These days the Office Manager role has become so much more. In many instances it’s more of a Business Operations role and covers so many aspects of managing a business. If you speak with an Office Manager recruitment service they will tell you that there is also more of an expectation that an Office Manager will proactively and consistently look at new ways for a business to operate more professionally, efficiently and in a more technologically savvy way. The Office Manager’s role has had to evolve and they have had to find new ways to add value in their role.
However some of the essential qualities for an Office Manager haven’t changed including:
Being available
Stuff happens! No matter how well prepared, organised or ‘ready for anything’ an Office Manager is, the reality of the situation is that a big part of the role is to be available when issues arise. As a central point of contact for all departments across a business when it comes to operational matters, there are many people relying upon your knowledge and ability to solve problems quickly. Systems can be put in place and information can be shared, but when ‘on the spot’ people want to go to the source for a quick and accurate answer, to feel assured that the person in charge is managing the situation. Office Managers often need to be on call and happy to be available ‘out of hours’ it’s just a part of the role.
A can-do attitude
‘There is a solution to every problem’ needs to be the motto of the Office Manager. For business operations to continue issues need to be resolved quickly and people need to feel as though the person in charge of solving the problem is cool, calm, collected and has a can-do attitude. Management and executive teams need to feel confident that the person handling their business operations is staying on top of modern practices and feels confident and capable of introducing and implementing them.
Confidence in capabilities
Liaising with people at all levels and needing to have influence with senior management, an Office Manager needs to be professionally confident in their capabilities. Being able to back your decisions, rely upon your knowledge & expertise and confidently communicate your ideas is all a part of being confident in your capabilities. If an Office Manager is not confident in their capabilities, how do they expect the staff and management team to be.
Foresight
Having foresight and being able to anticipate problems or challenges ahead is a talent. And this is a talent that a high quality Office Manager possesses. Executive and management teams now expect that with modern technology and practices issues can be resolved swiftly and with minimal effort. This can only happen when an Office Manager is on top of their workload and fully aware of the potential challenges that may arise. Building relationships with the heads of all departments is an important one here, as it allows the Office Manager to understand the challenges from all perspectives and how issues might have domino effects.
Relationship building capabilities
An Office Manager needs to build relationships with internal departments, management teams, external suppliers, external stakeholders, potential suppliers, sales people, auditors, staff at all levels from CEO to cleaner, the list goes on and one. So yes, they need good relationship building skills.
Post-Covid, Office Manager recruitment in Sydney is booming again. Organisations recognise that they need someone directing traffic, making sure that things run smoothly and eyes are on efficiency and process improvements. If you are looking for a high quality Office Manager it is recommended that you consider working with a well connected, specialised Office Manager recruitment service. Candidates once again are in the driver’s seat and have options to consider, more so now than for a long time. Office Manager recruitment is a vital process, the role can affect the entire organisation and it is essential to get it right. Even if you run a process of your own alongside that of an Office Manager recruitment service you can be assured of covering all bases.
