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 Contents

Contents
Module 1: The management function.................................................................................................................................................1
Module 2: The electronic office.............................................................................................................................................................. 13
Module 3: Advanced secretarial functions.................................................................................................................................... 21
Module 4: The economic environment.......................................................................................................................................... 31
Module 5: Human Resources provisioning................................................................................................................................. 39
Module 6: Human Resources maintenance and administration............................................................................ 43
Module 7: Supervision and motivation.......................................................................................................................................... 47

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 N6 Office Practice

iv
 Module 1
The management function
After completing this module, the student should be able to:
• Understand the levels of management within an organisation.
• Understand the functions of management within the organisation.
• Understand the role the management team plays in the organisation.
• Understand the role of the secretary/management assistant acting at the
highest level of the hierarchy of secretarial positions.
• Explain the top, middle and lower levels of management in the organisation
from a vertical perspective and the functions of management from a
horizontal perspective.
• Understand the nature and function of the informal organisation.
• Identify the managerial functions of planning, organising, staffing, activating
and controlling.
• Identify the skills required at the different lev els of management.
• Understand why it is necessary for the secretary/management assistant to
have knowledge of the role their manager performs.
• Understand the roles of managers in an undertaking regarding formulating a
vision, implementing organisation and methods, making decisions, delegating
authority, handling personnel, having an environmental responsibility and the
abilities required to perform these tasks.
• Identify the main, additional and general tasks of the secretary/management
assistant and know what personality traits they should acquire to be able to
meet the manager’s expectations.
• Compare the role of the secretary/management assistant to that of the
manager.
 N6 Office Practice

Activity 1.1 SB page 25

1. Explain to a newly appointed staff member the difference between the functioning of
the formal structure (the levels of management) and the functioning of the informal
structure operating in the organisation. Clarify your explanation by providing some
good examples.
(Textbook: 1 Levels of management, pages 2–8)

Difference between the functioning of the formal and the informal structure
In the formal organisation, the emphasis is on official organisational positions and the
authority will be organisational. In the informal organisation, the emphasis is on people
and their relationships and the authority exercised will be personal.

Organisations have a formal structure, which is the way the organisation is organised by
those responsible for managing the organisation. These formal structures are created to
enable the organisation to meet its long-term objectives. Usually these formal structures
will be set out in the form of an organisational chart. In the course of time, however, an
informal structure may develop within an organisation that is based on the reality of day-
to-day interaction between the employees. This informal structure may be different from
that which is set out in the organisational chart.

The formal system provides information regarding the organisation to the employees
through different media. However, nearly all of the information through the informal
structure is undocumented and is thereby open to change and interpretation as it moves
through the network.

Formal structure examples

In the organisational structure of an organisation, three different levels of management can
be identified. These levels are top-level management, middle-level management, and lower-
level management.

One of the main tasks of top-level management is to develop goals and strategic plans in
compliance with the organisation’s policy, and when important decisions are taken the
organisation will be led towards accomplishing these goals.

The three basic levels of management, collectively on a vertical line, contribute to constitute
an organisation’s managerial chain of command. At each level, individual managers have to
carry out different roles and different functions.

The levels of management are classified according to a hierarchy of importance and

authority, and are also arranged by the different types of managerial tasks that each role
demands.

In many organisations, the number of managers on each level resembles a pyramid in

which the lower-level has many more managers than middle-level and top-level managers
respectively.

Each management level can be identified by the specifications of the specific responsibilities
and likely job titles. One traditional way of organising the employees working within these
levels, is by function.

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 Module 1 • The management function

A horizontal perspective will indicate the wide-ranging functions of production, marketing,

human resources, accounting, sales, etc.

Informal structure examples

Informal organisation can be defined as the concealed structure in the organisation not
reflected in the organisational chart.

The informal structure is defined by the patterns, behaviours and interactions that stem
from personal rather than official relationships within an organisation.

The informal organisation is less permanent and less stable than the formal organisation
because its leaders and patterns of action change readily. This change occurs because of the
dependency of the network on personalities, whereas the formal network is set up through
structured policies that are not dependent on individuals.

Firmly embedded within every informal organisation are informal groups and the grapevine.

Informal groups may be formed on the basis of people who have the same work-related
challenges and the same aims for achieving their goals, by sharing the same views and
interests.

The grapevine is completely separate from, and sometimes much faster than the
organisation’s formal channels of communication. Subordinates may pass information to
their bosses, an executive may relay something to a maintenance worker or employees in
different departments may share ‘titbits’.

2. Which of the functions of management would you regard as the most significant?
Motivate your choice by discussing all aspects related to this function and on all levels
in the organisation.
(Textbook: 2 Functions of management, pages 8–14)

Students should convincingly motivate their choice of the most important function.
Example of choice:

Planning
It is important to mention that, although it may be convenient in theory to separate
the functions, practically these functions are overlapping in nature, i.e. they are highly
inseparable. Each lends into the others and each affects the performance of the others.

Planning is the most important element of any activity.

Planning is the process where aims and goals are set for the future and actions are developed
to reach these goals.

Planning is done on all levels in the organisation and involves a continuous process of input
by all staff members, ultimately combined by management into a plan of action.

Anyone involved within the planning process must answer the questions of why, what,
when, where, who and how the planning is going to be done. Planning can be done for any
period of time and will usually include short-term planning, medium-term planning and
long-term planning.

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 N6 Office Practice

Planning permits the organisation to make the resources available that are necessary to
achieve production objectives, facilitate procedures for specific activities and plan activities
to eliminate unsatisfactory progress or circumstantial delays.

By means of planning, the manager will select his objectives, anticipate future business
trends and determine the best possible strategy to achieve the ultimate goals or objectives of
the business enterprise.

The objectives will take care of the long-term, intermediate and short-term goals of the
business enterprise, or the section of the enterprise under his immediate supervision.

Activities in the planning process

• Forecasting: looking ahead to anticipate the opportunities, problems and conditions for
a future time period
• Establishing objectives: setting the end results to be accomplished by directing
organisational efforts
• Programming: establishing the sequence and priority of actions to be followed in the
attainment of the objectives
• Scheduling: deciding on the time sequence for the steps in the programme
• Budgeting: allocating resources to minimise costs
• Establishing procedures: developing and applying standardised methods of performing
a specific task

Different levels of planning

• Strategic planning (long-term planning)
• Tactical planning (short-term planning)
• Operational planning (dynamic planning)

Different types of planning

• Disaster planning (catastrophe planning)
• Succession planning (progression planning)
• Crisis planning (emergency planning)
• Compensation planning (incentive planning)

3. Why would you consider it as essential for the secretary/management assistant to fully
understand and know the role of their manager? Suggest and discuss at least five good
reasons.
(Textbook: 3.1 Understanding the role of the manager, page 15)

In an organisation, the skills and efforts of all the people involved are combined to achieve
the specific goals of the organisation. The secretary/management assistant thus plays an
important role in assisting the managerial staff to achieve business excellence.

It is important for the secretary/management assistant to fully understand the specific

role the manager plays in the position that manager holds, because the members of the
managerial team do not all operate on the same level of authority; the managers perform
the functions and duties according to the specific managerial level they occupy.

Good reasons to understand and know the role of the manager

The manager is the main contributor to the successful running of the organisation.

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 Module 1 • The management function

Each manager on each of the three levels must perform their specific functions in a
successful manner for the enterprise to succeed in reaching its goals.

As the administrative support and ‘behind the scenes’ organiser of the manager, the
secretary/management assistant has to understand the managerial activities of their
manager.

The secretary/management assistant will operate in close cooperation with the manager in
the execution of their duties.

This team effort will be characterised by mutual understanding, support and respect in the
establishment of a positive working relationship.

It is essential for the secretary/management assistant to be familiar with the three major
roles the manager performs, i.e. the interpersonal role (the role that involves coordination
and interaction by managers with employees), the informational role (the role that involves
handling, sharing and analysing information by the manager), and the decisional role (the
role that requires decision-making by the manager).

4. A resumé is the gateway to an interview. You are applying for the post of a secretary/
management assistant on the highest level of secretarial posts and would therefore
represent your qualifications as clearly as possible. List your unique set of skills in
various categories and write them under sub-headings within the section. If the skills
are of a particular type, they can be bulleted or separated with commas. Categories
may include communication skills, other languages, technical skills, management
skills, etc.
(Textbook: 4 The role of the secretary/management assistant, pages 17–25)

Students should write a test on the content of pages 17–25 to indicate their theoretical
knowledge on the role of the secretary/management assistant.

When planning the resume the applicant should be familiar with the skills required to
perform the normal activities and duties of a secretary/management assistant at the highest
level.

(Textbook: 4.1.2 Role of the secretary/management assistant at the highest level of the
hierarchy of secretarial posts, pages 18–20)

The student should study the requirements expected regarding personal traits and
capabilities of a secretary/management assistant on the highest level.

(Textbook: 4.1.3 Personal traits and capabilities of the secretary/management assistant,

pages 20–22)

The applicant should know what the manager’s expectations are of a secretary/management
on this level.

(Textbook: 4.1.4 The manager’s expectations of the secretary/management assistant,

pages 22–24)

The secretary/management assistant should not only know the distinction between the
manager’s role and their own, but also know in which areas they share common activities.

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 N6 Office Practice

(Textbook: 4.2.1 The roles of the manager and the secretary/management assistant
towards each other, page 24)

The student should study the required skills advertised in the post and make sure to include
their own obtained qualifications and skills that match the requirements.

5. Categorise the tasks of the secretary/management assistant working on the highest

level of the hierarchy of secretarial posts using the following headings: main tasks,
additional tasks and general tasks.
(Textbook: 4.1.2 Role of the secretary/management assistant at the highest level of the
hierarchy of secretarial posts, pages 18–20)

MAIN TASKS
Managerial duties
Depending on the size of the office and the experience of the individual, an executive
secretary may be delegated supervisory responsibilities.

The following list outlines various managerial duties:

• Hiring, assigning and supervising office personnel
• Writing, adjusting and maintaining office procedures
• Insuring compliance with organisational policies
• Insuring compliance with government and local law
• Planning and participating in meetings
• Preparing budgets and reports

ADDITIONAL TASKS
Enhanced duties
Executive secretaries often have many years of experience and high levels of education.
These, combined with a demonstration of trustworthiness and good judgment, may lead a
manager to grant the executive secretary great independence of action.
The executive secretary may provide important advice and counsel.
They may act as a proxy in an executive’s absence.
In some cases, an experienced executive secretary may qualify for executive positions within
an organisation.

