National 4Administration & IT

Administrative PracticesOutcome 1

Support Notes

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CONTENTS

Outcome 1: The Role of Administration

The learner will:Provide an overview of administration in the workplace.

1.1 Outline the main qualities and skills required of an administrative assistant

1.2 Outline the key features of customer care

1.3 Outline the key employee responsibilities in terms of health and safety

1.4 Outline the key employee responsibilities in terms of the security of people, property and information

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Outcome 1

The Role of Administration

1.1 Outline the main qualities and skills required of an administrative assistant.

In this unit you will learn:

the purpose of a job advert, job description and person specification

to create a simple job advert, job description and person specification for an Administrative Assistant

to identify the tasks, skills and qualities of an Administrative Assistant

What is Administration and why is it so important?

Let’s use an example to illustrate this. Think about a school show that you have been to see or even took part in. The audience, (customers) only sees the final show, which is what happens on stage. They don’t see all the work that has taken place behind the scenes in order for the show to be successful. The Administration team in a business work behind the scenes doing really important work to support their colleagues and keep their customers happy. Every business relies on a good Administration team to help things run smoothly.

The Administration team is responsible for gathering, recording, protecting, updating and communicating information to other departments to help them complete their day to day tasks.

Job Description

Details relating to a specific job are usually found in a job description. A job description sets out some background to the post, the duties associated with the post, the post holder’s responsibilities and who their line manager is.

The information contained in the job description will be used to complete the job advertisement, but will give more details and will usually include a complete list of duties.

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Here is an example of a job description for a junior administrative assistant:

JOB DESCRIPTION

Title: Junior Administration Assistant

Purpose: Provide Administrative Support

Duties: Word processing documentsMaintaining customer and supplier databasesDealing with mailReceptionFiling paper and electronic documentsReprographics – photocopying, binding, scanningDealing with telephone and e-mail enquiries

Responsible to: Administration Manager

Conditions of service:Pay: £13,000

Hours of Work: Full-time

Holiday Entitlement 4 weeks

Person Specification

From the job description, the organisation can prepare a person specification. The roles and responsibilities detailed in the job description will highlight the skills, qualifications, experience and personal qualities required from a suitable candidate.

Each component of the person specification is usually classed as essential (a must-have skill or quality) or desirable (having this skill or quality would be an advantage, but it’s not vital). It allows a profile of the ideal person to be prepared and used to assist in the selection process.

Here is an example of a person specification for a junior administrative assistant:

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential Desirable

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Skills,Knowledgeand Abilities

Ability to accurately key in data

Ability to create and edit word-processed documents

Ability to create and edit spreadsheets

Confident at using e-mail and Internet

Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including good telephone manner

Ability to create and edit databases

Knowledge of prioritising workloads in order to meet deadlines

Ability to learn new ICT skills quickly

Ability to file accurately

Ability to deal with visitors to theorganisation

Qualifications

NQV Level 2,NC Office Admin or equivalent

National 5 Englishand Mathematics

Experience Previous administrativeexperience at a junior level

Personal Qualities

Reliable and dependable

Flexible and always willing to learn new things

Willing to accept responsibility

Able to get on well with others

Able to multi-task

Both the job description and person specification will be used to create the job advertisement. The job advertisement provides possible candidates with all the necessary information relating to the job. This will help candidates decide whether or not they are suitable for the job and whether they should apply for the job.

Here is an example of a Job Advert for an Administrative Assistant:

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Administration Assistant

£13,000

Ref: 2914/ADMIN AST

Working as part of the busy administration team, your main duties will include administrative support in the form of preparing WP documents, maintaining customer and supplier databases, dealing with mail, filing and covering reception.

The following can be identified from the above Job Advert:

Tasks Skills Qualities Preparing word

processed documents

Maintaining customer and supplier databases

Dealing with mail Filing Covering

Reception Answering the

telephone Reprographics Answering e-mail

enquiries

Up-to-date Word, Excel, Access and e-mail skills

Good communicator

Good organiser

Be able to work unsupervised and as part of a team

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Working as part of the busy administration team, your main duties will include administrative support in the form of preparing WP documents, maintaining customer and supplier databases, dealing with mail, filing and covering reception.

1.2 Outline the Features of Good Customer Care

In this unit you will learn:

the key features of good customer care the benefits of good customer care

Simply stated, customer service is about gaining new customers and retaining existing customers . In today’s competitive environment it is important for organisations to deliver a good-quality product and do it in a way that exceeds the customer’s expectations.

This means that organisations must provide good communication , effectively deal with enquiries , efficiently deal with complaints and offer excellent after sales service .

Research shows that keeping a current customer is much easier and cheaper than attracting a new one. Good customer service aims to increase customer satisfaction and therefore increase customer loyalty.

After-sales service must be included as if anything goes wrong or customers need help then they want their queries answered or goods fixed/replaced (if appropriate) immediately.

Customer Care

“Customer Care is all about putting the customer first, anticipating the customer’s needs and problems, establishing relationships and tailoring services to meet specific needs.”

Providing good customer care is vital in the success of any business and therefore most organisations have their own Customer Care Strategy. This explains to customers what level of service they can expect to get from the organisation.

