Introduction to Office Personnel

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Introduction

Every organization is established in the society with definite objectives. To achieve these
objectives, the organization has to perform a number of functions. To perform these functions in
coordinated and efficient manner, it requires an office. The office requires different types of
resources like men, materials, money and means of communication and transportation to carry
out its functions. The human resources are the most valuable resources that utilize the other
resources for achieving the organizational objectives. In fact, qualified, skilled, competent,
honest and dedicated personnel enable the organization to compete in the local and global
market. Hence, the organizational effectiveness depends on its qualified office personnel.
Meaning and Definition
Office personnel refers to the office chief, sectional chiefs, and assistants that carry out all the
administrative as well as clerical functions jointly to archive the objectives of an organization.
Office personnel refers to office staff. They are the human resources of an organization. They are
the people working at the top level, middle level and lower level of the organization in different
positions. Secretary, Joint secretary, Under Secretary, Section Officer, Nayab Subba, etc. are the
examples of office personnel in a government office.

The following is the main definition of office personnel:

"The office personnel refer to all the examples of the office comprising the chief, sectional chiefs
and assistants who jointly work for the attainment of the organizational goals." -Beach
Personnel Management
An office requires different types of personnel to perform various activities of an organization. In
order to perform such activities, the office requires a number of staff in different levels and posts
with required qualifications and qualities. Qualified, experienced, honest, sincere and dedicated
office personnel enhance the quality of products and services necessary for the satisfaction of the
customers.
Personnel management is concerned with finding right people for the right position at a right
time in the right number. It refers to the process of recruiting, selecting, training and placing the
employees to the jobs to which they are best fitted. It further involves in forecasting the
manpower requirement in terms of quantity and quality in conformity with expansion and
development programs of the country. It makes personnel plans and policies and executes such
policies in the interest of employees and organization. Personnel management is the management
of people which is concerned with finding right people for the right position at a right time in the
right number. It also involves in utilizing, developing and maintain the human resources.

Types of Office Personnel

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An office requires different types of office personnel having different qualifications, skills and
knowledge to perform various activities. Some personnel work at the top level, some work at a
middle level and other works at a lower level. On the basis of position, responsibilities and
nature of job, office personnel can be classified as follows:

Office Chief
The office chief is the in charge who sets the objectives, formulates plans and policies, manages
resources, coordinates and controls the whole activities for achieving organizational objectives.
He is regarded as the boss of the organization. He is the person who is fully responsible for the
successful operation of the organization. He is the person who plays the role of the pilot of plane,
captain of a ship and driver of a bus.
Functions of Office Chief
1. Setting objectives of the organization.
2. Preparing long term and short terms plans and policies of the organization.
3. Dividing the work among the workers in the organization.
4. Directing and coordinating the activities of the different staff and departments.
5. Adopting good remuneration system for motivating workers.
6. Maintaining a sound accounting system in the organization.
7. Reporting the performance and achievement of the organization to the board and public.
8. Evaluating the performance of the staff and departments.
Needs of Office Chiefs
Following points highlight the necessity and importance of Office Chief:
1. To determine the objectives of the organization.
2. To make plans, policies, programs, rules and regulations for achieving the set objectives.
3. To motivate employees in their works by providing attractive remuneration, facilities and
opportunities.

4. To maintain discipline in the office and work.

5. To form employee development to increase the efficiency of the staff.
6. To avoid delay in office procedures through appropriate supervision, direction and
institution.
7. To make the proper evolution of the performance of employees for their compensation
and promotion.
Sectional Chief
An organization is divided into different sections or departments on the basis of their functions.
These departments are production, finance, personnel, marketing, accounting and public relation
departments. Each department or section is monitored and led by an executive officer, who is
known as a departmental or sectional chief. He is a middle-level officer of the organization. He is
the officer who performs all the activities of the concerned department under the direction of the
office chief. He prepares plans and policies, makes a division of work and mobilizes the
resources of the department efficiently.
Functions of Sectional Chief
1. Setting the departmental objectives in conformity with the organizational objectives.
2. Preparing departmental plans and policies for achieving departmental objectives.
3. Reporting the performance, problem and achievement of the department to the office
chief.
4. Dividing the work among the staff working in the department.
5. Mobilizing human and other resources in an efficient manner for carrying out
departmental activities smoothly.