GENERAL TASKS
Administrative duties
Ensuring meetings are effectively organised and minutes are taken:
• Liaising with the chair to plan meetings
• Receiving agenda items from committee members
• Circulating agendas and reports
• Taking minutes (unless there is a minutes-secretary)
• Circulating approved minutes
• Checking that agreed upon actions is carried out.

Maintaining effective records and administration:

• Keeping up-to-date contact details (i.e. names, addresses and telephone numbers) for
the management committee and (where relevant) ordinary members of the organisation
• Filing minutes and reports
• Compiling lists of names and addresses that are useful to the organisation, including
those of appropriate officials or officers of voluntary organisations

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 Module 1 • The management function

• Keeping a record of the organisation’s activities

• Keeping a diary of future activities.

Upholding legal requirements:

• Acting as custodian of the organisation’s governing documents
• Checking a quorum is present at meetings
• Ensuring elections are in line with stipulated procedures
• Ensuring the organisation’s activities are in line with its objects
• Ensuring charity and company law requirements are met (where relevant, unless there is
a separate company secretary)
• Sitting on appraisal, recruitment and disciplinary panels, as required.

Communication and correspondence:

• Responding to all committee correspondence
• Filing all committee correspondence received and copies of replies sent
• Keeping a record of any of the organisation’s publications (e.g. leaflets or newsletters)
• Reporting the activities of the organisation and future programmes to members, the
press and the public
• Preparing a report of the organisation’s activities for the year, for the Annual General
Meeting.

6. Which three personal traits or capabilities of the secretary/management assistant

would you regard as the most essential to be able to perform successfully on the highest
level of the hierarchy of secretarial posts?
(Textbook: 4.1.3 Personal traits and capabilities of the secretary/management assistant,
pages 20–22)

Students should choose at least one personality trait and one capability trait and then
any other trait to discuss. A good description as well as a good motivation for the
choice is required.

Cautiously assertive
• An executive secretary needs to have a good balance of assertiveness and restraint.
• They should be comfortable working in a supportive role towards the manager, yet at
ease taking initiative within the scope of their job description.
• They should not hesitate to self-reliantly make decisions on matters for the executives
they support.
• They should endeavour to have ambition but must not be too competitive.
• They should strive to better themselves and continually try to be knowledgeable, but
not so as to advance beyond the scope of their job description.

Practical and hands-on

• An executive secretary needs to be a logical, practical thinker.
• They must assess situations objectively and solve problems critically.
• They should keep conversations focused on the task at hand and share information
concisely.
• Some care for relationship-building is valuable, but it is more important for the
executive secretary to be professional rather than sociable.
• They need to be attentive – they are in the know of sensitive information when
transcribing and distributing executive documents, and must keep it confidential.

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 N6 Office Practice

Efficient
• The executive secretary completes all tasks with a sense of urgency and comfort.
• They have the capability to swiftly and with ease finish monotonous and mundane tasks.
• They possess strong organisational and prioritising skills, particularly when handling
administrative, scheduling and planning tasks for more than one busy executive.
• They effectively plan and organise meetings, functions and events.
• They contribute in achieving the objectives of the organisation and are able to solve
targeted problems.

Meticulous
• The executive secretary needs to have a strong eye for detail and a profound
commitment to quality.
• They should habitually check and recheck work before considering it complete and
must be willing to accept constructive criticism.
• They should also be respectful of protocol, procedures and rules as well as willing to
follow their superior’s lead.
• During training and whenever they need to take the lead, they should pay attention to
what is being said and follow through as instructed.
• They should compile detailed checklists for whatever function or event being planned.

Loyal
• An executive secretary should be dedicated to his or her superiors and organisation.
• They need to work as a committed member of the team, which could include putting
in extra hours to ensure a critical project is completed on time.
• When making decisions and trying to solve problems, they need to put the interests of
their manager and the company first.

Leadership
• In some positions at this level, the executive secretary supervises other members of the
administrative team.
• If leading others, they must be comfortable taking charge, providing direction, offering
feedback and delegating work.
• They may need to diplomatically deal with conflict or assertively address poor
performance, and should be able to instil a sense of commitment in others.

Maturity
• The executive secretary should know that emotional maturity isn’t all about behaving
and acting professionally – it’s also about controlling one’s anger and personal feelings
when something is work-related.
• They should not get entangled in webs of gossip and relationships that are keeping
people from being productive.
• When dealing with people who are not acting professionally, they should leave them be
and do their own job to the best of their ability.
• Work shouldn’t be boring and repetitive by any means, but it’s also called work for a
reason – they may socialise and act silly with friends after working hours.
• Executive secretaries need enough maturity to keep confidential matters private and
know how to tactfully handle probing questions.

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 Module 1 • The management function

7. Discuss the teamwork between the manager and the secretary/management assistant in
a business enterprise. Firstly, identify the role of the secretary/MA and then the role of
the manager as they work with each other.
(Textbook: 4.2 Comparing the roles of the manager and secretary/management
assistant, pages 23–25)

The secretary/management assistant’s role (towards the manager):

• In acting as an assistant to the manager, they will show loyalty, integrity, tact and
cooperation towards the manager.
• As an executor of tasks, they use initiative, creativity and accuracy and deliver tasks on
time.
• As a supervisor, they delegate tasks and help in the development and upkeep of work-
related structures.
• As a receptionist, they will use charm, courtesy, alertness, discernment and will have
good rapport with clients.

An inter-dependency of the specific roles of the manager and the secretary/management

assistant should exist to be able to act as a team.

The management assistant acts as the administrative support and ‘behind the scenes’
organiser.

They need to learn how the manager works, what his/her role and objectives are within the
company, what correspondence, telephone and personal enquiries he/she would like the
secretary/management assistant to refer to him/her, or whether he/she prefers to take his/
her calls at certain times of the day.

The idea is to save the manager time with the daily routine matters and be as helpful as
possible.

The manager’s role (towards the secretary/management assistant)

• As a leader, the manager will be motivating, setting an example and be fair and loyal in
their actions towards the secretary/management assistant.
• As a decision-maker, the manager will be analysing, evaluating, comparing and
reviewing information before making a decision.
• As a problem-solver, the manager will be a good listener and with the correct
interpretation of facts will avoid further problems by acting pro-actively.
• As a team confidant, the manager will be supportive and communicate effectively.

8. Although all managers require a variety of abilities to earn the position as a manager,
all managers have specific roles as managers. Briefly discuss any FIVE roles as a
manager, as they are observed by the employees.
(Textbook: 3.2.1 The role of managers, pages 15–16)

Students can choose any five of the following roles:

• Participate in the formulation of the general policy and mission of the business
enterprise: necessitates a broader view of all relevant aspects influencing decision
making at all levels of management.
• Develop an organisational structure within the department: achieves their
immediate objectives in the shortest possible period of time, or at the lowest possible
cost, utilising staff in such a manner that their full potential will benefit the enterprise.

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 N6 Office Practice

• Develop the most efficient methods to accomplish high quality outputs: properly
utilises human skills to the benefit and development of their section.
• Analyse processes, the use of machinery and equipment: productivity will increase
and profits will be maximised.
• Assign different jobs to teams or individuals in his section: has the knowledge to
delegate tasks.
• Deal with the human factor by means of motivating staff members: Problem-solving
and effective decision-making create a harmonious and integrated workforce with a
positive attitude towards their immediate surroundings and general organisational
objectives.
• Act as a communicator of information: involves employees at all levels of that section
by means of explaining, interpreting and briefing activities.
• Use interpersonal skills: maintains an extensive network of relationships with all
members of the workforce.
• Develop sensitivity towards environmental issues: supports and sponsors
environmental projects.

9. Likewise, the secretary/management assistant will be required to perform certain

duties. A professional secretary should be competent to perform as such. Discuss any
TEN activities of a secretary/management assistant at the highest level.
(Textbook: 4.1.1 Activities of the secretary/management assistant, pages 17–18)

Students can discuss any ten of the following:

Activities of the secretary/management assistant:

• Schedules appointments and maintains the calendar
• Receives and assists visitors and telephone callers and refers them to executive or other
appropriate persons as circumstances permit
• Arranges business itineraries and coordinates executives travel requirements
• Takes action authorised during executives’ absence and uses initiative and judgment to
see that matters requiring attention are referred to delegated authority or handled in a
manner so as to minimise effect of employer’s absence
• Takes manual shorthand and transcribes from it or transcribes from machine dictation;
types material from longhand or rough copy
• Sorts, reads and annotates incoming mail and documents and attaches appropriate file
to facilitate necessary action; determines routing, signatures required and maintains
follow-up; composes correspondence and reports for own or executive’s signature;
prepares communication outlined by executive in oral or written directions
• Researches and abstracts information and supporting data in preparation for meetings,
work projects and reports; correlates and edits materials submitted by others; organises
material that may be presented to executive in draft format
• Maintains filing and records management systems and other office flow procedures
• Makes arrangements for and coordinates conferences and meetings; may serve
as recorder of minutes with responsibility for transcription and distribution to
participants
• May supervise or hire other employees; selects and/or makes recommendations for
purchase of supplies and equipment; maintains budget and expense account records,
financial records and confidential files
• Maintains up-to-date procedures manual for the specific duties handled on the job
• Performs other duties as assigned or as judgment or necessity dictates.

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 Module 1 • The management function

10. The manager and secretary/management assistant act as a team in the office. List any
FIVE common activities that they share in this regard.
(Textbook: 4.2.2 Teamwork page 25)

Students can list any five of the following:

The manager and secretary/management assistant share the following activities:

• Delegate tasks and responsibilities to other members of staff
• Monitor progress and feedback on all operational activities
• Make joint decisions and solve problems using verified information
• Communicate information in various ways to superiors, peers, subordinates,
customers and other interest groups
• Use interpersonal skills to develop a network of contacts and associates to benefit the
ultimate objectives of their department
• Organise the workload by means of procedures for the prioritising of office activities
and desk management.

