Office Procedures PDF

1. OFFICE PROCEDURES A. THE OFFICE CONCEPT, FUNCTIONS, AND IMPORTANCE What is an Office? any physical structure where business transactions are being held. the nerve of a modern business enterprise where the day to day happenings of the business are b...

1. OFFICE PROCEDURES A. THE OFFICE CONCEPT, FUNCTIONS, AND IMPORTANCE What is an Office? any physical structure where business transactions are being held. the nerve of a modern business enterprise where the day to day happenings of the business are being planned, processed, and recorded. The show window of the business enterprise which serves as the reflection of the company’s image. involves the planning, design, implementation of work in an organization and its offices. This includes creating a focused work environment, and guiding and coordinating the activities of office personnel to achieve business goals. These activities are evaluated and adjusted to improve and maintain efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity. A place in which the function of a public officer is performed. 6 Key Office Management Functions Planning - vision, mission, goals, objectives. It is deciding in advance on what, how, and when something is to be done, thus, the preparatory in bridging the gap between the present and future. Organizing Resources – materials, personnel, financial backing, delegation, identification of tasks, assignments. Structuring the functions and duties to be performed by a group of people for purposes of attaining the objective. Staffing-recruitment, selection, promotion,compensation, development, Evaluation,retirement. Provides the organization with adequate, competent, and a verified personnel at all levels. Directing - mere planning, organizing, and staffing are not sufficient to set the tasks in motion. Direction that the manager is able to make the employees accomplish their tasks by making them integrate the effort. Controlling - it is this possibility of actions deviating from plans that calls for constant monitoring that calls for performance so that appropriate steps may be taken to make them conform to plans. This also involves compelling the events to conform to plans. Coordinating - deals with harmonizing work relations and efforts at all levels for achieving some common purpose. The idea of coordination is to adjust, reconcile, and synchronize. Office Functions 1. Primary or basic functions - functions that are related to information management. It helps in receiving, recording, arranging, analyzing, and transmitting information. Primary or basic functions A. Receiving and collecting information- Receiving and collecting different types of information from the different types of sources is the primary function of an office. The information is received from two sources. They are internal and external. Letters, invoices, circulars, notices, memos are the internal sources and supplier, customers, government, banks are the external sources. It may be complaints, orders, applications, and so on and these data can be gotten either in textual or oral B. Processing and arranging information - It is the most significant function of an office. The information collected and recorded cannot be readily used for the decision-making and other purposes in the organization. Therefore, it must be processes and arranged. Processing information involves preparing notes, sorting, editing. All information are to be arranged in a systematic way. Used making credible decisions within the organization. Additional: C. Recording Information: these documents including; registers, diaries, etc. depending on the company and its scope of operations, computers are usually used to type and save documents. 2 D. Dispensing Information: the recorded information will do no good to the company or its customers if the information is not dispensed (dispense=to set aside) accordingly. C. Supplying information - After arranging and analyzing information it is ready to supply in the management. It provides necessary information to its member whenever it is required. This information helps in decision-making process. D. Retention of records or Storing information - Retention is defined as the preservation of records for future reference. It involves collection, preservation, classification and protection of records for future reference. It is maintained in files, computers etc. Every record has a life span. It is protected according to its importance. Retention of record depends upon the nature of organization. The efficiency of office depends upon the way records are retained. Not all information is to be dispensed, other information needs to be stored for future use of the company. 2. Auxiliary or administrative management function A. Management process- To make any business successful there must be good management. Office helps in effective management. It includes planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling. It helps in smooth functioning of the organization. B. Public relations - There must be good public relations of the organization. The main purpose of public relation is to make the organization look trust-worthy to all people who deal with it in all its action. C. Development of office system and procedure - Every office develops a definite office system and a fixed routine. It helps in smooth flow of office work. The system is also known as procedure of office work. D. Safe guarding the assets - All assets, movable and immovable, documents and office records must be guarded and protected. They can protect these assets through insurance policies,locker etc. E. Form designing and control - An office designs, develops and prepares many types of forms needed for office management. It helps to get maximum benefits. These office forms are important tools for collection and storage of information. F. Purchasing stationery and supplies - Office stationery and supplies are essential for doing work. It helps in increasing the efficiency and improving quality of works done. Office should pay attention in purchasing right type of stationery and supplies. G. Purchasing office furniture and machine- Office requires various types of office furniture and machine for efficient performance. The quantity, quality, consistency and completeness of work basically depend upon the ability and quality of assets like office furniture and machine. H. Personnel function- Office is also related to recruiting, training, placing, promoting the Employees. Employees help in the success of the organization. Additional Information Source:(https://kullabs.com/class-11/business-studies/office-management/concept,-function-and -importance-of-office) An office is the center point of an organization. It is a place to perform different activities of a business organization. The office is the brain of a whole organization. The office performs a clerical function such as information collection, recording analyzing, distribution of information and executive function such as planning, policies formulation, organization, decision making etc. There are two concepts of office. They are: 1. Traditional concept Traditional concept defines office as the place to perform all managerial and clerical activities. It is the definite area in business. All business functions are regulated and directed from the office. It collects and stores information about the office. J.C.Denyer- Office is a place where clerical operations are carried on. M.C. Shukla- The point at which the greatest concentration of paperwork activity is found is popularly referred to as the office. Therefore, traditional concept explains office as a specified place. It is the particular place for handling whole business. 