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What kind of problems do you deal with in office administration?
I wanna know what type problems I will be dealing with in a office #any
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5 answers
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Wilson’s Answer
Hello Elizabeth R.
Administrative professionals are the members of your team who keep operations running smoothly, and they’re often on the front lines of customer interactions. That's why losing an administrative staff member or encountering unanticipated surges in workload can create tough administrative challenges for you. A professional admin staffing agency helps you handle these situations so you can focus on other priorities.
Here's how our OfficeTeam professionals recommend handling five typical administrative challenges.
1. Vacations
There are several reasons to encourage employees to take vacation time. Overall productivity and job satisfaction improve when people have a chance to relax and recharge. But employee absences can cause gaps that other staff may be stretched too thin to cover. Bringing in temporary workers to bridge those gaps helps keep things running smoothly. While the idea of getting a temporary professional up to speed may seem like an additional administrative challenge on top of staffing the vacancy, you may be surprised how easy it actually is.
Specialized staffing agencies like OfficeTeam work exclusively with administrative professionals, meet dozens of new candidates face-to-face each week and maintain a roster of professionals who are able to perform a variety of admin roles. Many of those candidates have extensive experience filling in for vacationing receptionists and administrative assistants, so they can step into similar roles at unfamiliar companies with ease.
Many experienced workers choose to make a career out of interim work so they can take time off when they need to — something a full-time job might not allow. "We have many candidates who prefer to work on a temporary or project basis because they have other things going on in their life, or they like to travel or need certain months of the year off," says Brenda Arce, vice president of OfficeTeam.
2. Leaves of absence
As an employer, you're sympathetic and supportive when an employee has to take time off for maternity/paternity leave, extended illness or other personal matters. Still, doing without a star player in your lineup can leave you scrambling.
Covering a leave of absence may seem daunting, but specialized staffing agencies can help you conquer such administrative challenges. Agencies can pre-evaluate candidates who are able to fill in for a few weeks or several months until your full-time employee returns. Plus, working with a temporary candidate long-term provides a great opportunity for you to evaluate his or her on-the-job performance in the event that the incumbent doesn't return, or you need to fill a similar position in the future.
3. Busy seasons and special projects
If your company experiences seasonal peaks or lands a special project, bringing in temporary professionals can help relieve core staff during these times. Specialized staffing agencies can recommend candidates who have tackled similar projects and possess the skill set you need to round out your team on a project basis. And as a deadline approaches, it's easy to add staff at the last minute — even the same day.
"An employer can call OfficeTeam in the morning, and we can frequently have a skilled candidate out to assist by the afternoon," says Erin Drwal, assistant vice president of OfficeTeam. "This option of flexible staffing can help clients complete projects and tasks on time or even ahead of schedule."
4. The unexpected loss of an employee
If an employee quits unexpectedly, you'll be saddled with simultaneously getting a handle on in-progress work and finding a replacement — often with as little as two weeks' notice. A specialized staffing agency can not only recommend experienced candidates looking for temporary-to-full-time work but also have candidates ready for you to meet the very next day. This quick turnaround may even allow time for your outgoing employee to help onboard your new hire.
OfficeTeam also can provide an interim solution while you decide the best way to staff the vacancy. "With an employee leaving, a company may decide to revamp the role, restructure the department or combine positions," Drwal says.
5. Increased workloads
Companies often have to staff vacancies and add new administrative positions at a faster pace to keep up with rising workloads. That means you can have a tough time landing the best employees, whether you're looking for temporary or full-time help. "Because the market has changed so much, many of my clients have difficulty finding the right candidates," Arce says.
Arce has seen employers invest a significant amount of time in advertising a position, interviewing and making a selection, only to have a candidate leave after a few days to pursue another opportunity. But she says OfficeTeam can often head off such administrative challenges. "We're able to have conversations with candidates we've placed to make sure they're feeling happy," she says. "If there's anything they're not getting from the position, we can communicate it with the client." And if the candidate does eventually leave, OfficeTeam can have another candidate waiting in the wings to minimize work disruptions.
Turn to OfficeTeam to keep your workflow smooth
Even if your company offers competitive salaries and benefits, great workplace perks and a fantastic office culture, employees will come and go. Establishing a strong relationship with a specialized staffing agency helps you turn administrative challenges into minor hiccups in your workflow.
Administrative professionals are the members of your team who keep operations running smoothly, and they’re often on the front lines of customer interactions. That's why losing an administrative staff member or encountering unanticipated surges in workload can create tough administrative challenges for you. A professional admin staffing agency helps you handle these situations so you can focus on other priorities.
Here's how our OfficeTeam professionals recommend handling five typical administrative challenges.
1. Vacations
There are several reasons to encourage employees to take vacation time. Overall productivity and job satisfaction improve when people have a chance to relax and recharge. But employee absences can cause gaps that other staff may be stretched too thin to cover. Bringing in temporary workers to bridge those gaps helps keep things running smoothly. While the idea of getting a temporary professional up to speed may seem like an additional administrative challenge on top of staffing the vacancy, you may be surprised how easy it actually is.
Specialized staffing agencies like OfficeTeam work exclusively with administrative professionals, meet dozens of new candidates face-to-face each week and maintain a roster of professionals who are able to perform a variety of admin roles. Many of those candidates have extensive experience filling in for vacationing receptionists and administrative assistants, so they can step into similar roles at unfamiliar companies with ease.