In order that employees provide good customer care, they may be issued

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with and have to follow the procedures outlined in a Code of Practice which provides clear advice to employees.

Key features of good customer care

1. Answering customer calls quickly and politely2. Respond to emails and letters quickly3. Show flexibility when dealing with customer enquires or complaints4. Record complaints carefully and ensure they are dealt with in the

correct manner and within an acceptable time5. Listen to the customer carefully6. Always be friendly and helpful7. If you cannot help the customer then pass them to someone that

can

Impact of good customer care

Customer care is a crucial element of business success - every contact a business has with customers is an opportunity to improve its reputation and increase the likelihood of further sales. Good service is always doing the right thing in the right way - sales and profitability depends on keeping customers happy. Thus customer care is important because it:

builds loyalty improves profits leads to customer satisfaction.

a very satisfied customer will tell other people personal recommendation is cheaper than advertising customers returning leads to increased sales and profit

Good customer care leads to customer retention.

What will affect how satisfied a customer is?:

how well the product/service matches customer needs the value for money offered efficiency and reliability in fulfilling orders professionalism, friendliness and expertise of organisation's

employees how well the customers are kept informed after-sales service provided

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Impact of poor customer care

Poor customer service may include the following:

poor communication lack of opportunity for customer feedback not listening to customer feedback lack of suitable staff training bad impression of organisation created by poor presentation absence of a clear complaints procedure.

one dissatisfied customer will tell other people losing customers means falling sales and therefore profits it can be hard work and can mean expensive advertising to try and

regain the customers lost.

A business cannot function without customers. If the customer is not satisfied with the organisation’s product or service, he/she will take their business elsewhere!

OUTCOME 1.3 HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE

In this unit you will learn:

the health and safety issues which can occur within the workplace what an employee must do to observe health and safety rules in

accordance with current legislation dpotential hazards in the office and measures to ensure safe

practice how to complete an accident report form

Potential Hazards

Potential hazards in offices are numerous. Major injuries may be caused by:

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slipping on wet/slippery surfaces, falling over objects, falling from a height, for example a ladder, carrying a heavy object the wrong way

The diagram below shows some potential safety hazards in an office:

1) Trailing cables can cause people to trip2) Objects in the middle of the floor can cause people to fall over them3) Cabinet drawers left open means people may walk into them4) Objects stored at a height may cause people to fall over if they don’t use a ladder to access them

To work safely, employees should:

remember to close filing cabinet drawers when finished keep filing cabinets away from doors and passage ways never swing on their chair never stand on chairs to reach high objects keep food and drink away from computer equipment not overload sockets not have cables trailing across the floor always keep fire exits clear be trained in how to lift heavy objects not attempt to fix faulty equipment themselves

Health & Safety Legislation

In order to maintain a safe working environment, there are a number of health and safety laws that exist and both employers and employees must

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follow these rules.

The health and safety of employees is protected by the following pieces of legislation:

1) The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HASAWA)

2) The Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act 1963

3) The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981

4) The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992

5) The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR)

1) Health and Safety at Work Act 19741) Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

Employer Responsibilities:

To make sure that the work place is safe To provide a safe entrance and exit from work To ensure that equipment is safe and properly

maintained To control dust, fumes and noise levels To provide protective clothing and equipment where necessary To provide first aid facilities To keep records of accidents

Employee Responsibilities:

To take care of their own health and safety

To take care of other people’s health and safety

To work with the employer to maintain health and

safety, for example attending training courses

2) Office, Shops and Railway Premises Act 19632) Office, Shops and Railway Premises Act 1963

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LIGHTING There must be sufficient natural light or artificial lighting

TEMPERATURE Minimum temperature of 60oF

VENTILATION Windows that can be opened or fans/air conditioning units

SPACE/STORAGE There must be adequate space for each person and storage space for outdoor clothing, eg cloakroom

TOILET FACILITIES There must be toilets, which are kept clean, with hot and cold water. Soap and towels must also be available

DRINKING WATER Either from an outside water mains or water coolers

FIRST AID First aid box must be provided, trained first aiders must be available

PREMISES Floors, corridors etc must be kept clean, level, unbroken and kept clear

FIRE Fire extinguishers must be available, fire exits clearly identified, regular fire drills, and evacuation procedures should be displayed

3) The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 19813) The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981

Employers MUST:

ensure that there is a person trained to take charge of first aid arrangementsensure that a first aid box is available and that it is suitably stockedensure that a record is kept of all accidentsinform employees about first aid arrangements eg poster detailing first aiders etc

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4) The4) The Health andHealth and SafetySafety (Display (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992

What are the main health issues when using visual display units?

Problem What should be done?