2. Modern concept The modern concept of office explains office as an activity rather than the place. According to this concept, any place can be said as an office, if the official activities such as executive and clerical activities function are performed. Jame Stephenson- The office is that part of business enterprises which is devoted to the direction and coordination of its various activities. It is the seat, not only of the administrative activities which determine the policy of the whole business but also of the principal executive activities whereby that policy is carried into effect. Edward Roche- Office exists anywhere certain kinds of work are performed. It is a mistake to regard an office as a specific place. Just as a tree is known by its fruits, so also a business office is known by the functions it discharges. Therefore, an office is an important part of the organization in which different administrative and clerical functions are performed to achieve the objective of the organization. It has given importance to a functional area of business rather than a specific place. In conclusion, an office is a place to perform all business activities relating to clerical and executive. It acts as the central point of the whole organization and all the information and resource come to an office and they are distributed from the office itself. The office is the brain of an organization. Importance of Office An office is the center point of any business activities. It is like the brain in a human body. As human physical activities are regulated and control by the brain, the activities of department and people in an office as well regulated and control from office. The importance of office can be explained with the help of the following point:  Information center: The office is very much important to collect and distribute information. Information is available from a different source such as invoice, letter, memos, agreement, voucher etc. The office collects information and protects them in safe mode on the basis of their importance. Proof of existence: The office is the evidence for existence and survival for business. We generalize the information about the existence of business with the help of the office. If the office is regular then we can say business is running. Channel of communication: The office is the channel of communication between different peoples and the department of business. There are a various level of staffs in business who are communicating with each other through means of office. Different department such as marketing and production are communicated with the help of the office. Coordination of work: Business is divided into department and sub-units for bringing simplicity into the operation. The office will work as a coordinator to maintain the relationship between departments. It develops productivity relationship with different department to achieve a co-operative objective. Center for the formulation of plan and policies: Business is established with the objective of attaining a certain result. To achieve this result top-level manager formulate plans and policies from office. These plan and policies are communicated to the related person through the office. Therefore, the office is a center for the formulation of plans and policies. Managerial control: The process of developing performance standard and comparing with actual performance is called controlling. The office helps in controlling the activities of different people and department of business. The office ensures that activities performed in business are accurate. Memory center: Office protects important information about the past in a safe manner. It provides information storage facilities in files and devices on the basis of their importance for the future. The department and people who need information are available from the office. Therefore, the office is a memory center. Service center: The office works as a service center for different units and department of business. It provides clerical services like mailing, filing, typing, printing, supplying resource etc. to concern department. It provides assistant facility to all people as well as units in business. B. THE OFFICE IN RELATION TO THE ORGANIZATION Who are the office workers? They are the members of the staff who are in-charge of the day to day activities in the office. They help company executives, department managers, supervisors, and fellow workers meet their responsibilities. The common forms of business organization? Single or Sole Proprietorship Partnership Corporation Cooperatives C. INFORMATION PROCESSING AND TECHNOLOGIES Information processing - the acquisition, recording, organization, retrieval, display, and dissemination of information. In recent years, the term has often been applied to computer-based operations specifically. 4 Stages Of Information Processing Attending is the first stage of information processing, and it refers to when a person is gathering information from their environment. Encoding is the second stage of information processing, and it refers to a person focusing and trying to truly understand something. Encoding is more involved than attending. Storing is the third stage of information processing, and it refers to keeping or maintaining information in the brain for an extended period. The storing phase can be thought of as keeping information in a person's ''memory bank''. Retrieving is the fourth stage of information processing, and it refers to when a person remembers information they had stored in their memory bank. For example, when a student can remember information from a lecture while taking a final, they are retrieving this information from their memory bank. D. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF OFFICE WORKERS 1. Administrative Duties – include the ability…. To manage your work and time To get along with others in the office To locate business information quickly To receive and entertain callers To make appointments To handle meetings and conferences To order supplies To make travel arrangements 2.Communication – include the ability…. To handle mail To use shipping services To handle telephone callers To handle other methods of telecommunications 3. Records Management –include the ability…. To do basic filing and finding systems To have some knowledge of records control 4. Processing Words– include the ability…. To dictate or type business letters, reports and other business papers. To proofread To take and transcribe dictation To use the words processing machine. 5.Refrographics– include the ability…. To operate the various copying and duplicating process and should know which process is best suited for each reproduction jobs. 6.Computing, Accounting, and Data Processing– include the ability…. Basic ability to calculate Ability to keep financial records Basic knowledge of data processing which involves taking unorganized facts and arranging them in such a way as to obtain the desired information with the use of high-speed electronics equipment like computer machines. E. ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND QUALITIES OF ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS Communication skills Communication is a major component of nearly any administrative job, so possessing this soft skill is necessary when working as an administrative assistant. These professionals interact with a variety of people, including staff, employers, managers, and clients. They often communicate in various forms, such as through email, on the phone, and in person. Common communication skills needed for administration include: Written communication skills. Interpersonal skills. Active listening skills. Presentation skills. Verbal communication skills. Public speaking. Business correspondence. Editing skills. Organization skills Another important skill for administrative roles is organization skills. These professionals often have to coordinate and oversee various tasks as well as manage the calendars of supervisors and/or executives.  Attention to detail. Calendar management skills. Multi-tasking skills. Filing skills. Bookkeeping. Record-keeping skills. Appointment setting skills. Event planning skills. Time management skills Administrators must also hold strong time management skills to ensure everything gets done each day. Administrative assistants are often not only be responsible for their own schedules and work tasks, but also for organizing and setting the schedules of executives. Prioritization. Delegation. Goal setting. Stress management. Planning. Strategic planning. Decision making. Resource management. Technology skills Administrative professionals need strong technology skills to perform various duties throughout their workday, such as operating Microsoft Word or using a fax machine. Microsoft Office Suite. Common operating systems. Faxing. Database management. QuickBooks. Email skills. Office equipment. Social media. WordPress. Problem-solving skills Administrators are often looked to for solutions to various office-related problems. For example, an executive assistant may need to rearrange an executive’s schedule when an unplanned event arises. Conflict resolution. Teamwork skills. Critical thinking skills. Brainstorming. Employee relations. Creative thinking skills. Troubleshooting. Customer Service Skills Depending on the workplace, administrative professionals may also need strong customer service skills to interact with customers, solve customer issues, and ensure customer satisfaction. Attentiveness Responsiveness. Empathy. Friendliness. Product/service knowledge. Patience.  