Higher Admin

Involves flashcards for theory course as of 2024/2025

What are the benefits of time and task management to an employee

Job satisfaction
More productivity
Less stress, improved well being
Promotion opportunities or bonus payments

What are the benefits of time and task management to an employer

Good reputation
Customer satisfaction high
Can gain a competitive edge
Increased productivity = increased sales

What are examples of time stealers

Interruptions - phone calls - redirect phone calls
Meetings overrunning - work to the agenda
Incomplete information - Add more to priorities list
Crisis management - adhere to priorities/ action plan

What are more examples of time stealers

Poor communication - ask for written clarification
Inability to say no - stick to priorities list
Lack of forward planning - First plan then complete
Desk stress - First organise desk
Procrastination - Set a to-do list
Unnecessary journeys - Plan your journeys

How can a business ensure targets are met

Random or sample check
Buddy system - employees are paired with a more experienced colleague
Mentoring system - if the employee is new to the job they will be assigned a mentor who can offer help and advice
Regular meetings - to monitor targets and identify any areas of difficulty.
Method and system audits - check that the process is the most efficient one available

What does setting targets mean for a business

Measure the success of an organisation
Managers organise their resources
All employees understand their role in the organisation and the goals
Employees can measure the success of their work compared with the original targets set

What does SMART stand for

Specific
Measurable
Agreed
Realistic
Timely

What is a GANTT chart

A GANTT chart is where the length of time is presented along side the task

What is an action plan

An action plan is a plan which shows the tasks needed to do to achieve the person's goal

What is a PDP

It is a document which people make to access their strengths and can be used to review and discuss progress towards targets and achievements

What are the implications of a business failing to delegate

Managers suffer from stress
Difficult to meet deadlines
The team may suffer low staff morale and high staff turnover
Deadlines are not met - leading to disciplinary action for the senior manager/loss of promotion opportunities Lower productivity

What are the skills to ensure effective task management

Asking for help when needed
Using planning aids
Being organised to look ahead and plan but also to monitor progress
Control and monitoring of others involved in the task
Sticking to Priorities List
Delegation
Not taking on too much work

Advantages of a PDP

Employees can use skills identified in a more efficient way
Employees can be put on training courses making the employee more skilled and in turn the organisation will become more effective

Disadvantage of using a PDP

Viewed as paper exercise by staff
Staff may feel they are being analysed
Employees may find that strengths and weaknesses aren’t correctly identified
Managers may use this information as a way of gathering information and discipline employees

Time management stratergies

To-do list
Not take on too much work
Setting realistic targets/goals
Organised desk
Meetings take no longer than necessary
Use Gantt Charts/Action Plans

Justification for monitoring and evaluating process

Ensures tasks are completed on time
Ensure quality of work
Analyse if assistance/resources are required
To adjust targets for future tasks
To keep staff on track
To identify future training needs of employees

Consequences of poor time management on the employee

Jobs are incomplete
Work overload
Stress - unable to work effectively
Poor work relationships as staff are not meeting deadlines required by other staff
Poor job satisfaction as unable to complete tasks on time

Consequences of poor time management on the business

Increased stress and absenteeism
Lower productivity and poor quality work as tasks may be rushed
Poor customer relations - unmet deadlines so customers become frustrated
Low level of competitiveness in marketplace

Skills for effective time management

Planning: plan the objectives of the organisation
Delegating: When it is appropriate to pass tasks on
Organising: being able to look ahead and plan tasks
Directing: Inform the staff of decisions that have been made/consult with staff to improve the decision
Controlling: tackling tasks calmly

What makes a good team

Shared aims
Shared knowledge
Shared experience
Sense of belonging to the team
Productive environment
Ability to resolve conflict within teams

Features of a good team

Team size: 4 to 6 team members
Team composition: how the team is made up
Team development: how quickly the team gel together
Nature of the task: how much the team believe in the task
Team maintenance: the identity of the team
Leadership: an effective leader who can motivate the team

Stages in team development

Forming - Team members are selected
Storming - Members compete for roles
Norming - Members begin to work together to understand the task
Performing - The members actually start the project

What can cause a non-effective team

Personal differences
Unclear job responsibilities
Ineffective communication in team
Heavy workload for some and not others
Some team members feel under challenged
Different objects/priorities in the team