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 N6 Office Practice

12
 Module 2
The electronic office
After completing this module, the student should be able to:
• Understand the principles of office automation.
• Realise the impact of the microcomputer.
• Understand the impact office automation has on office workers.
• Understand electronic appointment scheduling.
• Understand what electronic document storage and retrieval entails.
• Explain electronic mail.
• Define the concept ‘office automation’, name the principles it is based on and identify
the impact it has on the secretary/management assistant.
• Explain how technological development contributed to office automation and how it
assisted in the integration of electronic devices and procedures.
• Compile a list of applications of computer technology in the business world and the
impact it has on the life of clients.
• Compile a list of applications of computer technology in the wider community and
business undertakings and the impact it has on the lives of office workers and the
secretary/management assistant.
• Explain the ergonomics in an electronic office.
• Compile a list of the basic elements of the electronic office and understand the effect it
has on the office environment.
• Understand how office automation affects the layout of the office, the office desk and
the work routine in the office and compile a list of the positive and negative effects it has
on office workers.
• Identify the key characteristics of an electronic diary and compile a list of the aspects
that should be taken into account when choosing a suitable appointment-scheduling
program.
• Compare the advantages of an electronic diary to that of a traditional diary.
• Correctly key in an electronic diary schedule for the manager and make reservations for
meeting venues for management meetings.
• Understand the concept ‘paperless office’ and indicate how it differs from the traditional
filing system.
• Compare the different media for electronic document storing, explain the advantages
and disadvantages of electronic filing and motivate the backing up of copies.
• Implement a system for the coding and labelling of disks.
• Implement a filing system for disks.
• Compile an effective filing system of ‘directories and sub-directories’ for the storing and
retrieval of electronic documents.
• Compare an electronic and traditional filing system regarding accessibility, time it
takes to consult the index, the speed of retrieval of information and the updating of
information.
• Understand the concepts ‘computer-output-microfilm’ (COM) and ‘computer-
assistedretrieval’ (CAR) as methods of electronic document storing and retrieval.
• Define the concept ‘electronic mail’.
• Explain communication devices, data links, protocol of specifications, and the
applications, advantages and disadvantages of electronic mail.
• Identify different forms of electronic communication.
 N6 Office Practice

Activity 2.1 SB page 78

1. Discuss the effects of office automation on the office environment with regards to:
• Influence on the office layout
• Influence on the work routine.
(Textbook: 3.3.1 Influence on the office layout pages 52–53; 3.3.3 Influence on the
work routine page 54)

Students must make use of the following points when discussing the effects of office
automation on office layout.

Influence on the office layout

Open-plan layout
• The modern approach is the open-plan layout, which allows a large expanse of space to
be divided, using acoustic screens and panels, into separate areas of work.
• Frequently used equipment, such as the photocopier, are placed centrally for all staff to
use.
• Computer terminals can be networked so that fewer printers are required and information
can be passed around the different sections quickly and efficiently.
• Communications are enhanced as there is less formality and there is also ease of contact
with colleagues.
• However, there are disadvantages in that privacy, confidentiality and control over who
takes up an individual’s time may be reduced.
• Workstations are arranged at angles in various configurations. The arrangement of the
workstations follows the natural flow of papers being processed.
• The supervisor occupies a semi-private office in the area with the workers under their
supervision – private enough for conferences, yet arranged in such a way that workers
are in the supervisor’s line of vision.
• Ample space is provided for easy movement from one workstation to another.
• Lighting, heating, air conditioning and humidity are centrally controlled.
• Colours that blend tastefully are used throughout, with the colour scheme being
harmonious, with contrasting colours to break up the monotony of look-alike stations.
• Special partitions are used, adding grace to the design, with wall-to-wall carpeting
adding elegance.
• Growing plants are placed in such a way that they provide privacy and individuality and
add to the attractiveness of the office space.

Students must make use of the following points when discussing the influence of office
automation on the work routine.

Influence on the work routine

• Stand-alone computers and laptop computers allow local office managers to set up good
local management information systems, and keep data-processing centralised.
• Multi-user systems and distributed data-processing systems also put more data-
processing power in to local offices, giving local managers access to centrally-held
databases and programs.
• Office automation can therefore encourage the decentralisation of authority within an
organisation.
• On the other hand, multi-user systems and distributed data-processing systems help
head office to keep in touch with what is going on in local offices.

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 Module 2 • The electronic office

• Head office can therefore readily monitor and control the activities of individual
departments, and retain a coordinating influence.
• Not only are jobs themselves changing, but so too are work patterns in order to adapt to
new organisational and market demands.
• Flexitime: It has become more likely for workers to negotiate their personal work
patterns. Some may, for example, opt to work at least part of the working week from
home. Such are the developments in communications and in multipurpose workstations
that it becomes a viable alternative to spending hours in traffic jams travelling to and
from the traditional office base.

2. Identify the major useful features you would expect to find in an electronic diary
applications package. What factors should a secretary/management assistant take into
account when making an appointment in a diary? What major advantages are offered
to the secretary/management assistant using an electronic as opposed to a handwritten
diary?

Useful features in an electronic diary applications package

(Textbook: 4.1 Electronic diary, pages 56–58)

Features
• Anywhere access
Many electronic diaries can be accessed from any computer or handheld device,
provided the user has the correct sign-in information and password. This allows
information to be changed, confirmed or reviewed at any time from almost anywhere in
the world.

• Notifications
Whether you have an appointment at a set time or want to remember something on a
certain day, an electronic diary system can send a reminder before the event occurs –
great for once-a-year notices such as annual general meetings, end-of-year functions or
anniversaries. The appointment calendar will also alert you to week-to-week schedules
and daily events.

• Edits
No need for correction fluid or crossing something out with a pen. If you discover
a mistake or need to make a notation, just make the changes and save the new
information.

• Project organisation
When working on a large project, an electronic diary system can track the project’s
status, send information about changes or delays and update all parties involved – or just
certain members, such as senior management or department heads.

• Schedules
Instead of going through the hassle of trying to schedule appointments or meetings
with management or co-workers, you can use an electronic diary to instantly view
appointment times that are available, when training sessions are offered or the times at
which meetings have been scheduled.

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 N6 Office Practice

• Integrated software packages

The development of various kinds of integrated software packages for information
management has revolutionised the way in which diaries and appointments are
managed. The integrated package links and interconnects features like: diary
and appointments, electronic notepad, word processing, spreadsheet, graphics,
communications via fax, e-mail, calculators, five-year calendar and reference tables.

General aspects to consider in choosing an electronic diary

(Textbook: 4.1.2 Choosing a diary and appointment facility, page 58)
• Supports multiple diaries and multiple entries (tasks, appointments, to-do lists) for a
single day
• Keeps multiple business diaries in a single database file
• Has a password that protects the database
• Allows you to arrange your business workflow and cope with personal tasks by
prioritising, categorising, filtering, sorting and tracking items in your daily action lists
• Provides groupware to manage tasks and to-do lists of a team
• Saves all business information (documents, files, tasks, appointment schedules, meetings
details, conferences, employee profiles, etc.)
• Supports real-time collaboration between team members.

Advantages of using an electronic rather than a handwritten diary

(Textbook: 4.2 Advantages of using an electronic diary, page 58–61)

• Scheduling
The pen-and-paper method can rapidly become unmanageable as the people whose
time is being booked must check in regularly to find out what their schedule is, and to
let the secretary/management assistant know the times at which they are unavailable.
Computerised scheduling allows users to publicly share free time on their calendars,
while keeping specific appointments private.

• Public calendaring
A manager can publish his or her work schedule and available work time for meetings,
but hide the personal areas of the calendar. This allows the secretary/management
assistant to request meeting times, which then need to be confirmed by the invited
members before it shows up as an appointment.

• Open appointed systems

A step beyond the public calendar is a published appointment system. A manager’s office
may publish an appointments schedule that allows clients to view upcoming availability
and request their appointments online. Appointments need to be confirmed by the
organisation, after which they appear as unavailable blocks of time in the calendar.

Disadvantages of computerised scheduling

• Organising
Computerised schedules work very well only when all participants are committed
to keeping their calendars current. A combined method of computerisation plus a
competent appointments secretary/management assistant can help keep things in order.

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 Module 2 • The electronic office

• Security
While individuals who keep notes in a physical, written format must hide or lock away
the diary if they wish to maintain security, electronic diary users can employ a number
of electronic security systems. Some users may couple these electronic security measures
with traditional physical security by storing the electronic diary files on removable
media, like a flash drive, and securing that media using physical measures.

• Sharing
Depending on the specific diary application, users may link their diary entries with other
users of the same software. Some applications interface with social networking sites, a
feature that allows users to quickly and easily share their diary data with their online co-
workers. In addition, some users may adapt online web logs, known as blogs, for use as
a diary – the public nature of blogs allows users to instantly publish entries to very large
audiences.

• Reminders
The secretary/management assistant who uses an electronic diary to keep track of events,
a common feature when using a personal information management application, can use
the application’s reminder feature to remember upcoming items. Some electronic diary
software makes adding reminders as easy as clicking a ‘remind me’ button when making
a diary entry. As the associated event approaches, the electronic diary can sound an
audible alarm, pop up a visual reminder, notify the user by e-mail and even send a text
message to the user’s mobile phone.

• Edits and tracking

A primary benefit of electronic diaries allows users to go back and change information,
update entries or make additional notes at a later time. While users of physical diaries
must rely on notes in the margin, erasers or correction fluid to make changes, electronic
diaries allow users to quickly and easily apply changes with just a few key clicks. If the
user prefers, the electronic diary can also apply a digital time stamp to indicate both
when the original entry appeared and when the user made any subsequent changes.
Additional information: http://www.TheProductivityPro.com.

Comparing a handwritten diary to a an electronic diary

Handwritten diary

Advantages
• It cannot break or run out of batteries.
• You can quickly flip to a month-at-a-glance calendar and view every day of your entire
schedule
• Pretty, designer planner pages and page finders
• More room for note-taking at meetings
• No double entry of those notes back at the office. Notes are indexed right in your planner
• Can write and look up information quicker
• Can add/subtract features and forms that meet your needs.
• Inexpensive to maintain.

Disadvantages
• You can lose it, and there is no backup.
• Can run out of room in A-Z tabs to write names, addresses and phone numbers. Must
rewrite information when people move.

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 N6 Office Practice

• Gets messy with frequent updates.

• No security or password required. Others can flip open your planner and view your
information.
• Can be large and bulky. Smaller versions often don’t have enough writing surface and
calendar space.
• Often overflowing with assorted papers and sticky notes if you’re not organised.

