OFFICE ADMINISTRATION
The office is any place set aside for clerical work and administration work.
FUNCTIONS OF THE OFFICCE
Refers to the activities or operations which the office facilitates for the accomplishment for the office
organisations.
1. obtaining information
The office receives information from both internal and external sources and also takes necessary steps
to obtain missing or delayed information.
2. Keeping records and information
Involves keeping various record books, registers etc.
Other resources can be kept I disketes, flash disc, ds etc.
Some of this information may be required by law and others for the purpose of reference.
3. Preparing information
Includes simple arrangements of figures or data or original entry before entering them into books and
other books.
4. Communication
After receiving the information and preparing it the office may communicate it to the management
staff or to the outside world.
5. Protection
The office assumes the responsibility for security and safety of administration records and
information. Also handles important information and provides checks to safeguard internal assets.
6. Administration
It serves as the administration centre where staffing, budgeting etc. is done.
OFFICE LAYOUT
Defined as the practical arrangement of an office.
Determination of space required and details of use of the space.
Principles of an office layout
A set of guidelines which assist the manager in designing the ideal layout of the office.
1. Legal requirements-A good office layout should conform to the legal requirements of the
society of a country.
2. Minimal movement-Placement of furniture should be done with minimum movement to
prevent their breakages.
3. Noise reduction -A good office reduces noise to minimum and the rooms should be made
sound proof and floors carpeted.
4. A good office layout should make supervision easy.
5. It should allow enough lighting.
6. Safety-Should provide security to both staff and equipment,
7. Appearance –it should be attractive in terms of colour, cartains, walls etc.
Types of Office Layout
1. Closed office layout
The office is subdivided into small rooms with each room connected to each other by a corridor, each
room is meant for one employee and has a separate accessible door.
Advantages
Privacy
Noise reduction
Security of information
Discourages overcrowding
Minimum conflict with other personnel.
Less disease transmission
Prestigious
Easily maintained-one can organise his own office.
Disadvantages
Expensive
Encourages laziness
Supervision is impaired
Kills team work
Coordination of work may be difficult.
Increased movement which is time wasting
Consultations is hard and takes long.
2. OPEN Office Layout
The office is kept free of movement of any parts.in this arrangement both the senior and junior staffs
share one large room.
Advantages
Easy supervision
Cheap to construct
Enhances corporation and team work.
Easy flow of work
Saves time wasted on movement from one office to the other.
Easy communication.
Disadvantages
Risk of getting diseases
High rate of conflict
No maximum confidentiality can be practiced
Commotion in the office which affects concentration
Landscape Office Layout
It involves putting together the advantages of open office layout and closed office layout while
avoiding disadvantages.
It has two main features:
o Green plants are planted in vases and strategically placed to create a resemblance of portion.
o Quality floor carpet is fitted in the office.
Advantages
Noise is reduced
Enables efficiency supervision
Allows easy flow of work
It’s flexible
Disadvantages
Space wastage
Lacks privacy
Expensive in terms of special carpets and flowers
4. Work station office
The office is subdivided into small working areas with each area meant for one employee.
5. Modified office layout
The layout seeks to benefit the advantages of closed type while avoiding its disadvantages.
It is closed in that offices are subdivided into small rooms and corridors, each with its door but it is
partitioned using glass materials so that you can see through what is happening in the offices without
hearing what the others say.
Office Equipment
These are facilities used in an office to make work easier.
Roles of office equipment
1. Make working more efficient;
2. Enhances neatness and accuracy;
3. Ensure security for documents;
4. Provides comfortable working environment.
Types of office equipment
Office Machine Use
GENERAL OFFICE Guillotine Trimming documents into required shapes
and sizes;
Paper punch Make holes in papers to facilitate filing
Stapling machine For pinning papers together
Staple remover To remove pins from papers
MAIL ROOM Folding machine Folding letters and sealing envelopes;
Frankling machine For printing postage impressions on
envelopes;
Addressing For printing addresses on the mail
machines
Sorting machine For sorting letters
Letter opener For opening letters
composite To fold documents, place them in envelopes
and seal the envelops
TYPING ROOM Typewriter Used for typing documents manually
Dictating machines For making shorthand dictations and
(Dictaphone) recording information on tapes;
Paper shredders Cutting unwanted documents into tiny
pieces to avoid the documents getting into
wrong hands
Duplicating machine For reproducing documents from a master
copy. (stencil)
COMMUNICATIONS Telephone, radio Used to send and receive messages;
calls, pagers
Telex-printer, For printing telexed messages
computer emails
Facsimile , For transmitting written messages like
answering machines letters, maps, diagrams, photographs.
DUPLICATING/ Photocopier For producing documents
REPRODCUTION
Printing machine
Stencil duplicator
ACCOUNTS / FINANCE Adding machine Adding and subtracting figures
Cash register Preparing ash receipts
Calculators For all types of calculations
Accounting For posting information to ledgers and
machine, Tax payroll preparation
register
Computer For complex calculations
Money counting For counting coins and notes
machine
Advantages of Office Machines
1. Save on labour- use of machines substitutes large number of people hence saving on salaries;
2. Speed-Machines are much faster than people;
3. Accuracy-when used by an efficient operator, it can be very accurate;
4. Presentable- their products are of high quality;
5. Control-machines can prevent frauds by using some meters or detectors;
6. Uniformity- machines produce homogenous outputs;
7. Minimizes- they handle tedious and monotonous activities;
8. Saving on cost- machines are more efficient than labour
Disadvantages of office machines
1. Cost- high initial, maintenance and operational costs;
2. Stoppage of work- breakdown and downtime may disrupt operations;
3. Unemployment- machines displace people from work;
4. Obsolescence-advanced in technology may render a machine outdated;
5. Require skills-machines require some training to operate;
6. Special materials- some machinery may require special stationary;
7. Losses-carelessness of the operator may lead to high losses.
Factors considered when selecting office equipment
1. Cost - initial, operational and maintenance costs;
2. Adaptability- should be able to cope with future changes in technology;
3. Durability- should have high working life;
4. Effect on staff morale- it should boost the morale of the workers;
5. Possibility of hiring rather than buying
6. Availability of complementary resources- power to operate, the raw materials and spare
parts should be considered as one acquires equipment;
7. Availability of man power to operate the equipment;
8. Availability of adequate space to keep it;
9. Security of the equipment