Confidence. Adaptability. F. THE PROFESSIONAL IMAGE OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONAL A professional image describes the way a person conducts themselves at work and in other professional settings. It also involves the attitude they use at work and how others perceive them. The 3 Key Elements of a Professional Image Appearance: What you wear and how you look matters, appearance is the first thing that people will judge you on. Remember, your online image is as important as your in-person image. Professional behavior is a form of etiquette in the workplace that is linked primarily to respectful and courteous communication and conduct. Professional conduct involves your ethics, morals, and standards of behavior. If you want to have a professional image, you must maintain your ethical behavior and preserve your integrity and reputation. Whether you are looking for a job, starting a new career or business, having a professional image will set you apart from your competition. 7 characteristics which you must possess in order to build a strong professional image: 1. Neat appearance 2. Politeness 3. Strong and clear communication 4. Reliability 5. Competency 6. Business Etiquette 7. Organized and methodical G. BUSINESS ETIQUETTE What is etiquette? The customary code of polite behavior in society or among members of a particular profession or group. Set of conventional rules of personal behavior in polite society usually in the form of an ethical code that delineates the expected and accepted social behaviors that accord with the conventions and norms observed by a society, social class, or a social group. Business etiquette? Is a set of rules that govern the way people interact with one another in business, with customers, suppliers, with inside or outside bodies. It is about conveying the right image and behaving in an appropriate way. It is all about building relationships with people within and outside a business organization in the business world. It is simply a means of maximizing your business potential. The 10 Basics of Business Etiquette 1.Arrive on Time 2.Dress Appropriately for Work 3. Speak Kindly of Others 4. Avoid Gossip or Eavesdropping 5. Show Interest in Others 6. Watch Your Body Language 7. Introduce Yourself and Others 8. Don’t Interrupt Others 9. Mind Your Mouth 10.Consume Food and Drink Correctly H. EFFECTIVE TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS Positive Tone of Voice - Tone of voice is one of the most important topics to focus on in a call center or answering service. Because callers are unable to pick up on body language over a phone call, tone of voice becomes their main method of determining the call operator’s attitude. Clear Enunciation- Enunciation allows the caller to fully understand what’s being said. Have you ever spoken to a call operator who talks too quickly or quietly? If so, you can understand how frustrating a lack of enunciation is for your callers. Sincerity- Callers develop trust for agents who start the conversation with a sincere wish to address their problem. A good phone service agent should be genuine, compassionate, and caring. Engagement- Although not every call involves a crisis or emergency, our professional phone agents are trained to remain engaged on every call. This allows them to properly handle crisis calls when they do come across one, even when the calls start routinely. Active Listening- Active listening is an essential aspect of good communication skills. When your operator(s) demonstrate good listening skills, your customers will feel as though their concerns are valid. Going Beyond Message Taking- Improving customer satisfaction is not only about taking a caller’s message and accurately relaying it to the business, it’s about providing compassionate and professional customer support. I. RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Records Management system (RMS) is the management of records for an organization throughout the records-life cycle.The activities in this management include the systematic and efficient control of the creation, maintenance, and destruction of the records along with the business transactions associated with them. Considered a key component of operational efficiency, record management adds more value to an organization's information assets. Activities involved in records management are: Identifying the information which needs to be captured. Information planning for the organization. Enforcement of policies and practices regarding creation, maintenance, disposal of records Creation of a records storage plan. Classification, identification and storing the records. Coordination of providing internal and external access to the records keeping in view of data privacy and business and data confidentiality. TWO TYPES OF RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS Paper Record Management Systems As the name might imply, traditional paper record management systems involve the management and storage of hard-copy documents. Although some small businesses may still predominantly use paper record management systems because of their smaller size, paper records are most commonly used by businesses that deal in legal services or healthcare. These industries tend to be highly regulated and often require hard-copy documentation as proof of record Electronic record management systems stem from their use of digital file formats, and what this specifically entails for managing electronic records. Unlike paper documents, electronic files cannot be physically held, which carries certain implications for maintaining their authenticity and security. 2. PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT A. ASPECTS OF PERSONALITY AND DEFINITION The word “personality” originates from the Latin word "persona", which means "mask" worn by theatrical performers in order to either project different roles or disguise their identities. While there are many different definitions of personality, most focus on the pattern of behaviors and characteristics that can help predict and explain a person's behavior that makes a person unique. It is believed that personality arises from within the individual and remains fairly consistent throughout life. Explanations for personality can focus on a variety of influences, ranging from genetic explanations for personality traits to the role of the environment and experience in shaping an individual’s personality. Psychologically speaking the meaning of personality is a complex structure of learned responses, dependent upon a multitude of factors and influences, including Karma, and level of consciousness. Different personality types develop and change in relation to the ego's beliefs, actions, and intentions. Personality development training and improvement are possible through acceptance, and the willingness to surrender old habitual patterns for new and more beneficial ones. Personality Development is the development of systematic emotional and behavioral changes that reflects the individuality of a person. Aspects of Personality There are some things to consider when we talk about personality development because no two individuals are the same. We are all unique in our ways. We may look the same, but we do not have similar experiences. There are many ways in how a person can determine or distinguish a person's personality. There are also other types of aspects of personality that a person can see. However, these various aspects provide us a different view into how an individual's personality develops. 1. Biological Aspect The biological approach focuses on the role of the brain and genetics in shaping personality. Psychologist Hans Eysenck believes that genetics are the primary traits that can determine personality, although he thinks conditioning also plays a role. The biological perspective on personality highlights the physiological and genetic factors that influence personality. Here are some examples of biological aspects: Temperament refers to the innate personality that babies show after birth. It is how someone reacts to the world. The unique way a child responds to the world. Inheritance also refers to the genes or traits that the child can acquire from their parents, therefore, biologically determined. 