Benefits of team working to individual

Increased morale and motivation
Improved job satisfaction
Shared knowledge and skills
Risk-taking
Sense of being valued and belonging

Benefits of team working to organisation

Responsibility
Higher productivity
Increased market share
Competitive edge
Lower staff turnover and absenteeism
Less accidents/errors being made
Less customer complaints

Features of effective leadership

Delegate tasks according to skills and experience
Set realistic but challenging goals for the team
Support members of the team
Ensure communication within the team remains open

What are reasons that team leaders may be reluctant to delegate

Fear of failure: They may be afraid that the staff will make mistakes
Belief in their own abilities: They know they are capable of the work
Lack of trust: They may not trust their employees' motivation Fear of losing control: Afraid of losing control over the project
Enjoyment of the work: They may enjoy doing the work

What are the leadership styles

Autocratic - Managers make all decisions without employees, employees are told what to do
Democratic - Managers and employees work together to make decisions, employees communicate ideas
Laissez-faire - Managers letting employees get on with their jobs with as little interference as possible, employees make decisions

Benefits of an effective leader

Targets and deadlines are met
Staff will feel more motivated
Staff will be more productive
Management will be better informed about progress due to communication of leader and the management team

What is the impact of poor leadership on a team

Won’t meet deadlines
Will not know they’re responsibilities
Poor morale and motivation
Increase in absenteeism
Conflict within teams
Poor resource allocation

What is a cellular office layout

One or 2 people work in a room.
Hierarchical - easy to see who is most important

Advantages of cellular office layout

Privacy

No distractions

Ability to personalise space

Status

Disadvantages of cellular office layout

Wastes space

Difficult to share resources

Lack of team spirit

Difficult to supervise

What is a open plan office layout

All levels of employees work in the same office
Hierarchy not obvious - one for all and all for one

Advantages of open plan office layout

Easy to supervise/communicate
Promotes team spirit
Share resources
Saves costs
Less space wasted

Disadvantages of an open plan office layout

Lack of privacy

Lots of distractions

Difficult to suit personal

No individual status

What is SBS (sick building syndrome)?

SBS is where people have a range of symptoms from a illness (in this case) relating to a workplace (ie. illness from screen)

Examples of SBS

Fatigue (extreme tiredness)
Poor concentration
Shortness of breath or chest tightness
Eye and throat irritation
Irritated, blocked or running nose

How to minimise effects of SBS

Introduce better lighting - natural light or desk lamps
Introduce better air conditioning - good air circulation
Reduce noise - use suitable floor coverings and location of equipment
Repaint with pastel colours - relaxing neutral colours

Benefits of good ergonomics

Improves morale and motivation of staff and so increases productivity
Ensures effective flow of work
Promotes health and safety at work - less absenteeism
Gives a positive image for the organisation
Can be cost-effective as a result of the above

Advantages of homeworking

Allows a better work-life balance for employees
Reduction in travel, which reduces stress among staff
Organisations can save money as they don’t need an office space
Allow for the organisation to retain employees whose personal circumstances have changed

Disadvantages of homeworking

Staff may feel isolated and lack of team spirit
Staff may find it difficult to discipline themselves at home
It is difficult to ensure that staff are complying with health and safety requirements
It is difficult to supervise staff who are working from home

Hot-desking

Allows employees to set up at any available desk when they work in the office
Can make employees feel insecure as they don’t have their own space
Hot-desking saves space, money and it encourages employees to be organised and tidy

Collaborative projects

Web-based facilities that allow a number of users to access and contribute to the creation/development of documents.
Online collaboration encourages development of creative ideas or complex documents

Flexible working practices

Outsourcing - experts complete specialist tasks
Career breaks - allow employees to take a break
Case-loading - employees are given work to complete for a set period of time

Examples of flexible working

Part-time - Reducing your hours
Flextime - Flexibility with your start/finish time but they must work ‘core hours’
Compressed hours - Doing your hours over fewer days
Remote/tele working - Working from home or elsewhere
Job share - Sharing the job with someone else