Electronic diary

Advantages
• Lightweight, small, and portable
• Holds thousands of contact names and numbers
• Has a search capability to find to-dos and contact names.
• You don’t run out of room to list today’s “to-do” list
• You don’t have to re-write to-do lists when you don’t complete items; they roll forward
automatically.
• Always current when “synced” with desktop computer.
• Perfect for frequent traveller
• Integrates with Outlook and popular contact management databases
• If wireless, can access e-mail

Disadvantages
• No month-at-a-glance view. You must click on individual days on a monthly calendar to
see appointments for that day.
• Note-taking is tedious and time-consuming with cryptic shorthand, or you must carry a
separate keyboard.
• Double entry requires the use of a pad of paper to take notes, which must be typed into
computer a second time back at home base.
• Can’t carry papers and notes in it for a meeting. If you carry a separate pad, it defeats the
purpose.
• Expensive machine and add-ons
• Risk crashes, data wipe-outs, and being on the road without your calendar (unless you
also take your laptop, which defeats the purpose)

3. You have recently been promoted to the post of management assistant to a team of
four managers and you have been asked to share their office. Arrange to interview the
manager responsible for office design and layout. Discuss the aspects considered most
important in providing a ‘user-friendly’ working environment. Report back to your
managers using your notes you have made to make a decision on what should be done
to make better use of the space, giving privacy to everyone, reducing noise and giving
better access to files.
(Textbook: 3.3 The effects of office automation on the office environment,
pages 51–56)

Providing a user-friendly working environment

• In the case study, the four managers need to work creatively as a team and would be
better off in a relaxed, open-plan area.
• If the office has shared equipment, such as printers and scanners, they need to be easily
accessible to everyone who needs to use them.
• Shared items such as computer manuals, stationery supplies, etc. need to be stored so
that everyone can access them.

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 Module 2 • The electronic office

• A secure place to store personal articles and own filing cabinets or shelves should be
taken into account.
• If space is restricted, the layout becomes important to ensure that the working space isn’t
too cramped, and people don’t get in each other’s way.
• Access and emergency routes need to be defined and laid out to ensure that people can
move around the office easily and quickly if necessary.

Open-plan layout
• The modern approach is the open-plan layout, which allows a large expanse of space to
be divided, using acoustic screens and panels, into separate areas of work.
• Frequently used equipment, such as the photocopier, are placed centrally for all staff to
use.
• Computer terminals can be networked so that fewer printers are required and
information can be passed around the different sections quickly and efficiently.
• Communications are enhanced as there is less formality and there is also ease of contact
with colleagues. However, there are disadvantages in that privacy, confidentiality and
control over who takes up an individual’s time may be reduced.
• Workstations are arranged at angles in various configurations. The arrangement of the
workstations follows the natural flow of papers being processed.
• The management assistant occupies a semi-private office in the area with the managers.
It is private enough and arranged in such a way that she is in easy reach of all four
managers.
• Ample space is provided for easy movement from one workstation to another.
• Lighting, heating, air conditioning, and humidity are centrally controlled.
• Colours that blend tastefully are used throughout, with the colour scheme being
harmonious, with contrasting colours to break up the monotony of look-alike stations.
• Special partitions are used, adding grace to the design, with wall-to-wall carpeting
adding elegance.
• Growing plants are placed to provide privacy and individuality and add to beauty.

4. Define the following concepts:

a. Data
b. Spam
c. Internet
(Textbook: 6.1.1 What is the internet? page 71)

a. Data
Information (facts and numbers) that has not yet been processed

b. Spam
Unwanted messages/e-mails sent over the Internet, usually to large numbers of Internet
users

c. Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the
standard Internet Protocol suite (TCP/IP) to provide information and communication
facilities. It serves billions of users worldwide.

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 N6 Office Practice

5. Define the concept ‘electronic mail’ and discuss the role electronic mail still has to play
in the office environment by listing its advantages and disadvantages.
(Textbook: 6.1.3 What is electronic mail? pages 71–75)

Electronic mail

Definition
Electronic mail, commonly known as e-mail or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital
messages from an author to one or more recipients. It links computers by wired or wireless
connections and allows users, via electronic mailboxes, to send and receive messages. The
messages can be notes entered from the keyboard or electronic files stored on disk.

Advantages and disadvantages of e-mail

Advantages
• The secretary/management assistant uses e-mail for all internal as well as external mail on
a daily basis.
• It is convenient – if a desktop computer, laptop or mobile phone is around, an e-mail
message can be typed from anywhere or saved for later use.
• It is easily accessible – e-mails can be stored conveniently in the e-mail program. Good
programs make it easy to organise, archive and search the e-mails, so any information
contained in an e-mail is always readily accessible.
• E-mails are fast – they are delivered at once around the world; no other form of written
communication is as fast as an e-mail.
• If you receive hundreds of e-mails a day, it is convenient to be able to attach the original
message when you reply so that the recipient knows what the message is all about.
• It is possible to send automated e-mails with a standard text – these e-mails are called
auto responders.
• Products can be advertised with e-mails – companies can reach many people and inform
them in a short time by using mailing lists.
• A message can be as simple as a birthday greeting or as complex and lengthy as a report
with supporting documents (including attached text, graphic, video and/or sound files).
• E-mail software automatically creates an archive of all sent and received messages – by
reading the list of senders and topics displayed on the screen you can quickly decide
which messages are important.
• Sending an e-mail message usually costs the fee you pay for accessing the Internet –
sending and receiving e-mails is typically free.
• Some e-mail messages are now received as voice mail and read aloud to the recipient.

Disadvantages
• E-mails may carry viruses – these are programs that harm your computer system.
• Many people send unwanted e-mails to others – these are called spam or junk mail.
• E-mails cannot really be used for official business documents – they may be lost and you
cannot sign them.
• Your mailbox may get flooded with e-mails after a certain time so you have to empty it
from time to time.
• E-mail can duplicate information – this can be a problem when a large team is working
on documents and information while not in constant contact with the other members of
their team.
• Statements made in an e-mail, can be considered legally binding and be used against a
party in a court of law.
• In the place of e-mail a new generation of services is starting to take hold – services like
Twitter and Facebook and countless other social networking media.

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 Module 3
Advanced secretarial functions
After completing this module, the student should be able to:
• Handle difficult situations in the office environment.
• Assist and support the manager.
• Follow guidelines for business etiquette.
• Entertain in the office.
• Organise functions for executive personnel.
• Exercise the practice of ‘scanning the media’.
• Liaise with clients on executive level.
• Compile your own business correspondence.
• Handle difficult situations in the office, for example sexual harassment, gossip,
complaints, aggression, critic, unreasonable pressure, dishonouring access
control, breach of trust, etc.
• Follow guidelines regarding working for more than one manager, working as a
team, problem solving, decision making, listening skills and assertiveness.
• Assist and act as gatekeeper to protect the manager.
• Support the incompetent manager’s neglect to set priorities, give feedback
on messages, keep promises, convey expectations, give compliments or
criticism on the secretary/management assistant’s work, communicate clearly,
be consistent and inform the secretary/management assistant of his/her
whereabouts.
• Set yourself guidelines for business etiquette, protocol and official protocol.
• Follow guidelines for entertaining in the office.
• Follow the procedure to organise a function for corporate executives.
• Understand why it is necessary for the secretary/management assistant to
scan the media.
• Know what the general guidelines are in liaising with clients at executive level.
• Follow the guidelines to compile your own correspondence and forms that will
enhance the image of the company.
 N6 Office Practice

Activity 3.1 SB page 113

1. You have just been promoted as secretary/management assistant to the MD in your
department. Unfortunately this position has caused a lot of gossip among junior staff
members. How would you handle this difficult situation to convince them that you
were the best-suited for this position and that your qualifications and skills were the
fundamental factors in obtaining this position?
(Textbook: 1.1.5 Criticism, pages 84–86)

When the subject of gossip in the working environment is a colleague or the firm, it can be
very dangerous and harmful.
In the case study, the secretary/management assistant deals with criticism from junior
employees.
It would be wise to win over any critics by developing listening skills and by keeping calm
and objective.

Receiving criticism
• The secretary/management assistant should be assertive when receiving criticism from
junior staff.
• It is important, although not easy, to try to view the criticism in a constructive way and
to learn from it.
• They should not allow the personal attack or deliberate attempts to destroy their
reputation undermine their self-confidence.
• Where they are unclear about criticism, they should always seek clarification.
• They should try to concentrate on using “I-statements” like “I’d appreciate it if you
could give me an example of what you mean” or “I’d rather you made this issue less
personal.”
• Similarly, if they disagree with them, they should say so, but try to take the initiative
where they do agree and would wish to make changes for the future.
• In terms of the signals they transmit, they should try to keep their voice calm and quiet
and retain eye contact.
• They should not be either constantly on the defensive or apparently deflated. They
should try to maintain a sense of balance, as this tends to elicit a more composed
reaction from the other party.

Win over your critics

The secretary/management assistant should:
• Analyse the criticism and identify any negative traits they might portray. Learn to share
ideas with colleagues and in this way overcome their criticism.
• Be able to distinguish clearly between constructive criticism and destructive criticism
and pay heed to constructive criticism because it identifies opportunities. Ignore
destructive criticism because it is only used to vent anger or envy.
• Try to understand the motives of her critics both outside and inside the workplace and,
when necessary, find the middle ground.
• Be assertive, and give valid proof for the current situation, beliefs or modus operandi.
• Finally, show some initiative and extend a hand of friendship.
• Indicate a willingness to share ideas and continuously working together – their attitude
can make allies of their critics.

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 Module 3 • Advanced secretarial functions

2. You are a secretary/management assistant working for more than one manager. How
would you plan your working day, making sure that each manager’s work is done on
time? What guidelines will you follow to create a team spirit amongst the managers
and yourself?
(Textbook: 1.2 Guidelines for the secretary/management assistant regarding functional
activities, page 88–95)

One-to-one secretary/boss situations are becoming less common, and they will tend to
become the exception rather than the rule.

It is therefore important that trainee secretaries/management assistants should develop the

sort of flexible approach, which will lead them to success in terms of securing employment
in a changing business world.

Guidelines for handling time sharing

• Treat managers as individuals and try to establish a working rapport with each.
• Develop interest in the activities of each manager.
• Develop your own secretarial role and skills where necessary.
• Modify your style to fit in with each manager. This necessitates an extremely flexible
approach but should add to the challenge of your job, while enabling each manager to
retain a unique style.
• Establish an informal relationship with each manager so that you may iron out any
problems and plan in an atmosphere of cooperation.
• Be sure to treat each manager’s work as confidential.
• Show no favouritism.

Creating a team spirit

• Ensure that a manager does not get upset when you are busy with another manager’s
work.
• Assure them that their work will be done as soon as possible.
• If you have too much work from one manager and you know that it is impossible to
meet a deadline concerning another manager, inform the latter and ask him if it is
possible for somebody else to help you.
• If a manager feels that his work is very urgent and needs to be completed immediately,
ask him to discuss it with the other managers so that a compromise can be reached.
• Select tasks in order of urgency and inform managers exactly how you are going about
meeting deadlines.
• Ensure that there is a healthy relationship between managers regarding the completion
of work.
• As the work comes in for each manager, compile a roster to work from so that you are
not pressurised unnecessary.
• Avoid doing favours for certain managers that could lead to more favours at a later stage.
• Be courteous but firm with all task allocations.