2. Cognitive Aspect Social-cognitive theories of personality highlighted the role of cognitive processes, such as thinking and judging, in personality development. The social-cognitive theory of personality focuses on both learning and cognition as sources of individual personality differences. It determines the individual’s knowledge can be directly related to observing others by social interactions or experiences. Mischel's Cognitive-Affective Model Mischel's experiments suggested that an individual's behavior is not merely the result of his or her traits, but fundamentally dependent on situational cues — the needs of a given situation. Mischel suggests that an individual’s behavior is fundamentally dependent on situational cues.  3. Moral Aspect Moral principles indicate what is a “good,” “virtuous,” “just,” “right,” or “ethical” way for humans to behave (Haidt, 2012). For example, research-based on this perspective displays that the adoption of moral behaviors, such as showing care for the environment, can be enhanced when others think this is important. Morality stipulates the "right" and "wrong" way to behave. For instance, one should be fair or unfair to others. The moral is concerned with the principles of the right or wrong behavior of a human character. Morality is a set of rules for some. For others, morality is based on the principles. 4. Temperamental Aspect Temperament refers to the personality that we show at birth. Temperament refers to the behavior style. A child’s temperament can be the result of biological and environmental factors throughout a child’s development. However, researchers found that temperaments usually remain stable over time from infants to adolescents. For example, Thomas and Chess (1990) found that babies could be categorized into three temperaments: easy, difficult, or slow to warm up. Easy temperament is characterized by having an overall positive mood, regular sleeping, eating routines, an easily trained, and a positive approach to new situations. Difficult temperament, however, is the opposite of the easy temperament. These children are characterized by negative moods, irregular routines, intense reactions, and long crying episodes. The slow to warm-up temperament is characterized by low adaptability, shyness, cautiousness, and slow adaptation to new things. NOTE: However, if the child has been used to the surroundings at her or his own pace, this child can gradually become an active, happy group member. 5. Spiritual Aspect Christina Puchalski, MD, Director of the George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health, contends that "spirituality is the aspect of humanity that refers to the way individuals seek and express meaning and purpose and the way they experience their connectedness to the moment, to self, to others, to nature, and the significant or sacred." Personality and spirituality are two standard fields of psychology. The spiritual aspect is the person's consciousness and awareness of the higher values in life. Spirituality consists of a natural motivation and belief that someone is more remarkable than oneself and determines one's behavior. Spirituality is a part of a person that helps them to find meaning, connectedness, and purpose in their life. B. MOST ADMIRABLE PERSONAL QUALITIES OF A PERSON List of 11 Personal Qualities 1. Kindness- Kindness is love in action, and love is connection. When you realize you’re connected to every living being, you want to do them good, because you share in their joys and in their sufferings. 2. Integrity- is when your words and actions agree with your beliefs and when others can depend on you to act in accordance with what you say you believe 3. Humility- The humble person isn’t the one you hear tearing himself down to fish for compliments or garner sympathy. 4. Equanimity- With equanimity, you accept the present moment and all its challenges without reacting negatively or trying to escape it. Equanimity makes temperance and patience possible. Whatever happens, you remain open to what it can teach you. 5. Forgiveness - this is about the decision to let go and choose compassion over revenge or resentment. 6. Gratitude/ joyfulness - A grateful heart finds joy everywhere and is more resilient than negative thinkers and people who are too busy to appreciate the good in their lives. 7. Courage - hose who exhibit courage do what needs to be done — or what they believe needs to be done — in spite of fear. Whatever they fear (criticism, rejection, death), they do or say what they believe they must. 8. calmness/ serenity - A calm person doesn’t react emotionally to every provocation (deliberate or otherwise). With true serenity, you feel an undisturbed peace of soul. 9. discipline/focus - The disciplined person commits to doing something and gets it done, even when he’d rather be doing something else. 10. Wisdom/prudence - is the ability to know the right thing to do or to say, while prudence is wisdom plus good timing. 11. Trust - encourages us to find meaning and purpose in everything we experience. C. TYPES OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES Every person has its own differences, just like how we have a unique fingerprints that is specially made for us. One is different from the other, so do not try to be like anybody else. In addition, according to Henry B. Eyring, “Every person is different and has a different contribution to make. No one is destined to fail.” Sharon Conti, PhD with Martha Wilson, PhD (2013) made a research on how personality difference affects you at work. They include one framework that is helpful to understand the personality difference is called Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). In developing the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (1940), the aim of Isabel Briggs Myers, and her mother, Katharine Briggs, was to make the insights of type theory accessible to individuals and groups The Four Dimensions of MBTI: 1. Extraversion (E) or Introversion (I) It describes where people prefer to focus their attention and get their energy — the outer world of people and activity or their inner world of ideas and experiences. Extraversion : In a workplace, this type of preference is quick to offer new ideas and tend to talk more. They enjoy active involvement in any activity and talk out loud. Introversion : In a workplace, this type of preference tends to be very deliberate when they speak, having thought out their ideas silently first. They prefer doing things alone or with one or two people that they are comfortable with. 2. Sensing (S) or Intuition (N) It describes how people prefer to take in information — focused on what is real and actual or on patterns and meanings in data. Sensing : It prefers to take detailed information and think bottom-up. They like to start with the facts then form a big picture. Intuition : It prefers a top-down, big-picture perspective. They like to work with symbols or abstract theories, and also like to see the big picture then find facts. 3. Thinking (T) or Feeling (F) It describes how people prefer to make decisions — based on logical analysis or guided by concern for their impact on others. Thinking : This type of personality likes to analyze pros and cons, and then be consistent and logical in deciding. They can be seen as too task-oriented, uncaring, or indifferent. Feeling : This type of personality is concerned with values and what is the best for the people involved. They appear caring, warm, and tactful. 4. Judging (J) or Perceiving (P) It describes how people prefer their daily life — planned and orderly or flexible and spontaneous.  Judging : This type of personality likes to make decisions, prefer a settled and well-organized, and likes to have a schedule. Perceiving : This type of personality likes to understand and adapt the world rather than organize it. They prefer a much more spontaneous and flexible approach to life. D. FACTORS THAT GIVE RISE TO PERSONALITY DIFFERENCES There are three main influences on personality development that we are going to look at in this lesson. Those are heredity, environment, and situation. 1. Heredity This refers to the influences on your personality that you are born with. They are in your genes and there is not much you can do to change these traits. They can include your temperament, which helps to determine how you react to situations and how easy going you are. In kids, it may affect how well they get along with others. Genetics, of course, also determines how someone looks. 