If your business is doing pretty well but you have concerns about how your office is running, find out why an office manager may be the solution you need.
According to a recent poll by Gallup, only 13{70e867cd2e68ee364b0db292aa41535b9c15b30eb7036e6526ebd577e85c0c0a} of employees are engaged at work. Since that initially seems shockingly low, you may be wondering what category the rest of the employees around the world fall into. For 63{70e867cd2e68ee364b0db292aa41535b9c15b30eb7036e6526ebd577e85c0c0a} of employees, the category is not engaged. The poll defined that category as not being motivated by the work they do on a daily basis. And for the other 24{70e867cd2e68ee364b0db292aa41535b9c15b30eb7036e6526ebd577e85c0c0a}, they’re actually actively disengaged. That means those employees are truly unproductive and unhappy. What’s really bad is those people can easily spread their feelings of negativity to their coworkers.
Although those statistics can be discouraging, the good news is there are steps that can be taken to improve the situation. As Forbes explains in an article on nailing employee engagement, proven strategies for getting employees on the right track include understanding what they’re thinking, having an intentional culture, demonstrating appreciation for all contributions, committing to honest communication and engaging in social interactions outside work. While those are all strategies that can work, the only problem is a company’s leadership can’t focus on them if their attention is being pulled around by smaller but still important issues.
How Can You Tell If It’s Time to Hire an Office Manager?
While this decision ultimately comes down to what you think is best for your business, there are several common signs that the time is right to begin looking for a qualified office manager. Not having enough time, consistently experiencing issues managing cash flow or a drop in the quality of customer service are all common signs that your business will benefit from the addition of an office manager. Additionally, not having enough policies, failing to enforce policies or seeing a drop in employee’s morale almost always means that it’s time to hire someone to focus on this role full-time.
What Should You Expect an Office Manager to Do?
One of the keys to getting the best results from hiring an office manager is ensuring they have the autonomy they need to get things done. If you attempt to micromanage this position, hiring someone for it isn’t going to help your business. Instead, it’s vital that you hire someone you know you can trust to get things done. A common question about this position is what exactly should an office manager get done.
The first duty of an office manager is to organize the procedures and operations of your office. Helping to prepare payroll, dealing with correspondence, approving supply requisitions such as inkjet toner cartridges and monitoring clerical functions are just a few examples of what this employee should be able to do. Because they play such a central role in its success, an office manager needs to always be tapped into the pulse of the workplace.
What Skills Does an Office Manager Need?
Since part of an office manager’s role is representing everyone who works in the office, it’s important for them to truly be passionate about taking care of others. They also need to be very organized and naturally inclined to using systems. However, they shouldn’t automatically accept that an existing system is the best. Instead, they need to always be on the lookout for more efficient ways to get things done.
Another vital skill for office managers to possess is the ability to multitask. Because the nature of this job means that someone is going to be interrupted on a regular basis, it’s important that they don’t get frazzled. Finally, the ideal personality for an office manager to possess is a balance between calm and upbeat.
What Else Should You Look for During the Hiring Process?
While skills like being organized are important for an office manager to possess, they’re not the only things you want to look at. It’s also crucial that the person you hire for this position is a great communicator. They should be just as comfortable talking with other employees as they are with customers and vendors. An office manager also needs to be mature. The last thing you want is for them to get bogged down by issues like office policies. They should also be a natural leader. Finally, you want someone who’s passionate. Not only will passion help them do a great job, but it will also create a positive tone for the rest of your office.
By recognizing your need for an office manager and then taking steps to hire the right one, you can improve how efficiently your office operates and subsequently help your business flourish.
Cody Gray is a business coach and writer. He draws upon the two decades of experience he has starting and running businesses to help other business owners get on the right path to success.