Sore Eyes and Headaches Use anti-glare screens Adjust the brightness/contrast of the

monitor Ensure that employee has an eye test

– provide glasses if necessary Ensure employees are having regular

breaks

Sore back, neck and repetitive strain injury

Check the layout of the workstation – adjust if necessary

Check position of chair – adjust if necessary

Ensure wrist rests and footrests are available

Stress Check that employees are properly trained

Check the employees workload – it may need to be shared out or varied

Employers MUST:

Make sure that workstations and equipment meet minimum requirements, eg footrests, adjustable colour controls etc

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Make sure that employees have built in breaks or changes in activity

Train employees in health and safety, eg using equipment correctly

Check that equipment is safe

Provide eye test and glasses if needed for VDU work

Employees MUST:

Make full use of the VDU adjustments, for example colour and contrast

Avoid possible health hazards, for example use back/height adjustments on chairs

5) The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences5) The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR)Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR)

Employers must report certain injuries, accidents or incidents within 7-10 days to the Health and Safety Executive.

If an employee is injured the employer must send an Accident Report Form to the Health & Safety Executive within 10 days.

Employers must keep records of any reportable injury, disease or dangerous occurrence for 3 years after the incident. These records are kept in an Accident Report Book and include the following details:

Date, time and place of accident Personal details of those involved Description of the accident

What kind of injury, accident or incident must be reported?

Death or major injury

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If an employee cannot carry out their normal job for more than 3 days because of an incident

If a doctor has informed the employer that an employee is suffering from a work-related disease

If something happens which could have resulted in a reportable injury, although it did not

There is an example of an Accident Report Form on the next page:

ACCIDENT REPORT FORM

Name of injured party

Date, time and place of accident

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Brief description of incident

Details of injury sustained

First aid treatment given (if any)

Was the injured person taken to hospital/doctor

Yes/No**Delete as applicable

If yes give details

Name and position (or address) of person(s) who witnessed accident

Signed: ___________________________________

Date: __________________OUTCOME 1.4 SECURITY OF PEOPLE, PROPERTY AND INFORMATION

In this unit you will learn:

different types of identification and secure entry systems

organisational procedures to protect property organisational procedures to protect paper and electronic

information

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Why is security important in any business?

To protect and re-assure staff

To prevent theft of stock

To maintain confidentiality of information

SECURITY OF PEOPLE

Staff Entry and Movement

Ensure only authorised personnel have access to the premises by:

– Keypads/combination locks/entry-phone systems are used to gain entry

– Alarm systems

– CCTV installed throughout the building

– ID cards

– Electronic swipe cards to gain entry to the building

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– Keypads on doors

– Careful handling of keys

Visitor Entry and Movement

– To ensure that only genuine visitors enter the premises an organisation can use the following:

– Visitors report to reception

– Reception is at the main entrance

– Other entrances are kept to a minimum

– Visitor passes are issued and displayed

– Visitors are not left unsupervised

– Passes are returned to reception when leaving the building

There should always be a member of STAFF at the reception desk. When one receptionist is ABSENT or having their BREAK a RELIEF receptionist should take over

The receptionist must make sure that all RECORDS are completed FULLY and accurately by VISITORS

SECURITY OF INFORMATION

Organisations store different types of information. Hospitals will store patient details, schools will store pupil details, banks will store customer account details, and so on. Quite often, the information is confidential and it is important that the organisation is seen to take

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steps to keep this information secure. There are different methods to do this, and the information may be stored manually (on paper) or electronically (on computer).

Here are some of the procedures organisations may choose to use:

– Passwords – changed regularly and not obvious

– Read-only files – cannot be amended

– Virus screening software

– Lock rooms, filing cabinets and computers

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– Confidential documents should be discarded appropriately

Backing up procedures:

Another measure used to protect the security of information is to back-up all information held. Backing up information means saving a copy, as well as keeping the original copy. But why would an organisation want to back-up information?

In case of human error – information may be deleted by mistake Files become corrupted due to virus which means some or all the

information is lost Theft of equipment which means the information stored on it is lost Equipment malfunction which means you may not be able to access

the information stored on it

Organisations will have different back-up procedures but the basic policy should say:

When and how back-ups are takenWho is responsible for taking back-upsWhere back-ups are stored

The information that organisations have on individuals is protected by the following pieces of legislation:

1) Data Protection Act 1998:

If companies hold data about people then they have to follow the Data Protection Acts 1984 & 1998These Acts are to protect individuals whose information is held on a computer

8 DATA PRINCIPLES

1. Information must be obtained lawfully2. Data can only be held for specified and lawful purposes 3. Data must be adequate, relevant and not

excessive

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4. Personal data will be accurate and up-to-date 5. Data will not be kept longer than necessary6. Data must be processed in a way that protects individuals’ legal

rights.7. Data must not be transferred to countries outside the EU8. Personal data must be kept secure against loss, damage and

unauthorised and unlawful processing

2) Computer Misuse Act

Under this Act hacking and the introduction of viruses are criminal offences. The Act identifies three specific offences:

How to avoid

unauthorised access to computers:

Limit computer access to certain employeesAccess to computers be time limitedGaining access to rooms by swipe cards/keypadsIssue authorised users with passwords etc

SECURITY OF PROPERTY

Organisations will also put into place procedures to help keep property safe. Remember that computers, pen drives, external hard drives and so on may all contain confidential information. To keep this information safe, the property must also be kept secure.

General security measures include:

– Serial numbers of equipment

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– Ultra violet markers of equipment

– Cables

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