Office — Meaning and Objectives

If you visit a firm, school or hospital you will find that a number of activities are being performed, such as letters received, dispatched, typing, photocopying, word processing, filing, handling of office machines etc. The place where all such activities are performed is known as office. Thus office is a service department of an organization, which is connected with the handling of records and provision of various services like typing, duplicating, mailing, filing, handling office machine s , keeping records , drafting , using information, handling money and other miscellaneous activities.

Definition of office

Some of the popular definitions of office are as follows:

• ‘‘Office is a place where clerical operations are carried on’’.—Denyer, J.C.

• ‘‘Office is a unit where relevant records for the purpose of control, planning and efficient management of the organization are prepared, handled and preserved. It provides facilities for internal and external communication and coordinates activities of different departments of the organization’’. —Littlefield, Rachel and Caruth.

The above definitions highlight the following characteristics—

• collecting information
• processing information
• storing information
• coordinating information
• distributing information

Therefore, an office may be defined as a place where all the activities concerned with collecting, processing, storing and distributing information for efficient and effective management of an organisation are carried out. In every modern organisation, be it a business concern or a Government department, there has to be an office. It is essential for the efficient management of the organisation.

Objectives of an office

The main objectives of an office are as follows:

1. Aid to Management: The office provides aid to management in performing the following functions:

(a) Direction: Direction and guidance of management to various sections and departments are issued through the office.

(b) Communication: The office serves as a communication channel between different parts of the organisation. It handles mail.

(c) Planning: The office helps management in planning for smooth functioning and progress of the organisation b y providing necessary information and data.

(d) Coordination: The office also facilitates co-ordination by maintaining links among departments.

2. Preserving Records: The office maintains necessary books and records of the organisation.

3. Providing Information: It provides the right kind of information to management at the right time.

4. Providing Office Services: It provides clerical and secretarial services to different executives.

5. Distribution of work: The office distributes the work among various employees and identifies their duties and functions.

6. Selection and Appointment: It also handles selection and appointment of employees. In short, the office is an important and indispensable part of every organisation.

Functions of a Modern Office

Functions of a Modern Office

An office is primarily concerned with collection and supply of information. Accurate and up to date information relating to organisation and other agencies affecting the organisation is always required for taking decisions and formulating policies. Besides, office has assumed many other responsibilities, such as safe guarding assets, personnel management, and procurement of assets etc., which are incidental to the primary function.

Therefore, the functions of a modern office may be classified into two categories:

(a) Basic functions, and (b) Administrative functions.

Basic functions

Basic functions are those functions of an office which need to be performed in all types of organisations. They are mainly related to receiving and giving of information. These basic functions are as follows:

1. Collecting information. The office receives or collects information about various activities of the organisation. The information may be collected from internal or external sources. Internal sources may be employees and various departments of the organisation. The external sources are customers, suppliers and Government Departments etc. From internal sources information may be received in the form of letters, circulars, reports etc., and external sources provide information through letters, orders, invoices, inquiries, reports, questionnaires etc. The executives of the organisation may also collect information while visiting other organisations.

2. Recording information. The office keeps record of information collected from various sources to make it readily available to the management. The information is kept in the form of correspondence, reports, statements, circulars, lists, charts, registers, books, etc. An office has also to maintain records as prescribed under law. The registered office of a company is required to maintain Register of Members under the Companies Act, 1956.

3. Arranging, analysing and processing the information. The information collected in an office is generally not in the form in which it may be used by the management. Therefore, facts and figures collected have to be arranged, processed, organised and analysed to make them useful to the management. In this connection financial statement, statistical statements, charts, lists, reports, summaries are prepared.

4. Preserving Information. The information is properly sorted out and preserved in the most economic and scientific manner. Various types of equipments, filing cabinets, etc. are used for preserving records. Unnecessary and out-dated records are destroyed to make space for new and valuable records.

5. Supplying information. All accumulated and processed information is useless unless it is communicated. The office serves as a two way channel for communication. On the one hand, it supplies the collected, recorded and processed information to the management and on the other hand, the policy decisions, guidelines and instructions issued by the management to the departments are also routed through the office. The information may be supplied verbally or in writing.