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 N6 Office Practice

3. Your boss has just informed you that there is a meeting scheduled with important
clients in two weeks’ time. The meeting will be held at 10:00 in the organisation’s
boardroom and twelve representatives will attend. He assigns you to prepare tea and
snacks for the meeting. Decide on the arrangements you should make in planning for
the function.
(Textbook: 4.1 Guidelines for entertaining in the office, pages 103–105)

Students should be professional, creative and original in their presentation. The basic
requirements for the serving of tea/coffee and snacks should be compiled as a checklist
against which students will be evaluated by the lecturer and the other students while giving
the presentation.

Planning for the function

The boardroom for the meeting should:
• be spotless
• have sufficient seating for twelve people arranged
• have the room temperature regulated and working
• have efficient lighting
• have the manger’s equipment organised, plugged in and working
• have flower arrangements
• have water.

Tea/coffee and snacks will be served at 10:00 – the ratio of two savoury to one sweet snack
will be served. Healthy food for snacks should be included.

Arrangements/checklist

Build the image of the company

• Make provision for the basic needs of clients, i.e. hunger, thirst, feeling strange and
unsafe.
• Attract clients with your attitude of hospitality, serving light snacks, sometimes even in
the foyer – do it well and with style.
• The correct way is to pour tea/coffee in front of the client – first ask before pouring
precisely as preferred by the client: with or without milk, weak or strong.
• Use quality tea and coffee, a neat tray and tray cloth, good quality cups, with a matching
porcelain teapot or a silver tea and coffeepot – the design must be simple but tasteful.
• Tea can also be served in a ceramic teapot – apparently it tastes much better and some
‘connoisseurs’ prefer it like that.
• Take care that there is always a hot water jug and thin slices of lemon, for somebody
preferring weak black tea.
• Make pouring tea a ritual – it is reassuring for Japanese, Chinese and British clients.

Tea/coffee at meetings checklist

Decide on one of the following procedures:

• Before the meeting starts, the secretary/management assistant enquires who is having tea
or coffee – if it is a small group pour the individual’s cups within ten minutes.
• If it is a quick meeting, take tea and coffee orders before the meeting starts, place each
individual’s name in the saucer of the tea/coffee cup and pour it according to each
person’s preference.
• The attendees can enjoy their tea/coffee before the meeting starts or they can take their
tea/coffee with them to the meeting venue.

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 Module 3 • Advanced secretarial functions

• If there is a small break in the meeting to stretch legs, tea/coffee could be served again.
• A tray with a tea or coffeepot, milk jug, sugar bowl and cups can be placed in the venue
and each member will then pour his/her own tea or coffee as they prefer.

Refreshments/checklist
• If the refreshments are not suitable to eat with the hand, e.g. tarts or cake, small cake
plates, small cloth or paper serviettes and cake forks should be provided.
• If cake forks are not available, teaspoons can be used or tea cakes that can be eaten with
the hand should preferably be served.
• Place a cake plate underneath each cup and saucer with a cake fork and teaspoon in the
saucer underneath the ear of the cup.
• The serviette is placed between the saucer and the cake plate.
• Alternatively, the small plates can also be stacked on top of each other with a serviette
between each plate – the cake forks can be placed on top of or next to the small plates.

Serving snacks/checklist
• As the secretary/management assistant, you should be skilled in serving finger food and
snacks.
• Read and practise until you develop the skill to swiftly prepare sandwiches with hot soup
during winter time.
• Finger food, including a variety of fruit and vegetable snacks, a few dips, a choice of
cheeses and biscuits, can be served during summer months.
• Contrasting colour garnishing like parsley, mini-tomatoes and slices of lemon can be
used to enhance the appearance of the food.
• Provide sticks or small forks, prepare finger food in snack-size bites and provide spoons
to dish up dips.

4. Why would you say scanning the media is an essential activity in the secretary/
management assistant’s schedule?
(Textbook: 6 Scanning the media, pages 107–108)

Reasons why it is essential for the secretary/management assistant to scan the media
• To be able to give an informed answer when questions are asked about a matter of
current interest – if the answer is unknown through ignorance, the image (or even
position) of the secretary/management assistant is on the line.
• To develop her own character, personality, general knowledge and opinions
• By following the course of current affairs, you will become aware of your own place and
your company’s place in the world around you.
• Being aware of the conditions and influences around you in trade and industry and fully
understand them, you have a part in the company being able to prosper and survive in
the business environment.
• As the assistant to the manager, you will be able to help in keeping abreast of all matters
relating the company.
• Being familiar with the different media platforms in use, you will have the advantage of
being able to obtain other information the manager might need fast and effectively.

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 N6 Office Practice

5. What role do you think business correspondence plays in projecting the image of the
business and what part does the secretary/management play in developing this image?
(Textbook: 8 Guidelines for secretaries/management assistants when compiling own
correspondence (including the use of corporate identity), pages 111–113)

The secretary/management assistant should be able to compile their own

correspondence and forms that will enhance the image of the company.

Role of business correspondence in projecting the image of the company

• Business correspondence serves as an image builder to the company and should therefore
create a favourable image.
• The business letter is still the main medium of external communication used by
organisations. Meticulous care should therefore be given to all aspects of the letter,
i.e. the format, the content, the tone and the language.
• Although electronic mail has become the main means of communication, the same
quality requirements apply.
• But using the corporate identity of the organisation when corresponding to the outside
world, the secretary/management assistant expresses the values and ambitions of the
organisation, its business and its characteristics.
• The office form also turned out to be an essential format to the existence and proper
employment of most office information systems. Because it can be used for many
purposes, forms provide the best available means for recording and transmitting
information.

Role of the secretary/management assistant in developing the image of the company

The secretary/management assistant play the following role in developing the image of the
company:
• Compiling own correspondence (guidelines to follow)
• Knowledge of the corporate identity of the company and making sure it is carried out
correctly/used correctly in business correspondence
• Making sure the forms used for business correspondence adheres to certain guidelines in
order to upkeep the image of the company.

Compiling own correspondence

• One of the main functions of the secretary/management assistant will be to compile
business correspondence for the manager where you has to use your own resourcefulness.
• It may include an original letter, a reply to a letter, an e-mail, a fax, a memo, a
questionnaire, an invitation card, a message etc.
• The organisation’s corporate identity – logo, colour schemes, images, and words – will be
used on the letterheads of all correspondence to effectively bring the company to mind.
• Whatever format the correspondence takes on, certain basic qualities are required to
compile good business correspondence.

Qualities of good business correspondence

• Correctness regarding the facts, acceptable format, spelling and language and stationery,
which all shows respect towards the client
• Clarity in conveying information clearly and in exact meaning
• Coherence in organising ideas logically
• Completeness in including all relevant information to achieve the purpose of the
correspondence

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 Module 3 • Advanced secretarial functions

• Conciseness in presenting the relevant information in brief and to the point

• Courtesy in using a polite tone
• Considerateness in being ‘you’ orientated rather than ‘I’ orientated
• Conversational tone is used in being pleasant and not too formal

Corporate identity
• The secretary/management assistant should be able to offer an informed opinion of what
aspects are intricate in creating an effective visual corporate identity.

Guidelines to create a corporate identity

• Differentiation to stand apart from others in order to be noticed, make an impression,
and to ultimately be preferred
• Relevance to fulfilling the needs and aspirations of the intended audience
• Coherence to assure credibility with their audiences and add up to something
meaningful
• Esteem, as it is the reputation a brand has earned by performing clearly on both its
promised and delivered expertise

Factors in the design of office forms

• An office form is a printed piece of paper, which provides space for entering information
that is to be conveyed to others.
• In essence, office forms make up a busy network relaying information, issuing
instructions and directions, and supplying data for decision making that covers every
function within an enterprise.
• It is therefore not only vital that forms be properly designed or planned, but also that
they be utilised effectively at reasonable cost.
• Usually the best form design is a plain design but with a well-defined purpose.
When office forms are designed, two key considerations are involved, i.e. functional
considerations and physical considerations.

Functional considerations in the design of office forms include:

• The purpose of the form
• The information included
• The pattern of the form
• Number of copies
• The types of forms.

Physical considerations in the design of office forms include:

• The ink selected should provide proper contrast to the paper and should give clear
uniform and smooth imprint.
• The number of sizes and styles of the print type should be kept to a minimum.
• The five important physical properties of paper, i.e. weight, grade, grain, colour and size,
should be considered.
• The carbonising means used is another important physical consideration.

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 N6 Office Practice

6. The management assistant has a responsibility to train junior secretaries. How would
you compile a programme to teach a junior secretary how to deal with liaising with
executive clients?
(Textbook: 7 Liaising with clients at executive level page 109–110)

Students can come up with their own answers in how they would compile a
programme. The following is an example:

This section of the programme should contain the following:

It can be called: Procedure when liaising at executive level.

The secretary/management assistant conducting the training can give real examples from
his/her own experience in dealing with clients at executive level.

The following guidelines can be shared:

Following the general corporate rules when liaising

Creating a favourable impression:

• Should be given a full and clear understanding of the employer’s role and their objectives
and the part these play in the organisation as a whole
• Needs to know clearly what is expected in assisting the employer to achieve their
objectives
• Has the responsibility towards the organisation and in particular to the executive to
provide their expertise by efficiently carrying out assigned job tasks
• As representative of the organisation and its reputation, has the responsibility to herself
to maintain high ethical standards in all phases of their work
• Should be level-headed and steady and dependable
• Should be able to hold confidential information confidential, because business success
often depends upon it
• Should show loyalty in demonstrating support for the executives and showing faith in
the organisation’s products, and maintaining a positive rapport with clients
• Should behave in such a manner that promotes cooperation and good relations among
other people
• In maintaining high professional standards, should develop a code of professional ethics
• Must have tact and diplomacy and be able to communicate with people to gain their
cooperation in all endeavours
• Must adopt a gracious, good-humoured, attending attitude
• Must be courteous to the clients.

The above guidelines must be incorporated into the training programme when training
junior secretaries.