Office Assistant

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Office assistant are those people who work in the lower level position. Office assistant refers to a
subordinate staff that performs routine jobs to assist the sectional chief and office chief in their
daily official works. They are clerical staffs who carry out all the clerical activities of the office.
They perform daily official works as per the direction of the sectional chief. Nayab, Subba,
Kharidar, and Mukhiya are the offices assistances in the government offices. Similarly, assistant
accountant, receptionists, marketing assistance and the computer operator are the office
assistance in the business office.On the basis of the nature of job, office assistance is classified as
follows:
1. Personal Assistance (P.A): A personal assistance is also known as a private secretary.
The personal assistance performs all the routine works on the behalf of the executive
officer of office chief as per the direction given to him. He is the assistant of a particular
executive or office chief. He is the assistance who usually maintaining confidential
records, handles telephone, visitors, and emails, drafts important confidential documents,
arranges meeting and seminars and reminds the executive or chief for his daily schedule.
The personal assistance is appointed by ministers, secretary of a ministry or department
and office chief of a government office. The personal assistant is the private secretary
who is to perform all the clerical functions on behalf of the chief.
2. Receptionist: The receptionist is a subordinate lady staff appointed for the reception of
inquiry section to handle the telephone, visitors, and customers. She has to make
introduction among the visitors, tell them about objectives, functions, productions and
services of the organization. She has to serve the visitors with tea and coffee, cold drinks,
newspapers, and magazines while they are waiting to see the executive or office chief.
She should always be willing to pay attention and devote herself to the service and
satisfaction of the visitors and customers.
3. Sectional Clerk: A large organization establishes different sections and departments to
carry out production, marketing, finance, personnel and accounting functions. These
sections are handled by the sectional or departmental chief. The sectional chief cannot
handle all managerial and clerical works of his section alone. He requires a numbers of
staff to take assistance or support in performing and completing the sectional or
departmental jobs smoothly. The sectional clerk is a junior office staff who is assigned a

particular work in a particular section to assist the sectional chief carrying out the
sectional activities.
Qualifications of office Assistant
The following are the main qualifications required to be a competent office assistant:
1. Academic qualification: The Academic qualification is the formal educational degree which
is awarded by schools or boards or universities. In order to be competent office assistant and to
make himself eligible for a higher post, the assistant should try continuously for gaining higher
academic qualifications. In government offices, to hold the post of Nayab Subba and Kharidar
the minimum academic qualifications are Intermediate and S.L.C respectively.
2. Training: Training is the formal process of preparing a person for a particular job. It helps to
develop knowledge and skill and build confidence for performing the assigned job more
efficiently. The person should take formal training in computer, language, shorthand,
correspondence, accounting and secretarial courses to be a competent assistance.
3. Experience: Experience is the process of gaining additional knowledge, skill and ability by
observing and doing the particular job. It is the way of practical learning to do a job. It makes the
person mature for doing the job. The experience makes a man perfect in the job. An experienced
staff is like a jewel that is valued as great assets of the office.
4. Knowledge of accounting: Every office performs a large number of financial transactions
daily. One of the important functions of an office assistant is to keep systematic records of such
financial transactions. For these, he requires a fundamental knowledge of principles and practices
of accounting. A person having a fundamental knowledge of accounting is generally preferred by
the office as its office assistance.
5. Knowledge of rules and regulations: The office assistance should have a sound knowledge
of financial rules and regulations to perform and record financial transactions. He should be
familiar with administrative activities. He should have the basic knowledge of the law of
contract, law of agency, law of indemnity and law of company incorporation and management.

