Office Management | Meaning and Definition | Elements

Meaning of Office Management

Office management refers to the process of planning, organizing, guiding, communicating, directing, coordinating and controlling the activities of a group of people who are working to achieve business objectives efficiently and economically.

Office Management - Meaning and Definition, Elements.
Image: Office Management – Meaning and Definition, Elements.

Office management is not only necessary to business organization but also essential to non-business organization. In modern internet society also, there is a need of direction to the individual efforts towards common purpose or objective. The direction is given from a place i.e. office.

The process can be treated as office management. A business is carried on by businessman with the help of group of persons. This group of persons has different interest, talent and motto. So, it is the function of office management to organize, guide and control the activities of such group of persons to achieve business objectives.

Definition of Office Management:

Office management can been defined as the art of guiding, directing coordinating and controlling the salaried people of an organization in order to achieve specified objective within a time schedule.

Elements of Office Management

Elements of office management are termed as pillars of a building. If pillar is strong, certainly, the building is also strong. Hence, efficient functioning of office management is based on the elements of office management. Following are the essential elements of office management.

1. Personnel

Office personnel are actually performing the office work. Generally, the selection and placement of office personnel is carried on by the office manager in small organization. In large organization, staffing is carried on by the human resource management department.

In both the case, the office work is to be performed by allocating the work to each individual according to their efficiency, guide the personnel to do the work with the help of means available in an office within a specified time and control the activities of office personnel. The office manager has to do all these activities.

2. Means

Means refers to tools used to perform the office work. Means include pen, pencil, eraser, paper, ink, office forms, typewriter, computer, printer, calculator and the like. Adequate tools have been supplied in an office and put them to the most efficient and economical use for achieving objectives.

3. Environment

The nature of business determines the environment of an office. The various office works have to be carried on under a particular condition or environment. A working environment is created and maintained for the smooth performance of office work. It is the duty and responsibility of an office manager to bring suitable environment by adopting various procedures and practice.

4. Purpose

The office personnel must be aware of the purpose for which a particular work is carried on and the impact of such work on others’ performance. The office manager teaches the purpose to office personal. If not so, the performance of office work does not bring the most efficient and economical use of office resources and achieve the objectives.

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