Examples of working practice

Zero hours - Employer does not have to give employees any hours

Fixed term - Employees work with a know start and end date

Temporary - Employees’ contract is only for a period of time

Permanent - Employee’s contract does not expire

Benefit of flexible working practices on organisation

Enable the organisation to employ a variety of skills and retain valuable employees
Savings in terms of space
Short-term contracts can be used to employ staff only when they are needed
Company benefit from specialist skills
Better morale, motivation and therefore productivity

What are the duties of the employer under the health and safety act

Provide a safe working environment
Provide safety equipment
Provide health and safety training
Provide a written health and safety policy
Have a health and safety representative

What are the duties of the employee under the health and safety act

Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and others
Report any hazards
Co-operate with the employer
Not misusing or interfere with health and safety equipment

What are the duties of the employer under the first aid act

Ensure that an 'appointed' person is available to take charge of first-aid arrangements
Provide first aid qualified people for the business
Ensure that a suitably stocked first-aid box is available
Ensure that a record is kept of all incidents

Employer's responsibility of the Display Screen Equipment

Analyse workstations to assess and reduce risks
Provide adjustable seating and screens
Ensure that workstations meet minimum requirements
Provide training to ensure employees can use their VDU and workstation safely
Arrange eye tests, and provide spectacles if special ones are needed

Employee's responsibility of the Display Screen Equipment

Make use of adjustment facilities
Adjust chairs for maximum comfort
Arranging desk and screen to avoid glare
Ensure there is space under your desk to move your legs freely

What are organisations required to do in accordance with the fire safety act

Assess fire risks in the organisation
Provide, check and maintain fire-fighting equipment
Train employees in fire procedures
Regularly check evacuation procedures (regular fire drills would help check that routes are appropriate)

What is the GDPR

It contains:
The data they collect
The way they use the data
How they store the data
How they share the data

What are the princibles of GDPR

Data must be collected lawfully
Data must be accurate and up-to-date
Data must be held securely
Data must be held for no longer than necessary
Data must be used for registered purposes

What is the computer misuse act

It aims to prevent:
Hacking into computer systems
No unauthorised access to computer data or use of a computer with the intention of committing a criminal offence

What is the Freedom of Information Act

The Act provides public access to any recorded information held by public authorities. It doesn't provide customers with personal information

Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

Copyright is the right of an author to control and benefit from his/her work.
The Act seeks to ensure that no unauthorised copying of anything takes place.

What are the key areas of file management

File locations: have appropriate place
File name: have appropriate name
Routine maintenance: files should be regularly deleted
Back-up procedures: files should be backed up

Benefits of good file management

No duplication
Saves time and allows data to be retrieved easily
Protects data to ensure accuracy and reliability
Good housekeeping, eg deleting unused files will save network space

Consequences of poor file management

Increased Costs
Reduced effectiveness
Poor/damaged reputation
Time wasted looking for files
Poor customer relationships
Slowing down of computer systems

Disadvantages of emails

System issues may occur
Large amounts of junk mail make it difficult to determine what is important
Introduction of viruses to the system
Lack of social interaction/lack of personal tone in emails

Skills of a senior admin assistant

Good organisational skills
Communication skills
ICT skills
Coaching skills, to provide support to employees

Delegation

Qualities of Senior Admin Assistant

Be reliable and discreet when dealing with sensitive situations
Able to work without supervision
Patience - be able to work with other staff
Motivation - ensure staff are encouraged to meet targets
Decisive as to reach conclusions quickly and therefore save time

How can a Senior Admin Assistant support Junior Admin Assistants

Providing training
Supporting staff to meet their goals or objectives
Providing clear instruction on what tasks to be doing to avoid confusion
Reviewing the assistant's workload
Troubleshooting IT problems/faults
Helping to solve complex problems e.g using formulae

What technologies would a Senior Admin Assistant use

Email
Excel
Word
E-dairies
Access
Internet
CCTV/security technologies

Why would a Senior Admin Assistant use a pivot table

Can summarise large amounts of data instantly
Can aid decision making
No need for formulae
Reduces the risk of human error
Can create charts easily
Automatically updates (when source data is changed)

What is an application form

A form to be filled in when applying for a job
It is a set of pre-prepared questions set by the organisation
Can be used to set up appropriate questions for the interview

What is a Job Description

Clearly defines the duties and responsibilities associated with the job
Allows the prospective applicant to determine if the job is suitable for them

What is a Person Specification

Details the skills and qualities the organisation is looking for in a candidate
It should show which are essential and which are desirable