Functions and Duties of Office Assistant

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An office assistant is appointed to do a large number of clerical works efficiently. He has to

perform varieties of works as per the direction of the sectional chief and the office chief daily.
The following are the main functions and duties of office assistant:
1. Preparing plans for daily works
A plan for daily works means preparing a list or schedule of jobs to be performed daily.
The plan or schedule helps the office assistant to perform the daily official works
conveniently and effectively. While making a plan for the daily works, he has to give
priority for more important and urgent works. He may take guidance from his superior
for preparing an effective schedule to perform the daily works.
2. Drafting and typing letters
Drafting a letter means writing it. The office assistant has to draft different types of letters
and documents. He has to draft an inquiry letter, reply letter, quotation letter, order letter,
complaint letter, invitation letter and greetings letter as per the direction of the superior.
To achieve the objectives of drafting the letters, the office assistant should have the sound
knowledge of parts and qualities of a good letter. After drafting a letter, he should type it
properly.
3. Filing letters and documents
Filing is the process of collecting and preserving important letters and documents in a
systematic manner for future reference. The office assistant has to file all the important
letters and documents properly for their safety and quick retrieval. In order to maintain
files properly, the office assistant should have the sound knowledge of different methods
of filing and indexing.
4. Handling telephone
Handling the telephone is the process of making and receiving calls. The office assistance
should handle all the telephone calls properly. As the telephone rings, the office assistant
has to answer to the caller with the necessary information. He has to transfer the
important calls to the boss. While handling the telephone, he should be polite, courteous
and tactful.
5. Handling the Emails
Handling the email is the process of receiving and sending letters and documents or

recording entries and dispatch book. Office assistance should handle all incoming and
outgoing emails, letters and documents properly.
6. Reminding the chief
The office chief is always busy in preparing plans, making decisions, solving problems
and attending meetings and seminars. He may forget important appointments and other
official works. It is the duty of the office assistant to update the appointments of the chief
and to remind him of important official works.
7. Using machines
A modern office manages different types of office machines and equipment to perform
official activities more conveniently and efficiently. These offices machines and
equipment assist the office assistant is carrying out assigned duties smoothly. Hence, the
office assistant should use telephone, calculator, computer, fax and photocopier properly
while performing official works.
8. Preparing report
The office assistant has to prepare different types of the report on daily activities of the
office. they have to prepare and submit reports regarding office income, expenses,
performance, progress and problem of the office to the sectional or office chief. Such
types of reports help to make appropriate decisions and controlling the activities of the
organization.

Qualities or Traits of Office Assistant

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Qualities or Traits of Office Assistant

1. Personal appearance: Personal appearance refers to the outlook of the assistant. The
appearance of the assistance should be good- looking to others; Attractive appearance
gives the deep impression to the visitors and customers. Hence, the office assistant should
be neat and clean, wear a well-fitted dress and maintain good health to make his
appearance attractive.
2. Cleanliness: Cleanliness helps the assistance to be healthy. It adds to the beauty of the
office assistant. It helps makes to make the personal appearance attractive and
impressive. It makes the assistant smart and active. Hence, the office assistant should take
a regular bath, wear spotless dresses, cut nails, brush teeth and wear polished shoes to
make him look neat and clean.
3. Makeup: Makeup is an act of decorating the appearance using cosmetics such as powder,
lipstick, cream and tika which is very much important for an office assistant. Proper
makeup makes the appearance of the assistant pleasing and impressive. However, over
makeup should not be done, otherwise, it makes the assistant ugly.
4. Faithfulness: The office assistant should be faithful to the organization, superiors, and
customers. Faithfulness is the quality of being honest, sincere, accurate, loyal and
confidential. The office assistance should perform his assigned jobs with complete
enthusiasm and supply accurate and reliable information to the superiors and customers.
He should maintain secrecy for confidential information, letters and files. He should not
leak out his official secrecy even to his family members and friends.
5. Tactfulness: The office assistance should be tactful in handling people and jobs. Tact is
the skill and ability to solve problems, handling people and doing official jobs in a proper
manner even in a difficult situation and new environment. The tactful office assistant can
cope up with the new environment, problems and people patiently. The office assistant
should be tactful in using his experience, knowledge and ideas to solve problems and
satisfy people.
6. Learning habit: The office assistant should have a keen interest in learning new things
directly related with his work. The learning habit helps to develop his skill and efficiency.
He should be able to cope with the changing environment through his continuous
learning habit. The office assistant should have a habit of learning new things to adjust
himself with the ever changing environment.
7. Politeness: Politeness costs nothing, but it pays many unbelievable things. He should be
helpful and co- operative to the workers, juniors, seniors, visitors and customers. It helps
to maintain and develop a good relationship with the people both inside and outside the
organization. In every moment, the office assistant should be polite in handling
telephone, visitors, customers and reporting performance.