Administrative Functions

Administrative functions are in addition to the basic functions. But the office cannot hope to work smoothly without them. These relate to the tasks of protecting and safeguarding assets, maintaining and enhancing the operating efficiency, stationery control, choice and

use of the office equipments and selection, training, placement, and remuneration of the personnel etc. The following functions are normally considered as administrative functions of an office:-

1. Management functions. Various functions of management are also applicable to the management of an office functions. Office work has to be planned, organised and executed according to the plan. Control is exercised to ensure efficiency of operations in the office. Staffing, directing, communicating, co-ordination, motivating are also important for the management of offices.

2. Instituting office systems and routines An office has to develop systems and procedures for providing better services to other departments. Each phase of office work is carefully analysed and a proper procedure is developed for it. Proper sequencing of different tasks is necessary to ensure continuous flow of work.

3. Procuring stationery and supplies Adequate supply of office stationery of proper quality is necessary for the efficient performance of office work. The office purchases standard quality paper, pens, ink and other stationery items, maintains the stock and issues them only on demand.

4. Designing and control of office forms Use of standardized forms simplifies office operations. It is the responsibility of the office to design, standardize, provide and control the forms to be used in the office as well as in other departments of the enterprise.

5. Purchasing office equipments and furniture Efficient and economical performance of office work requires proper furniture, equipment and machines. Office has to arrange for selection and purchase of these items from reliable suppliers. It has also to ensure timely availability of furniture etc., to departments and employees to facilitate proper utilization, as well as arrange for maintenance, servicing and replacement according to need.

6. Safeguarding of Assets Different types of assets are maintained in an organization. The assets must be protected against damages and losses on account of fire, theft etc. An efficient control system is exercised by office to safeguard the assets.

7. Personnel Management The efficiency of office work depends very much on the employees. Their appointment, training, promotion, appraisal and welfare are the functions of the office.

8. Maintaining Public Relations An organization depends on public reputation and goodwill for its existence and progress. Maintaining public relations is also the responsibility of the office. Most organizations have reception counters to greet and receive visitors to the organization. The above are some of the more important functions of office. The nature of functions differs from organization to organization as per needs.

IMPROTANCE OF AN OFFICE

The importance of an office is discussed below:

1. Office as a service centre Office provides the services of typing, duplicating, printing, providing information from records, supplying forms and stationery etc. No organisation can work smoothly without these services. Therefore, office is sometimes referred to as a service department.

2. Office as a memory centre All types of information are arranged and preserved in the office and supplied to management as and when required. Various transactions and activities of the organisation which are on record are preserved by the office. Therefore, office may be described as the memory centre, information centre or brain of an organisation.

3. Office as a channel of communication It is through the office that communication, especially written communication, takes place between different departments and different levels of the organisation. An organisation would fail, in spite of the best organisational resources, if the communication system is not effective.

4. Office as a co-ordinator Office maintains links with all the departments of an organization and keeps every department informed about what is happening in other departments. Thus, it provides the basis of co-ordination between departments. For example, office informs the production department about changing tastes and fashion in the market as revealed by the market survey conducted by marketing department. Similarly marketing department is supplied information about the cost of production to fix appropriate prices.

5. Office as a controller Control is a necessary function of management executed through office. It requires (i) establishment of standards, (ii) measurement of performance against the standard (iii) ascertainment of deviation, and (iv) correction of deviations from standards and plans.

6. Office as a intermediary The office maintains contact with outsiders and links the organization with customers, suppliers, etc. It attends to the enquiries, orders and complaints, and maintains liaison between government and the organisation.

7. Importance of office to employees Maintenance of attendance records, and preparation of wage and salary sheets for timely payment are the responsibility of the office. It is also responsible for operating different employee benefit schemes, like group insurance, provident fund, etc.

8. Importance of office to customers The office acts as a link between the business and its customers. Enquiries, orders, and complaints of customers are taken care of by the office. It also advertises the products and their uses for information of the customers.

9. Importance to general public The office also acts as a link between general public and the Nature and functions of office organisation. It is responsible for creating a good image for the organisation in the minds of people.

Centralization and Decentralization

Centralization and Decentralization of office services:

Depending upon the size and management of the organization office services can be centralized as well as decentralized. Office helps in coordinating and facilitating the work of other departments of business. The purpose of office is to furnish competent clerical service to all in the business, whatsoever is required.

Centralization of office services means that office functions are physically concentrated in one department. It is the duty of the centralized office to provide for such office service as required by any department.

