Most offices have a manager whose responsibility it is to make sure the ship is being steered in the right direction.
So, what happens if your office ship is adrift or has not even left the port yet? Can you find someone qualified enough to take the wheel?
Before anyone thinks that such a position is a piece of cake, take a moment or two to reflect on all the responsibilities that befall such an individual.
Among the qualities one wants in a good office manager are:
- Someone who treats the entire staff fairly. While all offices have their little cliques, it is important that the manager give everyone a fair shake;
- Someone who is a worker and not just a supervisor. While the office manager is permitted to pass certain tasks on to assistants, etc. they should not expect to dish out all the work and not roll their own sleeves up to get the job done;
- Someone who is organized and get make tough decisions. While folks will oftentimes say that the hardest working individual at a company is the one who has the messiest desk, an office manager needs to make organization a top priority;
- Someone who displays good strong communication skills. Given this individual is at the epicenter of office communications, they need to be able to convey messages to staff in a quick and effective manner. One area that is oftentimes overlooked is providing positive feedback when employees do a good job. While it is expected of employees to do just that, patting them on the back now and then for a job well done certainly doesnât hurt.
When it comes time for your business to hire an office manager, the above-mentioned qualities are important to say the least, so take your time in getting the right man or woman for the job.
Some smaller businesses do not have the luxury of adding an office manager due to financial constraints, so they may turn such duties over to a present co-worker, perhaps even the boss them self. While the boss could be a good manager, they also likely have enough on their plate as it is, so it is better to delegate such duties to someone full time.
Businesses when advertising for the post will want someone with experience, someone who has been in the trenches if you will of office politics.
Their job description could entail a laundry list of assignments to oversee, including company expenses and payroll, making sure any office maintenance issues are dealt with, matters involving hiring and firing, and organizing staff meetings.
While being a good office manager is not exactly rocket science, it does take someone who can lead, so make sure your selection for the position is a leader and not a follower.
Photo credit: autocareerstoday.net
Dave Thomas is an expert writer on items like home security systems and is based in San Diego, California. He writes extensively for an online resource that provides expert advice on purchasing and outsourcing decisions for small business owners and entrepreneurs at Resource Nation.
AJ Leon is the CEO and Creative Director of 
Since I attended the very first gathering, SOBCon has always been about taking the time to think through the trajectory of both my business and my life. If I like the direction, how can I do even better, and if I don’t like the direction, what are my practical alternatives? Twice after coming back from Chicago, I’ve launched a business partnership. The first one eventually petered out, but I learned a lot from it and those lessons have continued to be helpful as I run the second business, Tourism Currents with Becky McCray.
