Office organization

• Staff deployment


  The way that people are allocated various duties and responsibilities. These duties should be appropriate to their job title/level of job and contribute to the efficient, cost-effective running of the business.
• All office staff should know what tasks they are responsible for. That is why each person has a job title and specific duties to perform that contribute to the smooth running of the office as a whole.
• Office organisation


  • Ensures all important tasks are done promptly and efficiently
  • Ensures there are no confusing overlaps between staff
  • Ensures staff can be trained in the skills they need to do their job correctly
  • Ensures each person knows what their colleagues are doing and who to communicate with about different tasks
  • Ensures everyone knows who is in charge
• Office structure


  In a small office there may be one person doing the accounts and another person answering customer enquiries. In a large business several employees will do accounts work and they may be in a separate department. Other departments may include administration, human resources, IT, customer services, sales and marketing, purchasing, operations and despatch.
• These departments will be shown on the company's organisation chart, which identifies different staff roles and their relationships to each other.
• Departments in a large business

  • Administration
  • Human resources
  • IT
  • Customer services
  • Sales and marketing
  • Purchasing
  • Operations
  • Despatch
• Organisation chart


  Identifies different staff roles and their relationships to each other. Senior staff who run the business are always at the top of the chart. The lines down the chart show authority.
• Positions on an organisation chart

  • Managing director
  • Financial controller
  • Sales manager
  • Human resources manager
  • Human resources supervisor
  • Human resources clerk
• Centralisation


  A specialist section carries out a specific task for the whole company, such as reprographics, word processing or records management.
• Decentralisation


  Each department carries out certain activities itself. For example, the finance and HR departments might do their own photocopying and file their own documents.
• Subordinate


  Someone below you on the organisation chart and for whom you are responsible.
• Line manager


  The manager directly above you on the organisation chart and is connected to you by a vertical line.
• Span of control


  The number of subordinates a manager has to control. If there are too many subordinates, the manager may struggle to cope.
• Ergonomics


  Relates to the layout of a room, or the design of an item (such as furniture or equipment) to maximise user comfort and safety.
• Office ergonomics


  • Furniture should be situated away from doors or fire exits
  • Staff must have sufficient space to work safely
  • Aisles and walkways must be clear and uncluttered
  • Staff must have easy access to filing cabinets and equipment that they use regularly
  • Desk areas must be large enough to hold working papers and small items of equipment
  • Noisy equipment should be kept in a separate area
  • Equipment should be plugged in to a nearby power socket to avoid trailing wires
  • Computer users must have a comfortable chair with an adjustable back and seat and a swivel action
  • Each worker should have good 'natural' light-windows must be clean and have adjustable blinds to minimise glare or shadows. Good artificial light is also essential
  • There must be an adequate supply of fresh or purified air
  • Air conditioning must be adjustable and enable people to work in the right temperature
• The office layout should take into account the way that team members communicate and the flow of work from one person to another.