Administrative assistants are in place to support a company, team or manager. Although they act as the lifeblood for most businesses, there is a common misconception that it’s an easy job.
But nothing could be further from the truth. According to the specialists at The Mindspa Institute, there are many specific qualities that differentiate a good administrative assistant from a great one.
The three building blocks of a successful office administrator include, effective communication, efficient workstation management and excellent organizational skills.
The role of the office administrator has changed dramatically over the last few years and will continue to do so.
The competitive nature of the global market has led firms to seek efficiency and flexibility in their force. As a result administrative professionals have had to adopt an increasingly entrepreneurial approach to their jobs and careers.
In the modern workplace office administrators require a knowledge of business management principles, a technical aptitude, a sophisticated interpersonal skills, an intuitive understanding of the needs of an organization and a proactive problem solving focus.
In a busy office, an assistant uses friendly and effective communication to interact with a wide range of people, frequently exchanging information about office operations.
As more and more office functions become automated, the administrator will need to make use of interpersonal skills to anticipate needs, respond to concerns and provide the “human touch” that computers lack.
As a multitasker, an administrative assistant keeps himself organized so he can give his attention to keeping his boss organized. He knows how to manage a filing system, track incoming and outgoing correspondence and coordinate the flow of paperwork around the office, thus planning and managing their workload is of utmost importance.
Confidentially in business has always been important but in today’s increasingly litigious and competitive workplace confidentiality has an even higher value. Failure to properly secure and protect confidential business information can lead to the loss of business. Now more than ever before company’s are seeking office administrators who will perform their role with honesty and integrity.
The Mindspa Institute offers training for office administrators. The course covers every aspect of the role and gives delegates the information they require to continuously improve their performance and the value they bring to their organisation.
Participants will receive practical tools and tips that they can implement as soon as they get back to their workplace.