The advantages of centralization of office services are:

1. It helps in coordinating.
2. It saves office cost.
3. Equitable distribution of work load is possible.
4. Supervision of work can be improved.
5. Method of work can be standardized.

The disadvantages of centralization are:

1. It does not foster loyalty for departments
2. Delay in work.

Decentralization means that a sectional office is attached to each department for services that cannot be centralized. Other services which are common to all departments are centralized in one general office. This is a combination of centralization and decentralization and is known as functional centralization.

The advantages of decentralization are:

1. It helps in specialization in departmental services.
2. It lessens burden on general office.
3. It fosters departmental loyalty.
4. It enables to maintain secrecy.
5. Work can be performed more quickly.

The disadvantages of decentralization are:

1. There may be duplication of work.
2. It created problems of coordination
3. Cost of office management is high
4. Office workload cannot be evenly distributed among workers of various departments.

Organisation Chart

Organisation Chart

Organisation structure of a company can be shown in a chart. Such chart indicates how different departments are interlinked on the basis of authority and responsibility. It is a simple diagrammatic method of describing an Organisation structure. It indicates how the departments are linked together on the basis of authority and responsibility. Such Organisation chart provides information of the Organisation structure at a glance. Organisation chart is like a blue print of a building. It indicates the number and types of departments, superior-subordinate relationship, chain of command and communication.

Definition of Organisation Chart

According to George Terry, Organisation chart is "a diagrammatical form which shows important aspects of an Organisation, including the major functions and their respective relationships, the channels of supervision and the relative authority of each employee who is in-charge of each respective function".

Features of Organisation Chart

The definition noted above indicates the following features of Organization charts:

• Organisation chart is a diagrammatical presentation.
• It represents the formal Organisation structure.
• It shows the lines of authority in the Organisation.
• It indicates the channel of communication.
• It indicates who supervises whom and how various units are inter-related.

Advantages of Organizational Chart

1. Brings clarity to the Organisation: The very process of preparing a chart makes the executive think more clearly about the Organisation relationships.
2. Provides clear picture of the Organisation: Once the charts are prepared, they provide lot of information about the Organisation, both to the members of the Organisation as well as to the outsiders. This information relates to number and types of departments, superior subordinate relationships, chain of command and communication and job titles of each employee.
3. Facilitates training of employees: Organisation charts are useful in familiarizing and training new employees.
4. Ensures organizational changes: Organisation charts provide a starting point for planning organizational changes after having discovered the weaknesses of the existing structure.
5. Provides quick understanding: A chart serves as a better method of visualizing an Organisation than a lengthy written description of it.

Limitations of Organisational Chart

1. Details are not provided: The Organisation chart does not provide all the details of Organisation structure created. For example, the chart will show the line of authority but not the extent of authority.
2. Informal relationship is not shown: The chart fails to give details of informal relationship available in a firm. In fact, human relationships cannot be shown on a chart.
3. Updated position is not available: The chart shows the position of Organisation structure when it was formed. It gives a static picture of the Organisation. Changes made thereafter may not be available in such charts.
4. Fosters buck-passing: The charts tend to foster 'buck-passing' and emphasize only formal channels of communication.
5. Lacks flexibility: Organisation chart lacks an element of flexibility. Such chart also brings an element of rigidity in the working of an Organisation.
6. Creates rank consciousness: An Organisation chart leads to rank consciousness among the staff. It destroys team spirit and collective approach on the part of the staff.

Types of Organisation Chart

1. Vertical chart: One of the most popular methods is the vertical chart in which the highest job is shown at the top with other jobs shown in a descending order, connected by lines to show the authority and the line of communication.

2. Horizontal chart: This chart shows the Organisation structure in the form of a pyramid.

3. Circular chart: The top management is shown at the centre of the circle and other management levels are shown in concentric circles.

4. Departmental chart: This chart is devoted exclusively to particular department and gives details of relationships, authority, responsibility, etc. within the department.

Uses of Organisation Chart

1. An Organisation chart facilitates ready reference. It enables the management to find out different positions of authority and their relationships in the Organisation structure.
2. It provides proper guidance to managers in executing, their assignments and helps them to avoid overlapping and duplication of work.
3. It provides complete information to understand the character of an Organisation.
4. An Organisation chart indicates ways to better utilization of available manpower.
5. An Organisation chart points out the consistencies and deficiencies of an Organisation and enables the management to correct them.

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