2. Environment Our environment is the nurturing aspect of our lives. It is the type of environment in which we live and grow up. Environment would include home, school, work, or other places that you spend a lot of time. Environmental factors also include such things as languages, religion, etc. 3. Situations These are the experiences that each individual person goes through. The various things that people experience will leave imprints on and help to develop his or her personality. Everything from divorce, death, trauma, and even happy times fit into the "situations" category of shaping one's personality. You have most likely at some point in your life heard someone say that people are a "product of their environment." This means their personality has been greatly influenced by the three things we just looked at. They were born with particular traits, and their living situation and any impacting situations they experienced all helped to create who they are. E. PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES AND COMPONENTS (https://www.criteriacorp.com/resources/glossary/big-five-personality-traits) Personality research has generated a variety of different theories that attempt to define and measure personality. The most widely accepted taxonomy of personality among industrial-organizational psychologists is the Big Five Personality Traits model, or the Five Factor Model of personality. The Five Factor Model breaks personality down into five components: Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Openness, and Stress Tolerance. Personality tests that are based on this model measure where an individual lies on the spectrum of each of the five traits. Each trait measures a unique aspect of human personality: Agreeableness - is a measure of an individual’s tendencies with respect to social harmony. This trait reflects how well the individual gets along with others, how cooperative or skeptical they are, and how they might interact within a team. Conscientiousness - is a measure of how careful, deliberate, self-disciplined, and organized an individual is. Conscientiousness is often predictive of employee productivity, particularly in lower-level positions. Extraversion - is a measure of how sociable, outgoing, and energetic an individual is. Individuals who score lower on the extraversion scale are considered to be more introverted, or more deliberate, quiet, low key, and independent. Some types of positions are better suited for individuals who fall on one side of the spectrum or the other. Openness - measures the extent to which an individual is imaginative and creative, as opposed to down-to-earth and conventional. Stress Tolerance - measures the ways in which individuals react to stress. F. IMPORTANCE OF GOOD HEALTH AND GOOD POSTURE Health is the functional and metabolic efficiency of the body and its capacity to cope with the physical, mental, and social changes to which it is exposed. Health is the opposite of illness and also means the safety of the body from physical, social, and mental disturbances. It helps a person do his everyday activities in the right way. The importance of health to an individual’s life is unquestionably great. The importance of health to an individual is that they save on treatment costs and the hassle of going to hospital. A person in good health who is far from the illness sees that he is saving money that he would have spent on the illness if he had neglected his health, so it is always said that prevention is always better than cure. Proper Diet A proper diet is one that provides nutrients to help your body function properly. The importance of a diet lies in the consumption of the appropriate number of calories. Your body receives proper nutrition when you eat a wide variety of high calorie foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and proteins. Healthy living can be achieved by maintaining a balanced diet and keeping in mind to meet all the vital nutrients needed by the body. Proper meal plans help achieve ideal body weight and reduce the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular  disease, and other types of cancer. Healthy eating makes you feel good, has more energy, improves your health, and stimulates your mood. Proper nutrition, physical activity and a healthy weight are essential for the health and wellness of the person. Exercises Exercise is one of the important things to do in our daily lives. It can help us maintain good health and reduce the risk of having several diseases – like cardiovascular diseases, cancer, or diabetes. Exercise increases energy levels. Exercise improves muscle strength. Exercise can help to maintain a healthy weight. Exercise is good for the heart. Exercise enhances the immune system. Sleep and Rest Sleep is one of the important things that should not be neglected. It is as equally important as eating, drinking, and breathing – vital to maintain good health. Sleeping can also help people to recover from mental or physical exertion. Posture Posture is the attitude assumed by the body either with support during the course of muscular activity, or as a result of the coordinated action performed by a group of muscles working to maintain the stability. It is a non-verbal communication. Your Posture is important and conveys a message. Straight Posture indicates leadership and confidence. It tells the audience that you are in control. It conveys the message that you have confidence in your competence. Leaning slightly forward shows the audience you care. Slouching to one side delivers the opposite message. It shows disinterest. Hunched shoulders indicate lack of confidence and possibly low self-esteem Two types of Posture 1. Dynamic posture (yourself when you are moving) like when you are walking, running, or bending over to pick up something. It is usually required to form an efficient basis for movement. Muscles and non-contractile structures have to work to adapt to changing circumstances. 2. Static posture (yourself when you are not moving) like when you are sitting, standing, or sleeping. Body segments are aligned and maintained in fixed positions. This is usually achieved by coordination and interaction of various muscle groups which are working statically to counteract gravity and other forces. Common Postures Sitting Properly  Ensure that your feet are on the floor, or on a footrest rather than hanging mid-air, keep your knees at or below your hip level, maintain relaxed shoulders with your forearms at a parallel position to the ground, and have your backrest support your entire back. Standing Properly Ensure that your weight is borne by the soles of your feet, with your feet placed 4-5 inches apart, tuck your stomach in, and have your hands hanging naturally from the body sides. All the while maintaining a straight and tall structure. Preferable Lying Position A major secret to sleeping right is having a good and comfortable mattress. If you prefer a hard one, that’s fairly okay, and if you feel comfy on a softer one, then that’s fine. Always support your head with a pillow such that it is at an elevated position to the rest of your body to aid in blood circulation. And avoid lying on your stomach. Benefits of Good Posture ❏ Reduced low back pain ❏ Fewer headaches ❏ Increased energy levels ❏ Less tension in your shoulders and neck ❏ Decreased risk of abnormal wearing of the joint surfaces ❏ Increased lung capacity ❏ Improved circulation and digestion ❏ Increased self-confidence G. IMPORTANCE OF GOOD GROOMING FOR MEN AND WOMEN Grooming is defined commonly as activities that include caring for one's well-being and appearance. It's the art of maintaining parts of the body like the hair, face, skin, nails, etc. It is essential for everyone, but it is crucial for women. There is a wide range of activities in grooming for women like getting a manicure or pedicure, making hair, putting on makeup, wearing clean and beautiful clothes at best. Some have recognized the importance of grooming, and it comes quite naturally to them each day. Others practice grooming poorly or neglect it altogether. It doesn't seem right, especially for women. There are several benefits of grooming. Here are some of them to give you the motivation you need. 1. It gives you self-confidence. 2. It shows professionalism in the workplace. 3. It influences your emotions. 4. It makes you adaptable to any environment. 5. It gives you respect. 6. It enhances beauty, health, and hygiene. 