During the past couple of years, the role of office manager became inevitable. They are no longer in charge of making sure their team behaves, purchasing office supplies, and similar. Nowadays, office managers’ main tasks are to ensure employee satisfaction, increase retention, and many more. Therefore, this role is crucial for workplace efficiency and productivity.
Even though almost anyone with well-developed social and organizational skills can become an office manager, not everyone can be a valued and respected one! So, if you want to become good, or outstanding, at your job, check out these tips on how to become a fantastic office manager.
- 1. Assign clear tasks
One of the main duties of every office manager is assigning tasks to their team. Even though this seems like a basic and simple task, you’d be surprised to know how many managers fail at this! So, to combat difficulties, make sure to assign clear tasks to everyone. How can you do that?
Often, tasks can be equalized with goals. Each goal should be set according to the SMART principles. They need to be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. That’s how your employees will know how to complete their tasks. In addition to that, assignments set according to those principles can be tracked, so you won’t have any issue with following their progress and providing them with adequate feedback.
2. Set priorities
In jobs where deadlines are breathing down your neck, knowing how to set your priorities and manage time is crucial. At the beginning of the day, each employee usually gets a list of tasks with certain deadlines that need to be completed. However, urgency is often a big issue for employees that are overwhelmed with work. That’s why you, as an office manager, need to help them to set priorities straight. How can you do that?
Try to discover your employees’ potential and according to that create a plan. Each employee certainly knows what they do the best, which will make task assigning easier. On top of that, you can help them set priorities based on deadlines and urgency. Some tasks might have shorter deadlines but are easier to complete. Keep in mind that everyone has their own pace!
3. Motivate your employees
Motivation is one of the main issues in the workplace. Due to stress and a fast-paced environment, a lot of employees quickly lose motivation, which affects productivity and end results as well. So, it’s up to you to motivate your employees to stay focused on their tasks. How can you do so?
Question what motivates them! If you’ve ever wondered why your employees aren’t efficient, try to talk to them and see what is causing the decrease in motivation. Even though a lot of people will say it’s money or knowledge, they may also offer you some pretty useful information, such as the need for team building or more comfortable offices.
4. Improve communication
Communication is a crucial skill for every manager. Any workplace problem can be sorted out if you’re a good communicator. Knowing how to approach and talk to people can make up for most other missing skills! So, how else can good communication skills contribute to your workplace?
Whether you work from the office or remotely, you need to keep in touch with your team to track their progress and help them if necessary. One of the easiest ways to reach them is through online tools that offer a safe space for sharing information and data. Such digital platforms can be a great space for engaging your employees as well as keeping them up to date with current events. Find out more here about such platforms and how you can put them to use in your work environment.
5. Pay attention to the well-being
As an office manager, it’s your task to pay attention to your team’s well-being. If your employees are showing symptoms of physical or mental illness, you need to take certain steps to help them improve their overall health. What are the steps you need to take?
One of the main ways of looking after employees’ well-being in the workplace is to look for the signs of deteriorated mental health. They may vary from person to person, but most people tend to feel tired, irritable, anxious, or even depressed. So, instead of ignoring these signs, try to offer them adequate help. Even though this may slow down the work, it will benefit the company in the long run!
- Conclusion
Being an office manager is fairly easy, however, being a fantastic office manager is challenging. If you want to be the leader your employees need, check out these tips that will help you achieve your personal and business goals in no time!