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 Module 3 • Advanced secretarial functions

7. Discuss TEN general guidelines concerning proper office etiquette.

(Textbook: 3.1 Guidelines for business etiquette, protocol and official protocol
page 102)

General etiquette guidelines:

• Have a ‘may I be of help’ attitude
• Be friendly, polite, charming, courteous, sincere and pleasant without being familiar
• Treat all people the same: don’t have favourites – treat them all with courtesy and
respect, from the cleaner to the MD
• Be proud of your work and your duty
• Be ambitious and show initiative
• Use your voice optimally
• Use your language correctly
• Learn to listen attentively and don’t interrupt or dominate the conversation
• Show discretion, tact and diplomacy
• Have a good sense of humour
• Be punctual
• Learn to cooperate with others
• Good etiquette requires silence regarding personal problems, other people’s personal
affairs and gossiping
• Don’t discuss or condemn colleagues, their work or services
• Don’t do anything that will harm the image or status of your profession
• Be well groomed and well-dressed.

8. To be courteous to clients is essential for the company’s reputation. Name TEN

guidelines on how you will go about this when dealing with clients.
(Textbook: 7.2 Showing courtesy when liaising with clients, page 110)

Guidelines in order to be courteous to clients:

• Meet clients promptly.
• Greet them in a friendly way with a smile.
• Invite them to state their reason for the business call.
• Listen to them with attention.
• Show an interest in their business.
• Be patient and tolerant.
• Use positive words and expressions.
• Speak in a pleasant voice.
• Treat them as important people.
• Address them appropriately.
• Show appreciation for their contact with the business.

9. Mention FIVE things that a secretary should keep in mind when entertaining clients
during a function at the office.
(Textbook: 4.1.1 Building the image of the company, pages 103–104)

Keep the following in mind when entertaining clients during a function at the office:
• Make provision for the basic needs of clients, i.e. hunger, thirst, feeling strange and
unsafe.
• Attract clients with your attitude of hospitality, serving light snacks, sometimes even in
the foyer – do it well and with style.

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• The correct way is to pour tea/coffee in front of the client – first ask before pouring
precisely as preferred by the client: with or without milk, weak or strong.
• Use quality tea and coffee, a neat tray and tray cloth, good quality cups, with a matching
porcelain teapot or a silver tea and coffeepot – the design must be simple but tasteful.
• Tea can also be served in a ceramic teapot – apparently it tastes much better and some
‘connoisseurs’ prefer it that way.
• Take care that there is always a hot water jug and thin slices of lemon for somebody
preferring weak black tea.
• Make pouring tea a ritual – it is reassuring for Japanese, Chinese and British clients.

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 Module 4
The economic environment
After completing this module, the student should be able to:
• Identify the specific human needs in an economic environment.
• Know the factors involved in the marketing of products.
• Explain the founding procedures and characteristics of the different business
ownerships and know what knowledge the secretary/management assistant
requires regarding each of them.
• Know what important role the utility enterprises play in the country’s
economy.
• Understand the origin of human needs, know the types of needs that exist
(external and internal), know how the needs are met and understand the
individual as a consumer.
• Indicate how the knowledge of human needs influences the way the secretary/
management assistant views clients.
• Explain the determinants of human behaviour.
• Identify the factors involved in marketing, for example market segmentation,
product positioning, the different groups participating in the market field and
the classification of consumer products.
• Identify in detail the different aspects of the marketing strategy, for example
the branding, packaging, price determination, distribution, advertising and
promotion and the life cycle of products.
• Identify the different types of ownerships according to their founding
procedure and characteristics and the basic knowledge the management
assistant requires regarding each undertaking.
• Know the important role utility enterprises play in the country’s economy.
• Understand the important role state-owned enterprises play in the economy
of the country.
 N6 Office Practice

Activity 4.1 SB page 139

1. After having a bad experience with a home burglary, a client needs assistance from the
organisation where you work to safeguard his home and family against a similar future
incident. The client made it clear that he wants to make a purchase based on quality
and durability.

a. Understanding human needs and the way it motivates a client’s specific behaviour,
what specific need would you identify with the customer and what steps will you
take to help satisfy the customer’s need?

a. Identifying the specific need

(Textbook: 1.3.1 Individual factors, page 123)
The specific request for quality and durability to safeguard his home, indicates a strong
need for safety and security with the client.
His experience with the home burglary makes him feel very unsafe and he urgently
needs to safeguard his home and family against a similar incident.

Influencing the decision making process of the consumer in need

(Textbook: 1.1.3 Influencing the decision making process of the consumer in need,
page 118)
• Identifying different options and various ways of addressing and satisfying a particular
need
• Assisting the consumer with verified information to speed up the purchasing decision
• Exposing the consumer to the product or service by means of advertising, promotion,
demonstration or sampling to encourage the consumer to take a decision in favour of
the product the enterprise is manufacturing or selling
• Reminding the consumer on a continuous base about the benefits of satisfaction
included in the product or service you render
• Understanding the consumer in the process of decision-making, it is essential that the
behaviour of people having a need must be examined.

b. What specific deterinants of human behaviour would you consider in helping the
client?
(Textbook: 1.3 Determinants of consumer behaviour patterns, pages 122–125)

Specific deterinants of human behaviour to consider when helping the client

Individual factors
• Motivation is the driving force within individuals that energises them to take action
regarding their needs.
• The client addressed his security need with a specific motive in mind. His need is to
safeguard his home and family against a similar home burglary.
• What he will buy is the result of meeting his specific need.
• Consumers will develop certain attitudes towards specific products or services and
will use their previous experiences or particular knowledge to promote or ignore these
products or services.
• The secretary/management assistant will try to change the attitude of the client by
using various marketing strategies to complement a specific product or service.

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 Module 4 • The economic environment

Perception
The client was influenced by his perception of where to find a quality and durable
product by the process of selecting, organising and interpreting stimuli (marketing
inputs, e.g. commercials, advertisements, packaging) into a meaningful and coherent
picture. He decided it is truly what he needs and/or wants.

The secretary/management assistant should use this initiative of the client to satisfy his
expectation and urgent need.

Learning and consumer involvement

The process of learning and consumer involvement is the process by which consumers
acquire purchase and consumption knowledge and experience. They will apply their
intentional and incidental learning to take future purchasing decisions.

Consumers also make decisions based on an overall evaluation of their impressions,

intuition, and knowledge based on past experience, or attitude-based processing.

The secretary/management assistant should make sure to keep the client involved by
meeting his and satisfying his need.

Personality traits
The secretary/management assistant should know that personality traits and
characteristics are also important to establish how consumers meet their needs.

The client is a pragmatist who wants to buy what is practical or useful, because he
explicitly requests to make a purchase based more on quality and durability than on
physical beauty.

c. Under what category of consumer products would you classify the products you
would sell to the client?
(Textbook: 2.1.5 Classification of consumer products, page 128)

Durable goods: the goods that last for a long period of time before they must be
replaced, e.g. televisions, micro-wave ovens, etc.
The client in the case study needs quality and durable products to safeguard his house.

2. How do you identify a specific market segment?

(Textbook: 2.1.2 Criteria for market segmentation, pages 126–127)

According to the following factors:

Geographical factors
Regional boundaries
Population density

Demographical factors
Age
Gender
Income
Occupation
Culture and education

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 N6 Office Practice

Psychographic factors
Class
Lifestyle
Personality

Behavioural factors
Benefit
Loyalty
Sensitivity

3. How do you know the preferences of the consumers in the segment of your choice?
(Textbook: 2.1.2 Criteria for the market segmentation, pages 126–127)

Geographical factors
Regional boundaries: consumers in different regions or districts have different needs.
Population density: will influence the number of consumers per square kilometre.

Demographical factors
Age: different age groups of consumers will have different needs and ways of satisfaction.
Gender: the needs of males and females differ.
Income: different households must utilise their income in different ways according to needs
that exist.
Occupation: consumers are present in all walks of life; consumers in different occupations
have differing needs by which success is measured.
Culture and education: different cultures do have different needs and indirectly education
will influence the standard of living of consumers.

Psychographic factors
Class: usually relates to income, occupation, the residential area where the consumer lives
and the forms of relaxation where he/she participates.
Lifestyle: consumers live in luxury or prefer a more simplified manner of survival.
Personality: certain trademarks are associated with certain personalities.

Behavioural factors
Benefit: consumers strive to obtain value for money whilst others will seek specific
trademarks.
Loyalty: consumers are loyal towards a specific product because of historic events or own
personal experience.
Sensitivity: consumers are quality, price and service conscious for their own personal needs;
individuals and households participate in the consumer market and are mainly targeted in
the marketing strategies of the business enterprise.

4. As an entrepreneur, you are keen to start your own business. However, before you can
launch your business enterprise, you need to do a feasibility study.

1. Feasibility study
Identify your business
Indicate the name of your product or service and how you managed to determine
the need for it, concentrating on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Depending on
the region of your business, discuss the geographical factors that will need to be
considered for YOUR specific business Explain the demographical factors that will
affect YOUR business.

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 Module 4 • The economic environment

2. Training process
Training has to take place on a regular basis. Discuss how you will approach the
training process, with reference to the following steps in the training process.
PLEASE DO NOT JUST COPY THE INFORMATION FROM THE TEXTBOOK
– APPLY IT TO YOUR SPECIFIC EMPLOYEES!
Determining training needs
Determining the training objective
Compile the programme – Who will be trained? What will it entail en where and when
will it take place?
Implementing the programme – provide examples

3. Training methods
Select a specific training method for your employees and explain, using fictitious
employee positions to illustrate this.

This question requires practical application. Each student must choose a specific
product/service and apply the theory practically to the chosen product/service. Students
must not copy the information from the textbook – they must APPLY it to their
product/service (question 1) and apply it to their employees (questions 2 and 3).

5. Which online media would you consider to advertise a promotion that the business
you work for is campaigning?
(Textbook: 2.2.5 Advertising, page 131)

Students should work in small groups. Each group is allocated with/chooses a different
Internet and online marketing media to discuss. The detail of the process in developing
the specific media platform should be fully explained. A thorough and detailed, well-
planned presentation with originality and initiative is required.

Useful website:
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/using-social-media-to-promote-your-business.
html

Example of guidelines for promoting the business through social media:

• Follow the one-in-seven rule

This rule is that only one in every seven posts should clearly promote the business while
the remaining six are focused on sharing valuable content, including posts from the
community.
• Ask conversation-starter questions
Most people enjoy sharing their opinions, so ask Facebook fans to have a say on topics
that are relevant to the business and interesting to them. For example, a fitness centre
may ask fans to vote on their favourite summer sports in order to be entered into a draw
to win private lessons for them and a friend who joins the club. The questions should
engage fans and inspire them to refer business while giving the business owner great
insight.
• Share your expertise
Post little-known but fun facts in the form of questions. A special offer could be
presented to the first person to answer correctly.