7. It teaches balance What is Grooming? It is an act of grooming to make yourself look clean, neat, and pleasant. First Impression Guidelines Grooming: ❏ Hair – neat and clean ❏ Details – no missing tags, lint, or buttons ❏ Hands – clean and manicured fingernails ❏ Fit – proper fit, clean, and pressed ❏ Smell – no cigarette odor; little or no cologne ❏ Breath – fresh, clean breath; use a breath mint What Influenced You? Apparent level of sophistication Color of tie, shoes, dress Well-groomed appearance Conservative appearance Overall attractiveness Non-verbal signals Apparent level of self-confidence What can reflect about you because of your appearance? In the interview process, your appearance plays a supporting role. In trusting a prospective employer, your appearance can convey strong feelings. In the sense of self-confidence, dependability, and professionalism, your appearance can convey. On how people you meet will react to you, your appearance can determine. Grooming Checklist-Men ❖ Shower daily: Shower once in the morning, once at night, any time of the day after a workout, because we all know that men tend to sweat a lot. ❖ Use deodorant ❖ Shave daily ❖ Change your underwear daily: Actually, changing your underwear should also be done after a workout. If not changed often, bacteria tend to grow between the toes' webs, which are always closed in socks and your underwear region. ❖ Trim your nails ❖ Trim all your hair ❖ Ensure you have a decent hairstyle at work, go to a barber often; once a month is idea; Grooming Checklist– Women ❖Using cover-up for dark circles; because it does not give an excellent impression to look tired at work. ❖Foundation is a good idea. ❖Keep your hairstyle non-messy, longer than shoulder length, always go into a ponytail with no hair in front. ❖ Neutral shades of lipstick ❖ Natural nail polish colors, no neon ❖ Always be sanitary and dispose of sanitary napkins. ❖ A recent survey showed that women who wear make-up have a competitive edge over their bare-faced colleagues. ❖ Women who wear make-up earn 20% more than women who wear no makeup. ❖ Neutral shades of lipstick ❖ Natural nail polish colors, no neon ❖ Always be sanitary and dispose of sanitary napkins. ❖ A recent survey showed that women who wear make-up have a competitive edge over their bare-faced colleagues. ❖ Women who wear make-up earn 20% more than women who wear no makeup. H. QUALITIES OF A PROFESSIONAL What are the Qualities of a Professional? Some qualities of professionals are being competent in work. They get the job done. They are reliable and keep their promises. Making sure that they do their best to make the situation right. Professionals do not make excuses, but focus on finding solutions. They have the characteristics of honesty and integrity. Professionals keep their word, and they can be trusted in all circumstances. Additionally, true professionals are humble. They instantly ask for help when they need it, and they are willing to learn from others. Moreover, they are accountable for their thoughts, words, and actions, especially when they've done something wrong. Capable of working under pressure by maintaining a calm, business-like behaviour if he/she encounters irate customers. Professionals are polished, and dress appropriately for the situation. Thus they gain respect by keeping their professional image. Professionals have worked in a serious, thoughtful and sustained way to master the specialized knowledge needed to succeed in their fields; and that they keep this knowledge up-to-date, so that they can continue to deliver the best work possible. What is Professionalism? Professionalism is portraying yourself at work both yourself and your company in a positive way. It comprises standards for behavior that might be mandated in an employee handbook, like adhering to a certain dress code, as well as traits that are harder to pin down but still worthwhile as professionals in the workplace. According to Eric Mochnacz, HR consultant at Red Clover. “Professionalism is someone’s inherent ability to do what is expected of them and deliver quality work because they are driven to do so.” Professionalism also encompasses the way an employee collaborates with other people, including co-workers, clients and supervisors. This is thoroughly essential in the workplace because it shows that you not only care about your career but also that you respect your work colleagues-this can go a long way in the future. I. THE SECRETARY AND OFFICE PROFESSIONALS ETHICS Code of Ethics of Office Professional The code of ethics of office professionals is the ethical principles used in an organization or a company. It is a guide for employees on how they ought to act on how they behave and deal with unnecessary or unpredictable happenings in work. It gives a general idea to the organizations' employees on what is proper to do as a professional. Teamwork - work together to get the job done. Objectivity - don’t make career decisions based on whom you like best. Confidentiality - maintain clients’ confidence at all times. Growth - always pursue professional growth. Trustworthiness - being honest and transparent in actions and communication can have a positive impact, both internal and external. People will recognize you as someone that can be trusted. It means that you practice discretion on the company's information, and somehow being open in providing insights on how the company operates and conceptualize will gain the consumer's trust. Respect - how you respect others is how you respect yourself, and it is how you present yourself and communicate. Respects everyone's beliefs even if they differ from yours. Allow time to gather your thoughts so that you can analyze it before speaking. Fairness - treating everyone with a sense of right and justice is ethical. It is essential to treat people equally to avoid inevitable conflicts and discrimination. Integrity - a person with integrity is always trying to do a good thing in any situation without expecting something in return. Working with integrity is also like working with honesty and loyalty. It is the foundation of character that creates a positive impact. Caring - people face different struggles every day, so it is essential to care and show empathy. Being understood by someone creates a good relationship with anyone. It boosts internal and external perceptions of the business. Aside from the code of ethics, there is also a code of conduct similar to the code of ethics. However, the code of ethics only focuses mainly on how the employees will have to deal with a particular situation. The following are the sample template of the code of ethics and professional conduct: Be inclusive Be considerate Be respectful Choose your words carefully Don’t harass Make differences into strengths Professionalism in the work environment can give you an upper hand over different applicants and help you build a solid standing inside your organization. It can also help you to monitor your conduct at work. Ethical office professionalism is essential in the success of a business, huge or small. It guarantees good connections with the clients, and a strong relationship with employees, creating a positive organization that meets its objectives and goals. The following are some of the characteristics of the ethical office professional: Characteristics of the Ethical Office Professional Professional Appearance. Appropriate attire and proper grooming is a must in terms of professionalism. You should wear your clothing as cleaned and ironed properly. The way you dress reflects how you see your work and how others view you and your company. Reliable. Professionals should be a dependable worker who keeps their commitments. For instance, a reliable worker is always on time to start and finish his work promptly. Being a dedicated worker helps you to have a better relationship with your co-workers and employer as well, which will benefit you for promotions. Ethical Behavior. Most of the companies have their code of conduct, which includes ethical behavior. Being professional also means that you are ready to commit to fairness and do the right thing regarding work conduct and decisions. Organized. Having excellent organizational skills is one of the essential characteristics of being professional to track your files and materials. All files should be neat and well organized in your workspace to easily find and prepare for unexpected urgency. Accountable. Professionals should be accountable for their actions and decisions, especially if they fail. They should be responsible for their mistakes and take action for whatever consequences their decisions or actions made. Professional Language. Professionals should monitor how they behave and act, including how they talk. They should avoid using inappropriate language and minimize using slang, especially in the workplace. Separates Personal and Professional. Challenges and problems in life are inevitable. In line with this, professionals should set a boundary between their personal lives from their professional lives. You shall never bring your personal problems into your workplace because it may affect your work performance. Positive Attitude. Maintaining a positive attitude while working will boost a professional's performance and influence other employees' performance and behavior, creating a light and positive workplace environment. Emotional Control. A professional should always keep in mind that it is essential to stay calm as much as possible in all situations. It is best if you did not let your emotions control you, but you control your emotions because it may worsen the situation and affect the whole organization. Possesses Soft Skills. Possessing a soft skill allows you to have significant interaction with others, including leadership, teamwork, critical thinking, and people skills. Focused. Professionals should be clear about their goals and how to attain it. To maintain productivity, they should stay focused and not distracted to be efficient and improve their work's quality and performance. Poised. Part of being a professional is maintaining poise, calm, and confidence. Demonstrating stability includes having a good posture, eye contact when communicating, and keeping calm even though you feel pressured.  