Contribute to the Planning, Organising and Monitoring of Work

Role and Qualities of an Administrative Assistant; Individual and Organisational Targets;Planning and Prioritising;Time and Task Management;Team Working.

The Role and Qualities of the Admin Assistant

The Admin Assistant is responsible for providing the organisational skills and support to the organisation

in terms of information and communication.General duties include:

filing, document production, mail handling, reprographics and making travel arrangements.

Task carried out by Senior Admin Assistants:

Supervisory, with increased responsibility for making decisions and assistant management more directly.

Qualities of the Senior Admin Assistant

Good organisational skills, including ability to prioritise tasks and meet or negotiate deadlines;Reliable and discreet;Be an effective co-coordinator of activity;Be able to work unsupervised;Possess high-level communication skills;Liaise well with customers and staff (including middle and senior managers;Possess excellent ICT skills, be able to compose and present material on own on behave of others. Knowledge of financial procedures may also be necessary.

Job Description (Job Specification)

Preparing and responding to correspondence;Using a variety of software applications;Preparing presentation material using appropriate software;Supervising junior staff;Organising and recording meetings;Arranging events (eg seminars and conferences);Organising and allocation resources (people, time, equipment);Researching information.

Lists the role, duties and responsibilities of the post; the person/s to whom the post-holder is accountable and for whom they are responsible. Duties include:

Person Specification

Good communicator;Well organised;Team worker;Problem solver;Ability to delegate;Discreet.

As well as the Job Specification, employers look for many personal qualities necessary to fulfil the post. ie, a Person Specification, these qualities are normally listed as desirable or essential. An example of personal qualities:

Individual and Organisational Targets

Action Plans Priorities ListsDealing with Changing PrioritiesSetting TargetsPersonal Development PlanningDealing with Deviations from Planned TargetsEstablishing and Implementing Control Mechanisms and Monitoring Achievement of TargetsTime and Task Management

Action Plans

The tasks arranged in the order in which they should be done;An estimate of the time that each part of the project will take to complete;Any notes to explain actions or changes in priorities.

An Action Plan may be prepared when a larger or longer-term project needs to be planned and outlined to the line manager or to see at a glance how the project should be approached. It shows

A Priorities List is then prepared to break the task down into smaller, achievable tasks.

Dealing with Changing Priorities

Plans may have to be amended due to unforeseen circumstances– A member of staff fails to turn up for work– The computer network ‘crashes’– A line manager suddenly changes the deadline for a

piece of workFlexibility must be built in to your Priorities ListTasks should not be left to the last minute

Priorities Lists

Tasks generally fall into one of 5 categories:– Urgent – very high priority– Must be done –high priority– Should be done – medium priority– Could be done – low priority– Could be delegated – very low priority

Priorities Lists should have a mixture of high, medium and low priority so that some tasks can be delayed if necessary.

Priorities List or Action Plan

List all the tasks requiring to be doneBreak each task down into a series of smaller tasks or stepsNumber the tasks in the order in which they should be carried outEstimate the time it will take to complete each taskNote any changes or problemsTick each step once completedIndicate jobs which require to be carried forward

Conclusion

Take time at the beginning and end of each day to assess what tasks have been completed, what tasks need to be carried forward and what tasks are newNote all tasks carried forward on your Priorities List for the next working day

Conclusion continued

Stick to the Priorities list – unless an emergency arises;Finish one task before moving on to the next;Do not put off tasks that are uninteresting;Above all, the Admin Assistant should remain calm and, if necessary re-schedule work or call on others to help complete the work.

Setting TargetsTargets can appear in many different documents eg Action Plans, Priorities Lists, in diaries or on a Personal Development Plan.

Whether targets are complex or simple, short-term or long-term, for an individual or for the organisation

Targets

S

M

A

R

T

Specific – the Target is well defined and states exactly what is requiredMeasurable – the Target can be measured

Agreed – the Target has been discussed and agreed with your line-manager

Realistic – you have the necessary knowledge and skills to complete the TargetTimed – a completion date for the Target has been set

Well defined targets will include some reference to quantity, quality and time.