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 N6 Office Practice

• Provide value
Fun posts that reflect your personality is a must, but it is important to also create
content that benefits your followers. That can mean posting tips on best practices or
offering special deals on products or services.
• Enhance the rewards for active check-ins
For a specific period of time, double the points each time a customer checks in on your
social media outlet and triple the points each time he or she brings a friend. Their friends
on social networks will see when they have checked in while your effect is expanded
exponentially.
• Create a Pinterest board
Make sure the board has eye-catching visuals and run a contest through it that will
inspire and reward customers for their participation. Be sure to encourage them to re-pin
and create their own boards that reflect the initial contest for additional social extension
of your campaign.
• Avoid group messages
When you use tools that allow you to write one message and have it appear on a variety
of social media outlets, you risk losing the sincerity behind the message. You can use
similar language as you promote your offer on different sites; just be sure to change the
words to reflect the tone of each network.
• Focus your efforts
If you find that your customers are scattered across a variety of networks, focus your
efforts where they are most active. You may waste a lot of time skimming the surface of
multiple networks with little results. The best way to know is to ask.

6. You are interested in working as a secretary/management assistant in a business.

What specific skills would you mention in your resumé to make you an appropriate
candidate to apply for such a post?

This exercise should help students to set goals and commit themselves to the standards they
hope to achieve in the role as a secretary/management assistant.

Students should use their subjects and actual training experience at the college where
they are enrolled to identify the different skills they have obtained. Any distinctions and
special achievements should be taken into account. Any part-time positions they held that
developed a skill should be added.

From Module 1 they should accumulate a list of the skills necessary to apply for a
secretarial/management assistant post and make a list of skills they would still like to obtain
and develop.

(Textbook: 4.1.1 Activities of the secretary/management assistant, pages 17–18)

• Professional Secretaries International briefly summarise the job description of a

secretary/management assistant as follows:
• Schedules appointments and maintains the calendar
• Receives and assists visitors and telephone callers and refers them to executive or other
appropriate persons as circumstances permit
• Arranges business itineraries and coordinates executive’s travel requirements
• Takes action authorised during executive’s absence and uses initiative and judgment to
see that matters requiring attention are referred to delegated authority or handled in a
manner so as to minimise effect of employer’s absence

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 Module 4 • The economic environment

• Takes manual shorthand and transcribes from it or transcribes from machine dictation;
types material from longhand or rough copy
• Sorts, reads, and annotates incoming mail and documents and attaches appropriate file
to facilitate necessary action; determines routing, signatures required, and maintains
follow-up; composes correspondence and reports for own or executive’s signature;
prepares communication outlined by executive in oral or written directions
• Researches and abstracts information and supporting data in preparation for meetings,
work projects and reports; correlates and edits materials submitted by others; organises
material which may be presented to executive in draft format
• Maintains filing and records management systems and other office flow procedures
• Makes arrangements for and coordinates conferences and meetings; may serve as
recorder of minutes with responsibility for transcription and distribution to participants
• May supervise or hire other employees; select and/or make recommendations for
purchase of supplies and equipment; maintain budget and expense account records,
financial records, and confidential files
• Maintains up-to-date procedures manual for the specific duties handled on the job
• Performs other duties as assigned or as judgment or necessity dictates.

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38
 Module 5
Human Resources provisioning
After completing this module, the student should be able to:
• Define human resource provisioning.
• To describe job analyses, job specifications, job descriptions, job enhancement and job
enrichment.
• Recruit a junior secretary for a business by setting up a recruitment form using
the following as headings: job analysis, job specifications, job descriptions, job
enhancement and job enrichment.
• Explain recruitment by defining it, describing the business’s policy on recruitment,
defining sources of internal recruitment, defining external sources of recruitment,
describing the human rights charter and describing discrimination in the workplace.
• Critisising an existing advertisement for a vacant position by commenting on issues of
discrimination.
• Explain paper selection under the headings: Curriculum Vitae: emphasising the
importance thereof and the outlay; Application form: the importance of it, the format
and also advantages and disadvantages.
• Explain the following procedures and documents used before the final stage of
appointing a new staff member: verifying background information, testing and
evaluating, medical examinations and security clearance.
• Explain interviewing of applicants under the following headings: files for applicants
including the CV, application form, results of psychometric tests, results of medical
examination, any other documentation needed, task agreement, benefits, types of
interviews, special requirements for the interview, preparation of the interviewer,
characteristics of the interviewer.
• Criticise a video made of an interview.
• Elaborate on recruitment policies by explaining equal opportunity appointments,
affirmative action, the importance of appointing the correct person for the position and
explain the appointment process by giving attention to acceptance by the applicant,
final interview and service contract.
• Describe the importance of an induction programme, why it is important to follow up
on induction and setting up a detailed induction programme for a newly appointed
secretary/management assistant.
• Explain the training of secretarial staff using the following headings: purpose of training,
importance of training as part of personnel development, opportunities for training,
steps in the training process, training methods, audio-visual aids used in training and the
evaluation of in-service training.
• Do practical exercises to demonstrate the storing of all training material used and also
how to make training material like PowerPoint®.
• Explain the differences between training and development.
• Explain the following development programmes: work rotation, mentorship, selective
reading list, in-basket or role play.
 N6 Office Practice

Activity 5.1 SB page 147

Find an advertisement on the Internet or in a newspaper for which you can qualify. Fill in
a possible application form and design your CV to include it with the application. Write a
letter to the business with your application (cover letter).

Each student much research opportunities for which he/she qualify, fill out an application
form and write a covering letter to accompany his/her CV and application form. Students can
make use of the Internet, newspapers and social media to find job advertisements.

This is not a group activity.

Activity 5.2 SB page 156

Role-play an interview with a prospective senior secretary/management assistant who
applied for a position in your business, Miller Incorporated. If appointed, she will be
the assistant of the deputy CEO of your organisation. Record this interview and then
comment on the standard of the interview, referring to all that you have learnt about a
good interview.

This is a practical activity. Students should record their interviews and bring the recordings to
class for evaluation. The class should also comment on the recorded interview, and what the
student did well or could have done differently.

Activity 5.3 SB page 159

Compile an induction programme for the new secretary/management assistant who was
appointed in your business.
(Textbook: 5.2 The induction programme page 158)

Students compile an induction programme for a new secretary/managerial assistant based on

the Induction Programme theory in this module.

Activity 5.4 SB page 163

Make a PowerPoint® presentation to train a new staff member in the different kinds
of in-service training methods. Be very creative in the making of your PowerPoint®
presentation. Present the presentation to the rest of your colleagues. Let them evaluate
your presentation.

Students’ PowerPoint presentations should be of a high standard, and printouts can be placed
in their portfolios.

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 Module 5 • Human Resources provisioning

Activity 5.5 SB page 163

1. Compile a CV/Resumé in full.
Each student must compile his/her own CV. Refer to the theory on pages 146–147 for the
format and layout of a CV.
2. Discuss SEVEN headings that form part of the CV and mention at least TWO points
under each heading.
(Textbook: 3.2.2 Lay-out and format of a CV, pages 146–147)
Students can choose any seven of the following headings and mention at least two points
under each heading:
1. Background information
• First names
• Surname
• Identity number
• Date of birth
• Residential address
• Telephone numbers (home and cell phone numbers)
• Work address
• Work telephone number
• Marital status
• Dependants
• Driver’s licence (type)
• Home language
• Language proficiency (English, any other)
2. Summary of high school career
• School(s) attended
• Highest grade completed
• Subjects and symbols obtained in highest grade
• Extra-curricular activities (sport, cultural activities)
3. Tertiary qualifications
• College, University, University of Technology attended and years
• Certificates, diplomas, degrees obtained
• Major subjects
• Extra-curricular activities
4. Extra courses attended
5. Career history
6. Job descriptions
7. Interests
8. References (at least two)
• Name, address, telephone number of referee
9. Annexures with certified copies of all certificates obtained as well as testimonials
from referees

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42
 Module 6
Human Resources maintenance
and administration
After completing this module, the student should be able to:
• Explain remuneration by referring to direct remuneration, indirect
remuneration and salary scales.
• Describe the purpose and methods of performance evaluation and apply this
to the performance evaluation of a junior secretary/management assistant.
• Discuss promotion of staff members.
• Discuss the difference between promotion and transference.
• Explain how promotion can lead to motivation of staff members.
• Describe the steps in the preparation of a staff member for promotion, the
identification of staff members who can be promoted and their training and
development.
• Use a case study of a promotion and prepare all the relevant documents
needed.
• Explain disciplinary action by comparing grievances and disciplinary action.
• Explain the policy/process of disciplinary action and the role of the unions and
personnel organisations.
• Use a case study of a disciplinary case and prepare all the relevant documents
needed.
• Explain the differences between dismissal, retrenchment, lay-off and
retirement.
• Discuss the process of dismissal in detail by looking at the policy, legal aspects
and unions.
 N6 Office Practice

Activity 6.1 SB page 167

Why would an executive secretary earn more than a junior secretary?
(Textbook: 1.3 Salary scale, pages 166–167)

Each position is placed in a specific category according to the extent of contribution towards
the company’s objectives. Different jobs require different levels of experience, expertise,
education, responsibilities and working conditions. An executive secretary is more senior than
a junior secretary, with more responsibilities and would therefore earn a higher salary.

Activity 6.2 SB page 168

Describe how you would carry out performance appraisals for a junior secretary and an
executive secretary.
(Textbook: 2.2 Methods of performance evaluation, pages 167–168)

Performance appraisals can be carried out by doing employee comparisons, listing effective and
ineffective conduct performance for critical incidents, composition type and by conducting
interviews, which could include performance tests, checklists and evaluation scales.

Activity 6.3 SB page 172

A staff member in your business was caught stealing money from the business. Describe
the process or disciplinary action that should take place. Also indicate who would be
involved in the whole process.
(Textbook: 4.2 Policy or procedure in handling grievances and disciplinary matters, page
170)

Dismissal processes and procedures are unique to every organisation. Organisational policies
and the nature of the offence will determine the dismissal process to be followed and who
will be involved during the whole process. Dismissal can be finalised with or without a
notice period or payment in lieu of notice. Summary dismissal is usually imposed for gross
misconduct (e.g. theft), while repeated, but less serious misconduct is pre-emitted by verbal
and/or written warnings.

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 Module 6 • Human Resources maintenance and administration

Activity 6.4 SB page 172

Define the following concepts:
• Dismissal
• Retrenchment
• Lay-off
• Retirement.
(Textbook: 5.1 Dismissal, retrenchment, lay-off and retirement, page 171)

• Dismissal
Dismissal means to end or terminate an employee’s services (in other words, to fire them).

• Retrenchment
When a company has to reduce their number of employees, or has to close down and
employees are made redundant, it is known as retrenchment.

