How to Become a More Effective Office Manager

By Andrew Deen

Managing an office isn’t easy. There are lots of moving parts, different personalities, and daily crises to deal with; the job can become overwhelming very quickly. With that said, effective office managers are worth their weight in gold and should always be able to find great career opportunities.

If you want to become the best office manager possible, then it’s important to work on some specific skills and learn how to use the most popular office tools so that you’re ready to do anything. Here are some areas to focus on as you build your office management career.

Essential office manager skills

As an office manager, you’re expected to wear many hats. You don’t have to be able to build a website from scratch or drive strategy, but you do need to be analytical, tech savvy, and have skills in leadership, communication, and finance. Having some knowledge in each of these areas will allow you to delegate effectively and ensure that all the cogs in the office run smoothly.

Depending on the size of the organization, an office manager’s duties will vary, and you’ll need different skills. In a larger company, office managers might oversee just one department and will need to have more in-depth knowledge of that department's subject. They might need to work with several layers of management and deal with more red tape.

Smaller companies with fewer employees might rely on their office managers to oversee every department, meaning that they will need a broader scope of knowledge and must be willing to work on a large range of projects as needed. They could be called on for everything from bookkeeping to customer service!

Become the most organized person in the office

It should go without saying that office managers need to be incredibly organized and on top of things. If you want to be an effective office manager, your goal should be to become the most organized person in the office. You need to know what’s going on at all times and build systems that allow you to be the go-to person (without burning yourself out).

Those systems should start with an organizational system for your own workday. It’s a good idea to start the day by tackling your inbox. Keeping your desk organized and visually clutter free will also help you to keep a clear head and an organized schedule.

Keeping control of each day is important for office managers. Making each day as similar and as structured as possible will help you to build your routines and systems that keep you organized and reduce the chances of important tasks slipping through the cracks. Set aside time for reoccurring tasks and carve out blocks for those one-time tasks that come up. Plan for everything and expect the unexpected.

Best tools for office managers

Staying organized in today’s fast-paced workplace means using the right tools. It’s also key to automate when you can and streamline everything you do. Although every office requires personnel to use different tools, there are a few that should be essentials in your skill toolkit.

Some of the most important and practical software tools include basics like Google Calendar, Slack, Asana, Microsoft 365, Zoom, and Google Drive. These tools are cloud based (although many have a desktop version) and will allow you to stay on top of tasks and team projects.

Every good office manager should also understand how to use accounting software programs such as QuickBooks or FreshBooks. Depending on the size of your organization, you may be called on to do bookkeeping or budgeting tasks. There are lots of applications for this accounting software.

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Make empathy and emotional intelligence your secret weapons

A successful and effective office manager must have great people skills. Organization skills can only take you so far if you can’t connect with your team members. As an office manager, you need to be approachable, understanding, and empathetic in order to build trust and respect in the office. Emotional intelligence, therefore, is absolutely key. In fact, it is one of the most important traits in the modern office.

Emotional intelligence is the measure of how people understand emotions in themselves and others. Emotionally intelligent people are self-aware, have strong interpersonal skills, and are empathetic. They are able to regulate their emotions well and typically make great leaders because they stay humble and focused on the needs of those around them.

While many people believe that you can’t change your emotional intelligence level, this is simply not true. You can always hone your self-awareness and understanding of others if you make an effort. The best leaders are always developing their emotional intelligence and seeking to better understand those they work with.

So how can you start building your emotional intelligence? Try keeping a journal to record your emotions and your reactions to situations at work. Then, go through and think about how you could have handled the situation differently. Did you react with empathy? Did you have trouble managing your emotions?

Becoming more emotionally intelligent is a vulnerable and uncomfortable process. You have to be willing to work through your feelings and develop self-regulation techniques. This won’t happen overnight, but eventually you should see changes in your own reactions to challenging situations and have the ability to engage team members more effectively.

Communication: How to make others feel at home in the workplace

As an office manager, it’s your job to keep everyone working together. This is why communication is perhaps THE most important skill for office managers. Not only do you need to make sure everyone is communicating effectively to get things done, but you also need to ensure that everyone feels welcome and heard in the office.

Diversity might be just a buzzword in some companies, but truly creating a diverse environment is not only the right thing to do, but also gives companies a huge competitive advantage. An effective office manager must understand this and be prepared to master cross-cultural leadership.

Everyone in the office must be onboard with inclusivity and the office manager plays an important role in that process. You need to become familiar with the cultural needs of others and commit to lifelong learning.

Should you become an office manager?

The job of an office manager can be challenging and stressful at times. However, it can also be a satisfying and rewarding career if you continue to develop your skills and stay focused.

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