Respectful of Others. Individuals should always treat other people with respect, especially in the workplace. Respecting other people benefits you to have a healthy relationship, creating a positive and supportive work atmosphere. Strong Communicator. Professionals should have strong communication skills to convey messages effectively and efficiently, whether verbal or non-verbal. It is one of the essential characteristics you need to have to be an effective professional. In this way, professionals can have a good connection and accomplish a lot, helping the organization. Effective Time Management. Professionals should know how to manage their time effectively. Effective time management includes being punctual at work, especially if there are meetings or seminars you need to attend. 3. Principles of Public and Customer Relations A. PUBLIC RELATIONS DEFINITION AND IMPORTANCE Public relations definitions: helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other. is an organization’s efforts to win the cooperation of groups of people. is the management function that builds and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and the public on whom its success or failure depends. is a planned process to influence public opinion, through sound character and proper performance, based on mutually satisfactory two-way communication. “is the attempt, by information, persuasion, and adjustment, to engineer public support for an activity, cause, movement or institution.” - Edward Bernays “The deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organization and its publics.” — Chartered Institute of Public Relations Keywords: Deliberate - Public relations activity is intentional. Designed to influence, gain understanding, provide information, and obtain feedback. Planned - PR activity is organized. Solutions to problems are discovered and logistics are thought out, with the activity taking place over a period of time. The activity is systematic, requiring research and analysis. Performance - Effective PR is based on actual policies and performance. No amount of PR will generate goodwill and support if an organization is unresponsive to community concerns. Public interest - PR activity should be mutually beneficial to the organization and the public; It provides for the alignment of the organization's self interests with the public's concerns and interests. Two-way communication - PR is more than one-way dissemination of informational materials. It is equally important to solicit feedback.  Management function - PR is most effective when it is an integral part of decision making by top management; PR involves counselling and problem solving at high levels, NOT just the dissemination of information after a decision has been made by other leaders. B. PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC RELATIONS Sharpe’s Five Principles: 1. Honest communication for credibility 2. Openness and consistency for confidence 3. Fairness of actions for reciprocity, goodwill 4. Two-way communication to build relationships 5. Research and evaluation to determine actions and adjust for social harmony C. PR IN THE PERFORMANCE OF DUTIES OF ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS Public Relations Work Assignments 1. Writing & Editing Composing print and broadcast news releases, feature stories, newsletters to employees and external stakeholders, correspondence. Web site and other online media messages, shareholder and annual reports, speeches, brochures, film and slide-show scripts, trade publication articles, institutional advertisements, and product and technical collateral materials. 2. Media Relations and Placement Contacting news media, magazines,Sunday supplements, freelance writers and trade publications with the intent of getting them to publish or broadcast news and features about or originated by an organization. Responding to media requests for information, verification of stories, and access to authoritative sources. 3. Research Gathering information about public opinion, trends, emerging issues, political climate and legislation, media coverage, special-interest groups, and another concern of an organization's stakeholders. Searching the internet, online services, and electronic government databases. Designing program research, conducting surveys and hiring 4. Management and Administration Programming and planning in collaboration with other managers; determining needs, establishing priorities, defining publics, setting goals and objectives, and developing strategy and tactics. Administering personnel, budget, and program schedules. 5. Counseling Advising top management on the social, political, and regulatory environments; consulting with the management team on how to avoid or respond to crisis; and working with key decision makers to devise strategies for managing or responding to critical and sensitive issues 6. Special Events Arranging and managing news conferences, 10k runs, conventions, open houses, ribbon cutting and grand openings, anniversary celebrations, fund-raising events, visiting dignitaries, contests, award programs, and other special observances 7. Speaking Appearing before groups, coaching others for speaking assignments, and managing a speakers' bureau to provide platforms for the organization before important audiences 8. Production Creating communications using multimedia knowledge and skills, including art, typography, photography, layout, and computer desktop publishing; audio and video recording and editing; and preparing audiovisual presentations 9. Training Preparing executives and other designated spokespersons to deal with media and make other public appearances.Instructing others in the organization to improve writing and communication skills. Helping introduce changes in organizational culture, policy, structure, and process 10. Contact Serving as liaison with media, community,and other internal and external groups. Communicating, negotiating, and managing conflict with stakeholders.Meeting and hosting visitors D. CUSTOMER RELATIONS DEFINITION AND TYPES OF CUSTOMERS Customer relations refers to the process used by businesses to engage with customers and foster long-term relationships with them. Right from assisting customers with their day-to-day queries to creating long-term policies that lead to customer success, customer relations encompasses a lot of activities Five Main Types of Customers 1. Loyal customers: Customers that make up a minority of the customer base but generate a large portion of sales. 2. Impulse customers: Customers that do not have a specific product in mind and purchase goods when it seems good at the time. 3. Discount customers: Customers that shop frequently but base buying decisions primarily on markdowns. 4. Need-based customers: Customers with the intention of buying a specific product. 5. Wandering customers: Customers that are not sure of what they want to buy. E. TYPES OF DIFFICULT CUSTOMERS AND APPROACH 5 Types of Difficult Customers (and How to Handle Them Effectively) 1. The Demanding/ Bully/ Aggressive Customer This type of difficult customer is quick to anger, overly aggressive, highly critical, rude, arrogant and often verbally abusive. They think their needs and demands are superior to everybody else’s. They scream, complain, abuse and may often get physical to get what they want. How to handle the demanding/ bully/ aggressive: It doesn’t really matter whether you’re right or wrong, bullies don’t care about your explanations. So, the best way to handle them is to calmly and confidently apologise for the ‘problem’ and tell them you’re willing to solve the problem if they calm down and tell you exactly how you can help. Don’t ever join them in a shouting match or try to match their aggression. Respond politely to them without raising your voice and never take their insults and criticisms personally. Try to understand why they are frustrated and wait for them to regain composure. When their anger has subsided, take the opportunity to apologize and offer a solution. ‘Converted bullies’ can become very loyal customers and ambassadors of your business. 