• Lay-off
Lay-offs may be temporary or permanent. An example of a lay-off is where assemblers in the
motor industry are temporarily without jobs due to the lack of demand for their products.

• Retirement
It is the withdrawal from an active work life; when a person decides to stop working.

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46
 Module 7
Supervision and motivation
After completing this module, the student should be able to:
• Understand the relationship between human relations and supervision.
• Be acquainted with the requirements of a good supervisor.
• Perform the duties of a supervisor.
• Understand the importance of motivation in the workplace.
• Have knowledge of the factors that motivate workers.
• Distinguish between task enrichment and task enlargement.
• Understand the role of the top secretary/management assistant as supervisor
and motivator.
• Clarify the human relationship skills of the secretary/management assistant as
supervisor towards superiors, subordinates and peers or colleagues.
• Compile a manual for the duties of a supervisor with special regards to the
definition of a supervisor, liaising with management and subordinates,
creating a pleasant work atmosphere and performing the functions of
planning, organising, activating/coordinating and control.
• Explain the importance of motivating personnel at the different levels in the
secretarial/management assistant division.
 N6 Office Practice

Activity 7.1 SB page 203

1. Explain the role of the secretary/management assistant as supervisor.
(Textbook: 1.1.1 The secretary/management assistant’s role as a supervisor,
pages 174–175)

The secretary/management assistant oversees the productivity and progress of the secretarial
staff who report directly to them. As supervisor, they need to be efficient and proficient
with information on:
• delegating,
• managing time,
• setting goals and expectations (for self and subordinates),
• providing feedback,
• resolving conflict, and
• administering discipline.

The secretary’s role as supervisor includes supervising the physical elements of the office
such as:
• establishing operating procedures for each activity supervised
• allocating work to the secretarial staff
• maintaining the morale of the secretarial workers
• providing training and job instruction
• conducting performance appraisals
• keeping management informed of the progress of work and operations
• keeping the secretarial staff informed of policies and procedures
• developing the potential of the staff.

The supervisor plays an important role in the motivation and development of workers.
Building a team spirit leads to cooperation and determines the atmosphere in the office.
The applied management style promotes the quality of work delivered by the workers in the
enterprise.

2. Compile an office manual for the supervisor, using the following headings:

a. What is a supervisor?
(Textbook: 3.1.1 Defining the concept supervisor/supervision, pages 182–183)

Definition (page 182): A supervisor is a person appointed over subordinates to lead

them and fulfill the total spectrum of personnel and management functions.

b. The supervisor’s liaison with management and subordinates

(Textbook: 3.1.2 Liaising with management and subordinates, page 183)

The secretary/management assistant constantly liaise with subordinates and with

management. The secretary/management assitant conveys demands and expectations of
top management to staff (subordinates).

At the same time, top management relies on information received from the supervisor
and often uses this information for organisational planning. Supervision is a form of
participative management; the supervisor explains and gives orders and portrays the
purpose and aim of top management to workers (subordinates).

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 Module 7 • Supervision and motivation

c. Creating a pleasant work atmosphere

(Textbook: 3.1.3 Creating a pleasant working atmosphere, page 183)

The supervisor is responsible for creating and maintaining a pleasant, free working
atmosphere where people willingly bind themselves to performance. This means the
supervisor has to lead their subordinates to deliver work of high quality, give training (to
eliminate uncertainty), allow workers to work without interference and to keep them up
to date with their progress. They explain orders and decisions. The needs of subordinates
must always be taken into account, without it interfering with achievement of objectives.

d. Supervision is the process of encouraging the members of a work unit to contribute

positively toward accomplishing the organisation’s goals
(Textbook: 1.1.2 The secretary/management assistant’s role as motivator,
pages 175–176)

d. Motivating subordinates
Part of motivating employees, the secretary must be both task-orientated and people-
orientated. The supervisor can create a work environment that will foster and influence
employee motivation by identifying the factors that influence motivation.

Factors influencing motivation:

• They desire opportunities to develop and grow.
• They want work to be challenging, interesting and creative.
• They want to participate in those decisions that affect them.
• They see remuneration as the outcome of their performance and, consequently, they
expect to be rewarded accordingly.
• They are more concerned with recognition from the company than recognition at
managerial/supervisory level.
• They expect and appreciate communication from management and the opportunity
to communicate to management.

It is important to maintain these factors at a satisfactory level in order for subordinates

to have the desire to perform.

e. The management functions the supervisor needs to perform

(Textbook: 2.1.1 The supervisor as manager, page 180; 3.1.4 Managerial functions
of planning, organising, activating and controlling, pages 183–184)

The supervisory secretary/management assistant in a managerial role involve the

following:
• Dealing directly with the functions of staffing
• Activating/leading/directing (motivating the secretarial personnel at the different
levels)
• Ensuring that job descriptions accurately record the primary responsibilities,
qualifications and terms for each job role in their group
• Set performance standards for tasks, jobs and roles of their employees
• Ensuring appropriate and realistic job goals
• Providing on-going feedback about employee’s performance
• Conducting performance appraisals on regular basis

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 N6 Office Practice

• Assessing how employees can improve in their jobs and compiling a performance
improvement plan
• Providing rewards for employee accomplishments.

The secretary/management assistant’s role as manager includes the managerial functions of

planning, organising, activating and control.

3. Explain the importance of motivation of secretarial staff at the different levels.

(Textbook: 4.1 Motivating other secretarial personnel at different levels pages 184–187)

The secretarial staff on the different levels all have different motivational requirements
and needs. For example, the motivational needs of an entry level worker are very different
from the motivational needs of a junior secretary. Below is a summary of motivational
requirements at each level.

Motivation at level 1
• Entrance level worker/new worker
• Worker must feel at home – physiological needs (induction programme will help with
this)
• Worker must know where he fits in – tasks, responsibilities and duties

Motivation at level 2
• Example: junior secretary/‘Girl Friday’
• This person has more experience and training – opportunities to further enrich and grow
in their job position important e.g. training opportunities, attending courses, etc.
• Support and regular communication important motivational factors at level 2
• Supervisor needs to identify obstacles hindering the person from being promoted.

Motivation at level 3
• Greater motivational responsibility required at this level
• This is the level just below secretary/management assistant
• Delegate supervisory tasks to the person at this level to familiarise them with the
delegation of tasks and what it feels like to lead in decision making.

4. Explain how job enrichment and job enlargement can be used to motivate secretarial
staff.
(Textbook 6 Task enrichment and task enlargement as motivating factors,
pages 200–203)

First of all, it is important to know the difference between the two:

Job enrichment: Task enrichment is the adding of additional responsibilities, and

authority in respect of the planning, decision making, control and
implementation of the task.

Job enlargement: Task enlargement is in process whereby a position is expanded by

adding duties

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How it can be used to motivate staff:

Job enrichment:

Ways in which tasks are enriched:

• Accountability: Workers must take responsibility for what they are doing.
• Performance: Employees must feel that task completion is valuable.
• Feedback: Workers need to be given feedback immediately, regarding their standard of
work.
• Work tempo: Each employee should be granted the opportunity to determine his/her
own work tempo.
• Control over resources: Employees need to, where possible, have control over resources
utilised and applied for work purposes.
• Personal growth and development: Employees are allowed the opportunity to acquire
and master new skills and techniques.

Benefits of job enrichment:

• The standard of work improves.
• Employee is directly involved in the determining and execution of the task.
• They are completely aware of the successes and failures caused by decisions that are made
and implemented.
• This method can also be applied to serve as an external motivator.
• Enrichment of tasks results in authority over ‘one’s own work’ and is regarded as
‘promotion’ or ‘achievement’.

Job enlargement:

Ways in which job enlargement can take place:

• Eliminate monotony/tediousness.
• Discontinue a position that is not economically justifiable – spread tasks among other
members of staff.
• Introduce new working methods.
• Master the ‘total’ workload at an improved pace.
• Help the employer to gain work experience and commitment.

Benefits of job enlargement:

• Reduced monotony: No matter how interesting the job may appear in the beginning,
sooner or later people complain of boredom and monotony; task enlargement, if
planned carefully, can help reduce boredom and make it more satisfying and fulfilling
for the employees.
• Increased work flexibility: There is an addition to the number of tasks an individual
performs; there is thus an increased scope of carrying out tasks that are versatile and yet
very similar in certain aspects.
• No skills training required: Since the individual has already been performing the task in
the past, there is no great requirement for imparting of new skills; however, people and
time management interventions may be required. The job thus gets more motivational
for the one performing it.

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5. Describe how you can use job enrichment to enrich your own current task.

Students should use the example given.

(Textbook: 6.1.4 Example of task enrichment, page 202) when they demonstrate the
ways in which they could enrich their own current tasks.

6. Most employees want interesting and challenging jobs where they feel they can make a
real difference to other people’s lives. One of the key factors in good job design is task
enrichment.

6.1 Name SIX ways in which task enrichment usually takes place.
(Textbook 6.1.2 How task enrichment takes place, pages 201–202)

Ways in which tasks are enriched:

• Accountability: Workers must take responsibility for what they are doing.
• Performance: Employees must feel that task completion is valuable.
• Feedback: Workers need to be given feedback immediately, regarding their
standard of work.
• Work tempo: Each employee should be granted the opportunity to determine
his/her own work tempo.
• Control over resources: Employees need to, where possible, have control over
resources utilised and applied for work purposes.
• Personal growth and development: Employees are allowed the opportunity to
acquire and master new skills and techniques.

7. What motivates you the best? Write a short essay about your life, where you are going
and what your aims and objectives for life are. Write down which steps you will take to
achieve this goal.
(Textbook: 5.1.7 Self-motivation pages 199–200)

As an N6 student, the secretarial candidate stands at the threshold of a new life and career,
probably for the very first time. At this stage, they would have already worked on their
own selves to become a self-motivated person, meaning a person with a so-called ‘healthy
personality’. Obtaining characteristics of adaptability, emotional stability, diligence,
sensitiveness, zest for life, etc. should be part of their life goal.

The basis of self-motivation and a healthy personality is knowledge and acceptance of the
‘self ’ to become the person/individual they want to be. This means the individual possesses
‘self-growth-motivation’ – the person is self-motivated to best utilise ideals, talents and
abilities. Each person must have a dream or an ideal, a purpose to work towards.

Students should:
• think about the achievements in their life
• examine their strengths to understand what they can build on
• determine what other people see as their strengths and key capabilities
• set achievable goals for themselves, work to achieve them and enjoy that achievement.

Students could use the online self-motivation quiz to help them complete this activity:
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_57.htm

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