ADMINISTRATION REVISION BLOCK 1 ORGANISATIONS STRUCTURE AND LAYOUT

ADMINISTRATION REVISION – BLOCK 1 ORGANISATIONS – STRUCTURE AND LAYOUT

ADMINISTRATION What is it? The office services which back up an organisation for example: • data processing - word processing documents - creating and editing databases to keep records - creating and using spreadsheets for calculations and graphs • reprographics (photocopying) • communicating • storing information (filing) • managing appointments (reception) • handling the mail • finding information • making travel arrangements and all in a safe, healthy and secure environment.

WHERE DOES ADMINISTRATION TAKE PLACE? Large organisations have an Office Services Department but it generally takes place in an office layout which can be either: Cellular (Traditional) or Open Plan main features: • enclosed offices off corridors • usually in modern buildings • usually in older buildings advantages: • greater privacy • quieter working areas disadvantages: • people may feel isolated • more difficult to supervise • no dividing walls advantages: • easier communications • equipment can be shared disadvantages: • can be noisier • more distractions

OFFICE ERGONOMICS This is the way an office is laid out and equipped. The workplace should be a place in which the employees feel comfortable, valued, productive and safe. Essential office equipment: Workstation which is a desk with power sockets and network connections, adjustable chair, computer, telephone and stationery Workstations can be hot-desks if shared, carrels if in private booths and individual, if an employee’s workload requires it Storage - also hard drive, zip drive, CD-roms, floppy discs if filing is done electronically and filing cabinets, when storage is done manually Fax machine Printers and Photocopier

FLEXIBLE WORK PRACTICES Many organisations have a variety of flexible work practices such as: • flexi-time - core time eg 1030 am-3. 30 pm must be worked; • home-working or tele-working; • hot-desking; • job sharing; • part-time working; • shift working; in order to meet the needs of both the modern organisation and the modern office worker. Flexible work practices are any working arrangements that do not require you to be at your desk, 9 to 5, 5 days a week.

Now answer the following questions in sentences on paper. 1 Name the department which provides administrative back-up. 2 Name 3 functions performed by this department. 3 What does the word reprographics mean? 4 Who would be most likely to manage appointments? 5 What are the 2 main methods of storing information? 6 How can an open-plan office overcome the problem of noise? 7 What is meant by ‘office ergonomics’? 8 Which office layout best suits work requiring concentration? 9 What do we call the part of flexi-time which must be worked? 10 Which work practice would solve each of the following: a the high cost of renting office space b the morning and evening traffic congestion c holding on to workers who have children Now check your answers with the solution and note your score.

ORGANISATION CHARTS The way an organisation is structured can be shown on a chart. The chart shows the different levels of authority and the different departments which make up the organisation. It also shows the chain of command in an organisation this is the way instructions flow down through the levels. It also shows the span of control each worker has this is the number of people under someone’s authority. Line relationships (the vertical lines) show the chain of command through which communications flow. Lateral relationships (the horizontal lines) connect those on the same level of authority. An example of an organisation chart follows.

THE ILLUSTRATION COMPANY Mr Charles Worthington Managing Director | line relationship Mrs Mary Sharp General Manager Mrs Sharp‘s |s p a n o f c o n t r o l ______________________ | | Mr Al Brown Human Resources Manager | _____ | | Ms A James Recruitment Assistant Mr P Paul Health & Safety Assistant Ms Joy Black Purchase Manager | | Ms T Thom Order Clerk Mr Dave Dee Sales Manager | _____ | | Mr O Jay Sales Assistant Miss W Ray Marketing Assistant lateral relationship Mrs Fran White Finance Manager | | Mr E Gray Accounts Assistant

ORGANISATION CHARTS The benefits of preparing an organisation chart are: • visitors gain an impression of the size of the organisation • visitors know better who they should deal with • employees can see who their line managers are • the receptionist knows who to direct callers to • employees with a line relationship can see the lines through which communication should flow - upwards and downwards • employees with a lateral relationship can see with whom they could be liaising eg Sales and Marketing Assistants may well require to work together at some point

TALL AND FLAT ORGANISATIONS This is nothing to do with the building which a firm occupies. It refers to the number of levels in the firm’s organisation chart. Tall structures have many levels: • giving greater chances of promotion • but decision-making might be slow • easier supervision of staff • many highly paid managers may be costly Flat structures have few levels: • giving more responsibility to employees • quicker communication • but more responsibility and increased workload can cause stress • fewer opportunities for promotion up to more senior levels

Now answer the following questions in sentences on paper. 1 What is meant by chain of command? 2 What is meant by span of control? 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Give any 2 job titles which illustrate a line relationship. Give any 2 job titles which illustrate a lateral relationship. Give 2 benefits to employees of having an organisation chart. Give 2 benefits of an organisation chart to clients. What is meant by ‘a tall organisation structure’? What is meant by ‘a flat organisation structure’? What change can be made to an organisation’s structure in order to speed up communication within the organisation? 10 A new employee has just joined the workforce. How can an organisation chart be used to give them useful information about their situation and about the organisation itself? Now check your answers with the solution and note your score.

CHANGES The structure of organisations can change. Here are some of the changes which can occur: • growth - is where the organisation expands its operations resulting in more departments, more staff and more management • downsizing - is where the organisation reduces in size resulting in fewer departments, fewer staff and less management • delayering - is where a level of management is removed creating a flatter management structure • outsourcing - is where outside firms supply some essential services rather than the organisation itself such as catering, cleaning, software design and publishing therefore fewer specialists need to be on the payroll

DEPARTMENTS Organisations carry out certain key activities. These activities can be grouped into functional areas know as Departments. The main departments are: Purchases - it buys in all the organisation’s requirements - will get quotations from suppliers to find the best deal Sales and Marketing - it sells to new and existing customers - also deals with customer complaints and prepares sales figures Finance - it deals with all the organisation’s money matters - collects what is owed, pays bills and employees wages Human Resources - it advertises and interviews staff vacancies - organises training and health and safety of staff Office Services or Administration - it provides the clerical back up for the other departments

JOB TITLES in the ………… Purchases - run by a Purchases Manager who is in charge Department - supported by buyers, stock controllers, and warehouse supervisors Sales & Marketing - run by a Sales/Marketing Manager Department - supported by sales representatives, market researchers, and telesales staff Finance - run by a Finance Manager who is in charge Department - supported by accountants (cost and financial), credit controllers, and accounts assistants Human Resources - run by a Human Resources Manager Department - supported by recruitment and training officers, and health and safety officers Office Services - run by an Office Services Manager Department - supported by data processors, reprographic assistants, receptionist, and mail room assistants

Now answer the following questions in sentences on paper. 1 Name 4 ways in which the structure of organisations change. 2 Explain what you understand by delayering? 3 Name one major result of a firm downsizing? 4 Why might a firm outsource some services? 5 Why do organisations create departments? 6 Name the 5 main departments found in most organisations. 7 Which department is responsible for staff related matters? 8 Which department deals with customer complaints? 9 In which department would a credit controller work? 10 Which department takes responsibility for health and safety? Now check your answers with the solution and note your score.

PROBLEM SOLVING Answer the following on paper please. Issues 1 -5 have been raised as problems in the workplace. For each of the issues raised, state: a who would be responsible for addressing it and b what should be done or implemented in order to overcome it 1 Some staff arrive late due to family commitments. 2 A new admin assistant does not know who to report to. 3 Managers are finding that supervising their staff is difficult. 4 The office is too small for the number of staff needing desks. 5 The number of customer complaints has risen dramatically. Now check your answers with the solution and note your score.