Personal Development Planning – Individual Targets

This is a document which records areas of strength and development needs of each employeeCompleted after discussion with line-managerOften forms part of the Staff Appraisal system

Personal Development Plan

Allows an employee to:– Focus on specific aspects of his/her job– Identify skills that the employee already has which

could be shared with other employees– Identify his/her training needs– Expand his/her job role within the organisation

Implementing Control Mechanisms and Monitoring Achievement of Targets

Targets must be controlled and monitored:– They should be positive– Designed to aid the employee in

achieving the Targets– Employees should not feel that

they are being ‘spied’ upon

Monitoring and Controlling Targets

Methods include:– Random or sample checks of work– Double checks of completed tasks by superior– Buddy systems where employee is teamed with a

more experienced colleague– Mentoring system where employee can ask for help

or advice from a more experienced colleague– Gantt charts showing at a glance whether the project

is on schedule

Dealing with Deviations from Planned Targets

Deviations from Targets should be discussed and acted upon:– Were the Targets SMART and understood?– Did any unforeseen circumstances arise?– Did the actions of others hold up your work?– Did you have the expertise to complete the task?– Did your line-manager support you during the task?The most important thing to remember is that as soon as it becomes apparent that targets are not going to be met it is vital to discuss this with your line manager ASAP!

Time Management

Good time management ensures that:– The best use is made of the time available– Time-wasting activities are reduced to a minimum– More time is made available for important or urgent

jobs

Time Management

If time is not managed efficiently problems can arise:– Activity panic– Reaction not action– Work overload– Stress

Be proactive – that way you will remain in control, thinking ahead all the time.

What causes poor time management?

Time stealers or time wasters– Lack of forward planning– The telephone– Unexpected visits from colleagues– Taking on too much work– Not assessing priorities correctly– Lack of self discipline or shuffling papers– Communication problems

Task Management

Organisational or Planning Aids can assist the administrative assistant in managing tasks:– Desk diaries– Electronic diaries– Reminder systems– Priorities Lists/Action Plans

Task Management continued

A orderly and neatly arranged workplace will assist the administrative assistant in carrying out tasks;Use trays to help organise tasks, IN, OUT; Pending and For Filing;Label files clearly;Tick off jobs on Priorities Lists/Action Plans as completed;Replace papers in files and put away before leaving the workstation if interrupted in middle of job;Monitor progress carefully, keeping to target completion date. Inform line manager immediately if problems arise:Do not take shortcuts – this leads inevitably to work of a poorer standard than expected or required.

Task Management continued

Organisation – planning, monitoring and achievement;Prioritisation – what’s most important:Delegation – can some tasks be completed by others;Control – do not panic, work calmly and in priority order;Assertiveness – Say “no” when necessary;Negotiation – being able to negotiate deadlines and resources if needed;Resource Management – using time, staff and equipment effectively;Evaluation – seeking improvement and identifying the causes of any problems.

Effective task management involves a number of skills:

Impact on Organisation and the Individual

Increased productivity;Increased quality of work;Good customer relations – achieved through meeting deadlines/orders etc;Increased competitiveness in the marketplace;Lower stress levels amongst staff;Good work relationships;Job satisfaction.

Benefits of effective time and task management:

Impact on Organisation and the Individual continued

Poor productivity;Poor quality of work;Increased costs;Unmet deadlines;Unhappy customers/suppliers;Low level of competitiveness in marketplace;Stress-related absence;Poor work relationships;Poor job satisfaction.

Consequences of poor task and time management:

Team Working

A shared purpose or goal;A sense of belonging to a team (having an identity);A dependence/reliance on each other.

A team can be defined as a group who have been specially formed for a particular purpose – to achieve a particular aim.

