental units and trade unions outside the organisation on a regular basis through different means.
5. Retention of records: detention act of keeping valuable records safely. All the collected and processed information should be preserved and retained in files and electronic devices for safety and reference purposes. The efficiency of an office depends upon the way. It retains the records of their proper supply whenever and wherever they are required by the users.  

Axillary or administrative management functions:

1. Protecting assets: an office involves in utilizing and protecting all movable and immovable assets and properties of the organisation. Such assets and properties are buildings, machines, office equipment, furniture, air conditioning system, lighting system vehicles, inventory, cash and bank balance. All the acids and properties are handled by an office.
2. Reforming managerial functions: An office performs a number of managerial functions such as planning, organising, staffing, directing, coordinating, controlling and communicating. These functions are part of the process of office management. Hence, this managerial function is known as the office function.
3. Developing office system: every office develops a definite office system and a fixed routine. This system is also called the procedure of office work. Office system procedure ensures uninterrupted and smooth flow of office work.
4. Form of designing and control: An office designs, develops and prepares many types of forms needed for office management. These office forms are important tools for collection and storage of information. These forms are important for the purpose of processing, reporting and communicating information to the internal and external users.
5. Controlling stationery and supplies: for office work, stationery and supplies and necessary. Considerable amounts are used to procure such office stationery and supplies. Hence, the office must be involved in controlling such stationery and supplies materials as effectively as possible while buying, storing, issuing and using them in order to minimize wastage and loss. 

Importance of an office:

1. Solid proof of the existence of the organisation: an office is the solid proof of the legal existence of an organisation. The office is the physical structure and evidence of an organisation’s existence. The related parties like suppliers, consumers, consultants, distributors and many others visit the office to get their work done.
2. Information centre: An office can rightly be regarded as an information centre which provides information relating to business transactions. Information relating to the organisation is readily available in its office. Such information is very useful to internal users such as debtors, creditors, investors, government and the public at large.
3. Reliable channel of communication: an office not only keeps records of information but also plays the role of reliable channel of communicating information to internal and external users to help them from judgement and make decision proper timely accurate authorise communication of information i.e. essentials for smooth operation of business.
4. Storage and protection of records: and officers and staff organisation to protect and preserve the records. Records are of vital importance to the organisation. Without records its activities cannot be carried smoothly. The office receives, arranges and records all the letters, circular, reports, notice, contract paper, insurance policies and other related data. It provides full safety for these records by keeping names in files, drawers, cabinets and electronic devices.
5. Helps in coordination: text to coordinate between and among activities, levels and departments of organisation. It provides information to bring unity in action. Effective coordination in an organisation is almost possible without an. Thus, it also serves as a coordination centre.
6. Helps in managerial control: managerial control is virtually the method of measuring performance. it is the process of evaluating the performance of people and departments to confirm that activities are carried out as per the plans and standard set by the management. An office establishes the standard measure, the actual performance and compares between standard and actual performance.
7. Importance to the employees: an office performs many organisational functions which facilitates to maintain effective human relation. It prepares wages in the salary sheet and makes payments to the staff members. It also determined employees’ benefits schemes such as pension and provident fund.
8. Importance to the customers: An office is considered as the most significant element of the organisation by its customers because it provides a link between the business form and its customers. It deals, handles and takes care of enquiries, orders and complaints of the customers and also provides information about the firms, products and services. 

Concept of office management:
Office management in a business enterprise is like the brain in the human body which gives direction to perform its various functions. Office management consists of two words: ‘office’ and ‘management’. Office is an important place for performing all administrative and clerical functions of an organisation. It controls and coordinates the activities of people and departments of the organisation. Management is the art of getting things done through others. It is a process of planning, organising, directing, coordinating, supervising, motivating, communicating and contributing the activities of people and departments for the attainment of predetermined goals and objectives of the organisation.

Importance of office management:

1. Avoid delays: office management involves making effective plans for financial, physical and human resources. It also involves in organising such resources efficiently. Search planning and organising of resources helps the firm to reduce and avoid delays in word documents of its different sections and departments.
2. Speedy work performance: effective management system helps in every section of office. Since, office management plans and allocates enough resources, speedy performance is assured. Office management performs everything in a planned way. It hires qualified, skilled and experienced employees. It ensures unity in direction.
3. Effective internal control: Office management establishes an effective internal control system. It implements internal checks and internal audits as important tools of the internal control system. It helps to detect and prevent weakness, fraud and errors. Hence, office management insurance is an effective and instructive and accounting control system.
4. Less overhead expenses: is office management system helps to minimise inefficiencies, wastages end users by establishing an effective internal control system. it helps to keep the overhead cost to the minimum. In fact, an effective office management system increases the efficiency of the staff and improves the productivity of the organisation.
5. Effective coordination: office management system is important to establish coordination among different departments and sections of the organisation. It fixes the rights and responsibilities of different offices and departments, directs their activities to wash their attainment of common goals and synchronised or various effects, resources and timing which will ultimately result in the development of unity of purpose to achieve the common goals.
6. Right person at right job: management in fact is the process of managing people at work. The office management system gives due emphasis on proper management of people by adopting the systematic process of selecting, training, placing, promoting, evaluating remunerating and recording the activities of employees.
7. Training and motivation of staff: office management also involved in providing training to its personnel to prepare them for new challenges. it motivates them to work sincerely by establishing an effective evaluation, communication and remuneration system.