2. The Complainer Generally, customers complain. And it’s a good thing because complaints can be a very rich source of positive and constructive feedback for your business. But when you find a particular customer who complains all the time – even about the pettiest of things – you may have a habitual complainer on your hands. These customers complain about everything and anything. They nag about your prices, the layout of your office, the color of your shirt, and even the weather. How to handle the complainer: you need to come to terms with the fact that you cannot satisfy everybody. And the habitual complainer is one of those. Accepting this fact will help you limit yourself from going out of your way to satisfy him every time. All you can do is give your very best. 3. The Confused/ Indecisive Customer For some strange reason, this type of customer just cannot make a decision. They’ll ask you questions, and even more questions, but still can’t make a purchase no matter the quantity of information you provide. How to handle the confused/indecisive: The key to handling the Indecisive is to determine their hot button. What exactly are they most concerned about? Price? Quality? Quantity? Features? When you know what their hot button is, it’s much easier to ‘force’ them to make a decision. If they make the decision, good for you – you’ll make a sale. Another way to move Indecisives towards a decision is to ‘sweeten’ the deal. Give them a price or bulk discount, a free taster, or offer a money-back guarantee. Better still, you can introduce some urgency to ‘help’ them make a decision. 4. The Impatient Customer This is the kind of customer who doesn’t care about the fact that something is not available or can’t be done at the moment. He can’t imagine you don’t have some features or service. He can’t believe you’re closed at 6pm and you don’t offer any additional contact after this hour. Also, he can’t show it in any other way than by resorting to anger. He usually use phrases like: “I can’t believe it”, “I want this solved”, “I want it now or I’ll go to your competitors!” How to handle the impatient: All customers deserve a prompt response and quick action, regardless of how difficult they are. But you can’t necessarily bump a customer to the top of the queue just because he’s lost his patience. Do your best to explain why things aren’t moving as quickly as he’d like, assure him that you appreciate his patience, and do your best to serve him as quickly as possible. If possible, refer him to less-busy colleagues who can give him more timely assistance. 5. The Know-it-all Customer I’m sure you’ve met this kind of person before. They seem to know everything about everything, including your business, product or service.In their bid to showcase their knowledge, they could be highly critical and rude. They also tend to talk a lot and always want to dominate the conversation. He is convinced of being right and it’s almost impossible to change his beliefs. How to handle the know-it-all: Know-it-alls respond quite well to an ego massage. Compliment their knowledge of your product or service and give them some good attention while you can. Make sure your compliments are sincere and not patronizing. Never argue with this type of customer as you’ll end up having an extended argument. And worse still, you may hurt her ego. Instead, if you need to correct him and provide some facts and information, you may use a line like: ‘You’re right, but I think the product is… (make your point). F. ESSENTIAL QUALITIES OF ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS AS PRESS (PUBLIC) RELATIONS OFFICER Public relations officers use a wide range of media to build and sustain a good image for a company, organisation or brand through planned publicity campaigns and PR activity. PR officers may also be required to carry out other, more general, marketing responsibilities. This can involve working on websites and social media and writing and/or producing presentations, reports, articles, leaflets, journals and brochures for both external and internal distribution. Skills Excellent communication skills both orally and in writing Excellent interpersonal skills Good IT skills Presentation skills Initiative Ability to prioritise and plan effectively Awareness of different media agendas Creativity POSSIBILE QUESTIONS Q1. Filing is defined as the process of arranging and strong records so that they can be located when require. Q2. Who is the another of the book on Development in Office Management? J. Batting Q3. O&M stands for? Office Management Q4. Indexing refers to Aid to filing Q5. Loose-Leaf binders is very useful for? Filing & Indexing Q6. Office Audit defined as an exhaustive review and evaluation of Office Management Q7. Office manuals important for? Elimination of repetition of instructions To aid employee training Q8. Policy Manual can be described as a definite course of actions or principle of procedure Q9. Department Practice Manual is defined as a manual that deals with organization and procedure of an individual department. Q10. An individual is legally permitted to take an actions is means Legal Authority Q11. An authority that deals with the original source from which one derives the right to take certain action is called Ultimate Authority Q12. In communication cycle, if any response is communicated back to the sender it is called as Feedback Q13. Filing is an important aspect of Record keeping Q14. Which of the following method does not relate to upward communications? a. Open-door-policy b. Social gatherings c. Reports and counseling d. None of the above Q15. The function to be performed in an office can be categorized as Primary Functions and Management Functions Q16. Which among the following is/are primary functions of office? It receives information from various departments of the organization or from outside. It is required to convert the information received into other forms, so that it can be easily understood by the management Q17. Which among the following is/are management functions of an office? For smooth flow of work, development of office system, and procedures is essential Q18. Office is understood to be a place where clerical work is done and all kinds of paperwork is maintained and dealt with. Q19. to protect and safeguard the assets against destruction, damage. Loss. etc., is a function of an office. Management Q20. Who is responsible for office management? Office Manager Q21. The chief activities included under record management are filing system, indexing, miro filing, information retrieval. Q22. Office control ensures whether performance of work in office is a per the schedules. Q23. One of the tool used to perform the function of ‘’processing of information’’’ is audit and vouching Q24. What is ‘’franking machine’’ it is hired from a post office to print stamps on letters Q25. Filing may be defined as the process of arranging and storing records, so that they could be located, whenever required. Q26. In filing, folders. Drawers, cabinets, and cupboards are required. VERTICAL Q27. Horizontal filing is suitable for small offices. Q28. In which method of filing, duplication is evaded but secrecy cannot be maintained? CENTRALIZED Q29. Indexing may be defined as a guide to locate the required file. Q30. Processing of information is the act of bringing all the relevant facts at one place and apply the relevant rules or guidelines to enable the competent authority to take decisions. Q31. Office orders always flows in a downward direction and suggest compliance by the subordinates. Failing which administrative action can be taken. Q32. Office Circulars are issued to convey the same information to a large number of employees. Q33. Office memos is an internal form of written communication which can flow upward, downward, or horizontally and it can serve many purposes. Q34. FAR means Fixed Assets Register Q25. Dictating machine is used to record speech on different media Q36. Office Organization is concerned with developing an organizational chart, classifying various office jobs, assigning work, fixing responsibility and achieving coordination in office job. Q37. Inquires, orders, payments and sales reports are examples of INWARD MAIL Q38. Reprography means making copies of documents Q39. Vouching is an examination of the underlying evidence which is in support of the accuracy of the transaction Q40. The last step in the conduct of a meeting is recording the minutes of the meeting