A team is characterised by 3 factors:

Team Working continued

Team size – An effective team normally consists of around 4-6 team members. Too large a team may lead to sub-groups emerging, too small a team may mean one person dominates the group with too few ideas/skills being shared among the group;Team roles – Those teams which work effectively have members who adopt a number of roles. Belbin identified 9 of these roles which the members of an effective team, no matter its size, will clearly fulfil.

According to one management ‘guru’, Meredith Belbin, he states a number of factors which have affected teams:

Team Working continued - Belbin’s Team Roles

An ideas person – someone who is creative and has vision;A motivator – someone to get things moving;An organiser to coordinate and pull things together;An implementer – someone who can get tasks started;A checker - someone who crosses the T’s and dots the I’s;A finisher – someone who will make sure tasks get completed;A go-getter – someone who will seek out resources, make contacts etc.;A team worker – someone who thinks about the people in the group, the caring person;A specialist who has vital specific knowledge and skills.(Team Roles at Work, Meredith Belbin, 1993)NB For effective team work there has to be a balance between ‘thinkers’ and ‘doers’

Team Working continued

Team development/cohesiveness: Teams develop through a number of stages. Early on in the process shared sets of standards and values are agreed and adopted by the group – once this happens a team will work as a cohesive group and pull together.Nature of the task: Team effectiveness is often affected by the task itself, ie how structured is the task, is it challenging and whether the team believe in it or not. This is linked to the resources the team is given to do the task (time, equipment, budget etc) and whether the team have been involved in agreeing these things. The more involved members feel, the more effectively the team will work.

Team Working continued

Team maintenance/environment: A sense of belonging is important. Virtual teams (members work remotely from one another) need to be brought together every now and then to maintain relationships and their feeling of identity. Opportunities to participate in activities both inside and out of the workplace will allow their relationship as a team to develop;Leadership: A leader is someone who influences others towards the achievement of goals. Leaders do not coerce followers to achieve, a good leader will motivate people to willingly work towards a goal. This is means:

Team Working - Leadership

Setting a clear vision or goals for the teamMeeting the needs of the team through information and communication;Meeting the needs of the individuals within the team through support and training;Meeting the needs of the task in hand through allocation of resources, use of team skills;Liaising between the team, management and other work areas.

Team Working – Leadership continued

Deploy team skills effectively;Ensure conflict is kept to a minimum;Ensure communication is open and constructive;Involve the team in decision-making;Listen to ideas from members on the best way to achieve the task;Encourage team to take ownership, and show commitment towards task;Ensure the team achieve a sense of satisfaction in doing the task.

Good leaders:

Team Working - continued

Develop a relaxed atmosphere;Allow relevant discussion with participation of all;Demonstrate clear commitment to objectives;Allow members to listen to one another;Discuss conflicts openly and deal with criticism constructively;Reach decisions by consensus;Encourage a climate where ideas are freely expressed;Allow leadership to be shared;Promote a climate where members will evaluate themselves.

In conclusion, effective teams:

Team Working continued

Risk-taking: Groups will take more risks than individuals working alone, the advantage for the organisation being calculated risks can pay off and give it the competitive edge. For the individual, because the risk is shared it encourages them to try out ideas, which they might not have done on a individual basis.Pooled resources: “Two heads are better than one” meaning that the combined skills, experience etc of the group should lead to better problem-solving and decision taking. Benefit to organisation is that this there is greater creativity, and to the individual, the opportunity for learning and development.

Benefits to individuals and the organisation of effective team working:

Team Working continued

Morale and Motivation: Effective team work often brings a greater sense of involvement, development and achievement. In turn this can improve job satisfaction, morale and motivation. Increased employee motivation in turn benefits the organisation through improved efficiency and productivity;Multi-skilling: Effective teams are multi-skilled and in the absence of one member another will step in. Responsibility: Effective teams are often self-directing and self-monitoring, taking complete responsibility. Less supervision and management is required which could mean a layer of management is taken out, whilst team members benefit from increased self-management and responsibility.