Meaning of office accommodation:
Office accommodation request to the total space required to carry out office activities. It is an important issue to be addressed by office management today. The management must give serious consideration to the office at accommodation. The decision regarding office accommodation has long run implications. Pool office accommodation results in improper layout of physical facilities, ineffectiveness, uneven flow of work, wastage and losses of office resources and time, insecurity, poor working environment and dissatisfaction of employees. Hence, proper office accommodation is the fundamental requirement for the effective utilisation of office resources to achieve organisational objectives. Office accommodation request proposition in various aspects of an office.

Factors to be considered while selecting the right office accommodation:

1. Office location: office building location should be convenient to employees, customers, suppliers and other outsiders. But it is difficult to state precisely as to what is the best location for office building. Office building location can be of two types, urban and suburban. Open location refers to a big city like Kathmandu of Nepal and suburban location refers to distance from the city but quite closely connected with it by means of transportation and communication like Kirtipur of Nepal. Following factors should be taken into mind while selecting office building location:
2. Availability of human resource
3. Least cost of space
4. Ability of infrastructure
5. Nearest to is customer
6. Healthy environment
7. Adequate place
8. Government taxes.
9. Choice of building or accommodation: finalizing the office building location, it is necessary to secure office accommodation. Office buildings should be of adequate size and proper shape to suit the requirement of the organisation. There are two measures of securing office building. They are constructing their own buildings and leasing buildings. Both of these methods have their own merits and demerits. Thus, they should be compared on the basis of cost benefit analysis.
10. Size of office accommodation: size of office accommodation should be adequate to meet the current as well as future needs of the organisation. Future needs of the space depend upon the growth rate of organisation. Provision of unnecessary space for the future is productive and expensive. It is necessary to provide adequate space for machines, equipment, furniture and employees for the smooth operation with greatest efficiency and least inconvenience. so size of accommodation is an important factor to be considered while selecting the right office accommodation.
11. Shape of office accommodation: The shape office accommodation is another important factor to be considered while selecting office accommodation. the shape of accommodation may be square, rectangular, circular, u shaped, l shaped, t shaped vertical or horizontal.
12. Layout of the office accommodation: layout of department and other facilities refers to the arrangement, departments and facilities in the definite pattern. The following factors should be considered for proper arrangement of departments and facilities:
13. Integrated department should be kept together
14. Service facilities like water point, clock room, bathroom, etc. should be easily approachable to all.
15. It is better to have all departments on the same floor as far as possible. Only store in two department distances is minimum when placed on the next floor.
16. Lighting and ventilation of the office space: adequate lighting and ventilation of the office building or space is of great importance. Proper lighting and ventilation there’s a lot to increase efficiency to enhance worker’s morale. A well-lighted and ventilated accommodation puts lesser physical and mental strain on the office workers and consequently their efficiency is higher.
17. Office environment: office environments should be such which could help to enhance the work efficiency. It could be achieved if the office and its surrounding are very favourable and free from disturbance, noises and unwanted crowd.

Office layout:
Office layout is also called office space planning. office layout refers to the arrangement of machine, equipment and other physical facilities of an office on the available space in a systematic and scientific way to ensure smooth work with the least effort and cost. It can be understood as the scientific arrangement of different departments, equipment and staff members within a given available floor space with a view to make optimum utilisation of space and ensure maximum efficiency of the office.  In fact, office layout is one of the most important tasks of office management.

Importance of office layout:

1. Proper utilisation of closed space: office layout makes proper management for human and physical resources and this assures the optimum utilisation of available floor space. Impact proper utilisation of floor space reduces operating office and administration cost.
2. Effective supervision: An appropriate layout consists of office managers to supervise the activities of employees and departments in an easy and effective manner.
   Facilities for inter-communication: successful office operation depends upon effective and efficient intercommunication. Good office layout facilities effective communication among staff members and departments.
3. Better use of office machines: proper office layout insurance, better arrangement of machines and equipment and maximum utilisation of their capacity. In fact, optimum utilisation of office resources reduces operating cost of office and administration.
4. Provides compound and increases productivity:  a systematic layout of department and physical facilities of the office provide most comfort and convenience to their employees in their work. it affects employee’s efficiency and satisfaction and ultimately increases employee’s productivity.
5. Smooth flow of work: the office manager finances inconvenience to monitor and supervise the activities of his staff. Hence, proper office layout ensures smooth flow of work.