Many experienced workers choose to make a career out of interim work so they can take time off when they need to — something a full-time job might not allow. "We have many candidates who prefer to work on a temporary or project basis because they have other things going on in their life, or they like to travel or need certain months of the year off," says Brenda Arce, vice president of OfficeTeam.
2. Leaves of absence
As an employer, you're sympathetic and supportive when an employee has to take time off for maternity/paternity leave, extended illness or other personal matters. Still, doing without a star player in your lineup can leave you scrambling.
Covering a leave of absence may seem daunting, but specialized staffing agencies can help you conquer such administrative challenges. Agencies can pre-evaluate candidates who are able to fill in for a few weeks or several months until your full-time employee returns. Plus, working with a temporary candidate long-term provides a great opportunity for you to evaluate his or her on-the-job performance in the event that the incumbent doesn't return, or you need to fill a similar position in the future.
3. Busy seasons and special projects
If your company experiences seasonal peaks or lands a special project, bringing in temporary professionals can help relieve core staff during these times. Specialized staffing agencies can recommend candidates who have tackled similar projects and possess the skill set you need to round out your team on a project basis. And as a deadline approaches, it's easy to add staff at the last minute — even the same day.
"An employer can call OfficeTeam in the morning, and we can frequently have a skilled candidate out to assist by the afternoon," says Erin Drwal, assistant vice president of OfficeTeam. "This option of flexible staffing can help clients complete projects and tasks on time or even ahead of schedule."
4. The unexpected loss of an employee
If an employee quits unexpectedly, you'll be saddled with simultaneously getting a handle on in-progress work and finding a replacement — often with as little as two weeks' notice. A specialized staffing agency can not only recommend experienced candidates looking for temporary-to-full-time work but also have candidates ready for you to meet the very next day. This quick turnaround may even allow time for your outgoing employee to help onboard your new hire.
OfficeTeam also can provide an interim solution while you decide the best way to staff the vacancy. "With an employee leaving, a company may decide to revamp the role, restructure the department or combine positions," Drwal says.
5. Increased workloads
Companies often have to staff vacancies and add new administrative positions at a faster pace to keep up with rising workloads. That means you can have a tough time landing the best employees, whether you're looking for temporary or full-time help. "Because the market has changed so much, many of my clients have difficulty finding the right candidates," Arce says.
Arce has seen employers invest a significant amount of time in advertising a position, interviewing and making a selection, only to have a candidate leave after a few days to pursue another opportunity. But she says OfficeTeam can often head off such administrative challenges. "We're able to have conversations with candidates we've placed to make sure they're feeling happy," she says. "If there's anything they're not getting from the position, we can communicate it with the client." And if the candidate does eventually leave, OfficeTeam can have another candidate waiting in the wings to minimize work disruptions.
Turn to OfficeTeam to keep your workflow smooth
Even if your company offers competitive salaries and benefits, great workplace perks and a fantastic office culture, employees will come and go. Establishing a strong relationship with a specialized staffing agency helps you turn administrative challenges into minor hiccups in your workflow.
Updated
Gabriela’s Answer
There can be many obstacles just as any other job.
Some things you can encounter is difficult situations with co-workers or clients.
My best advice is not to look at the difficulties you will face but what are some actions you can do to excel in this job.
-Have a great attitude
-Be detailed oriented
-Focus on the task at hand
-Ask for help if needed
-Learn, Learn, Learn
Some things you can encounter is difficult situations with co-workers or clients.
My best advice is not to look at the difficulties you will face but what are some actions you can do to excel in this job.
-Have a great attitude
-Be detailed oriented
-Focus on the task at hand
-Ask for help if needed
-Learn, Learn, Learn
Updated
Marissa’s Answer
Office administration deals with all the daily ins and outs of office life. This job can mean a lot of different things, depending on specific people and what company or department you work in. During my time at college, I worked as an advanced clerical and admin assistant. I learned a lot about time management, HR, and many new tools. It helped me develop my communication style, Microsoft Excel and even my website design skills. In a position like this, it is important to utilize your skills to contribute as much as you can!
It was a lot of fun, and every day was different. For me personally, the hardest task was dealing with reporters!!
It was a lot of fun, and every day was different. For me personally, the hardest task was dealing with reporters!!
Updated
Keri’s Answer
What a great question!
One sure way to be good at Office Administration is to consider that there really are no "problems" only challenges to conquer! Because the Office Administration team wear many hats and are often tackling multiple deadlines and covering for work loads that need the support, time management and work prioritization are two areas that will be challenged frequently. For an Office Administrator to be effective, he/she should be excellent at organization and multi-tasking as well as being able to pick up projects/tasks from different departments that require extra hands.
Office Administration can be an exciting and constantly bustling position, it is also a great way to learn different jobs within your office and see if there are other areas that interest you more. Good luck to you!
One sure way to be good at Office Administration is to consider that there really are no "problems" only challenges to conquer! Because the Office Administration team wear many hats and are often tackling multiple deadlines and covering for work loads that need the support, time management and work prioritization are two areas that will be challenged frequently. For an Office Administrator to be effective, he/she should be excellent at organization and multi-tasking as well as being able to pick up projects/tasks from different departments that require extra hands.
Office Administration can be an exciting and constantly bustling position, it is also a great way to learn different jobs within your office and see if there are other areas that interest you more. Good luck to you!
Updated
Luis’s Answer
as in any type of activity that involves humans and interactions with people you can expect that the most frequent problems are not job related , but really related with the complexities / personalities of the humans involved: communication issues, working together as a team, learning to collaborate in a larger team (role definitions) ...etc