What is the responsibilities of a chairperson during a meeting

Ensure there is a minimum number of people present
Ensure previous minutes are correct and sign them
Work through the agenda allowing time for discussion
Maintain order ensuring everyone can be heard

What is an Agenda

Lists the topics to be discussed during the meeting to prevent something being missed out
Structures the meeting to prevent it from running over time

What are the Minutes of Meeting

Provides a record of what was agreed which can be referred to later
Lists who was absent from the meeting so materials/minutes can be sent to them

What are Action Minutes

More concise than traditional minutes to prepare and read
States who does each task making it easier to supervise progress
Deadlines are more likely to be met

What technology is used to aid planning/organising events

E-mail
E-diaries
Videoconferencing/audio-conferencing
Networks/online application sharing
Collaborative white boarding
Digital presentations

Advantages of cloud storage

Can access files from any location
Improved data security from storage provider
Reduces risk of losing files as version can be stored/retrieved
Can collaborate on the same document

Disadvantages of cloud storage

Requires a live internet connection to access files
Often requires a subscription/costs implication

How to ensure security of data

Read permissions to deny staff access to certain files
Change passwords frequently
Ensure antivirus/firewall software is up-to-date
Ensure files have appropriate file names
Run training for staff on how to handle data securely
Regularly backup data to avoid data loss

Advantages of written communication

Save/keep that information
Should be easy to read/understand
Distributed to all staff
Can be re-read
Provides permanent record
Can be stored

Disadvantages of written communication

Can't gauge tone/body language
Might get lost/missed
Difficult to get clarification
Take time to produce

Advantages of verbal communication

Easy to understand
Can ask questions
Gets immediate response
Up-to-date

Disadvantages of verbal communication

Accents/language barriers
If absent staff could miss important info
Can be forgotten easily
People may interpret it differently

Features of good customer care

Mission Statement
Staff Training
Customer Service Strategy
Guarantees & Warranties
Refund & Exchange Procedure
Complaints Procedure

How to monitor customer satisfaction

Customer focus groups
Suggestion schemes where customers volunteer feedback (usually anonymously)
Mystery shoppers
Customer review sites
Complaints procedures
Online/in store surveys

What are the duties of a Senior Admin Assistant

Delegate tasks to staff
Encourage and support other staff
Recruit and select staff
Training and appraisal
Ensuring legislation is complied with

How can you advertise a new vacancy

Internally - Intranet, bulletin boards, newsletters
Externally - Job centre, newspaper, website

Impact of recruiting staff internally

+The business already know the staff
+Less expensive as they don't advertise
+Promotes loyalty as staff can look forward to promotion
-No fresh talents/skills
-Promotes favouritism

Impact of recruiting externally

+Wider pool of recruits
+Fresh ideas and new skills come into the business
-Takes longer
-Expensive

What are the team roles

The Specialist The Implementer
The Ideas Person The Checker
The Motivator The Finisher
The Organiser The Team Player
The Go-Getter

What does the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 do

Considers:

The working environment
The facilities
Maintenance of equipment and premises

What do the the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 consider

The fire safety policy
Emergency fire action plan
Training staff
Drills
Maintenance of equipment
Record keeping

What are the consequences of not adhering to GDPR as a company

Fines and penalties
Reputation damage
Legal consequences
Increase in admin cost
Impact on customer relations

How can a business communicate legal requirements to employees

Induction training Demonstrations
Staff training Staff meetings
Notice boards Health and safety
Company intranet representative

Consequences of breaching legislation for the organisation

Inspected premises without warning
Provide advice
Issue improvement notice
Shutdown premises
Fine or prosecution

Consequences of breaching law for employees

Verbal/written warning
Suspension
Dismissal
Fine
Criminal or civil prosecutions

Communication methods

Mobile phones/tablets
Email/E-diaries
Company intranet
Video/audio conferencing
Social media
Cloud computing

What does LAN and WAN mean

LAN means local area network e.g. staff intranet
WAN means wider area networks e.g. mobile broadband

Advantages of internet

Able to reach a wide range of customers
Access to site 24/7
Reduced costs
Monitor customers for marketing purposes

Disadvanatges of the internet

Cost of setting up and maintaining website
Security issues
Loss of face-to-face contact