Modules in Administrative Ofc MGT

Republic of the Philippines
RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURAL
TECHNOLOGY
MODULES IN
ADMINISTRATIVE AND OFFICE MANAGEMENT
BY:
DR. NANETTE D. TANDINGAN

PROFESSOR

Boni/Pasig Campus
School Year 2022-2023
Modules in Administrative and Office Management
MODULE 1
INTRODUCTION TO ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE MANAGEMENT
WEEK 1 - Introduction to The Course Objectives, Contents, Activities, And
Requirements
Principles Of Administrative Office Management
The Functions of Administrative Office Management
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the period, the students must be able to:
1. Discuss the principles of administrative office management.
2. Explain the functions of administrative office management.
Introduction To Administrative Office Management

Office management is a profession involving the design, implementation, evaluation,
and maintenance of the process of work within an office or other organization, in order to sustain
and improve efficiency and productivity.
Office management is thus a part of the overall administration of business and since the
elements of management are forecasting and planning, organizing, command, control and
coordination, the office is a part of the total management function.
Office management ‘s success depends upon the efficiency of its office. The volume of
paper work in offices has increased manifold in these days due to industrialization, population
explosion, government control and application of various tax and labor laws to any business
enterprise. Efficiency and effectiveness which are key words in management are achieved only
through proper planning and control of activities, reduction of office costs and coordination of all
activities of business.
Definition
Office management can be defined as “a distinct process of planning, organizing,
staffing, directing, coordinating and controlling office in order to facilitate achievement of
objectives of any business enterprise.
Office management helps to maintain a close relationship between the different

departments and people. It regularly supplies order, command, and instruction to different
people. It performs various functions like planning, organizing, controlling, staffing, supervising,
motivating and effective leadership
The importance of office management can be examined with the following points:
1. Smooth flow of work – Office management helps to maintain close relationship between
the different departments and people, regularly supplies order, command, and instruction
to different people. It performs various functions like planning, organizing, controlling,
staffing, supervising, motivating, and effective leadership. Therefore, office management
brings smoothness in work.
2. Achievement of goal – Office management helps in increasing office efficiency, smooth

flow of work, maintaining public relations, minimalization of costs, managing change
and accepting the new challenges which helping achievement of the goals of the
organization.
3. Optimum use of resource – The office manager uses human resource for the
achievement of the business objectives, the systematically managed office, the manager
develops systems and procedures to make effective uses of resources. It helps to reduce
wastage of time, and misuse of the resource. It helps or maximizes the utilization of the
resource.
4. Minimalization of cost – Office management/manager guides the use of capital, natural,

financial, human and other resources effectively without leakage and wastages which
helps in minimalization of cost.
5. Managing change - Office management helps in the implementation of plans at right

time and in the right way. But there may be change in resources, needs, technology,
preferences and so on, which make it necessary to bring about change in plans. Office
management makes the office flexible which helps to manage change.
6. Maintain coordination -the office works as a co-ordinate of different unit of business

and people. It regularly supplies updated information to required people and department.
The regular communication avoids conflict, misunderstanding. Therefore, Office
management promotes co-ordination.
7. Helps in maintaining office efficiency – management helps in maintaining efficiency in

an office. A manager not only performs and produces results but also does it in the most
efficient manner so as to contribute towards profit generation.
8. Managing survival and growth - Office management plays an important role in keeping
the organization alive. Change in technology and methods must be anticipated and
adapted for survival and growth. It is only management which can do and mold the
enterprise in such a changing environment.
9. Dynamic approach – today’s business environment is continuously changing. Office

management is a well dynamic concept that collects the information regarding changes in
the environment and suggests to apply them in business. Systematic office management
promotes research and development to address changes in the market.
10. Provide innovation – The systematic office is always adopting new changes. It has
appropriate facilities for research. It encourages and motivates the employee to work in
new environment adopt change. It helps for expansion and diversification.
11. Provides leadership – management provides leadership by influencing and guiding

office personnel. Managers influence his subordinates to work willingly for achieving
organizational goals.
12. Maintaining public relations - Office management helps in improving public relations
and increasing goodwill of an enterprise by dealing with grievances pf consumers and the
general public.
Principles Of Administrative Office Management
Office management refers to the process of managing the activities, finances, workforce
and everything within an organization to enhance its efficiency as well as productivity. It works
on some defined principles as listed below:
1. Objective and Purpose

In an organization, management must operate with the purpose of effective coordination
and avoid work duplicity or unnecessary time consumption. Effective coordination allows
organization to achieve its aimed objectives.
2. Division of Work or Specialization

In different departments, the entire work must be divided into smaller tasks. It should
then be assigned to the person who best fits in that position. This leads to enhanced efficiency.
3. Efficiency
Assigning tasks according to a subordinate’s efficiency and skill is important for
enhanced efficiency.
4. Unity of Command
For the smooth functioning of an organization, a subordinate must report to only one
superior. Division of loyalty and dual command leads to duplication as well as delay in the work.
5. Scalar Chain
Proper flow of communication is possible in an organization only if there is a chain of
authority ranging from the top to the bottom level of management.
6. Personal Ability
An organization must be able to achieve its objectives in a definite time period. In this
process, it should also enhance its employees’ skills.
7. Flexible
The business environment is dynamic. So, an organization must be flexible enough to
adapt itself with the changing environment for its sustained growth and success.
8. Coordination
In addition to planning, organizing, controlling and directing, coordination also plays a
key role in office management. At times, many big organizations fail to achieve their objectives
due to the lack of coordination among its departments and employees.
9. Delegation of Authority
It includes assigning the superior’s authority as well as the responsibility to the
subordinates. It leads to motivation as well as the possibility of quick decision-making by the
subordinates.
10. Principle of Span of Management

Every supervisor should have a limited number of subordinates assigned under him. This
principle is concerned with the productivity of supervisors. If there are limited subordinates, the
supervisor can easily assess their performance and communicate with them.
11. Responsibility
A superior can never delegate his responsibility along with authority. He will always be
responsible for his subordinate’s conducts.
12. Parity of Responsibility and Authority

Authority and responsibility always go hand-in-hand. A superior who has the authority to
delegate his work is also responsible to get the work done from his subordinates.
13. Continuity
A business organization must be able to continue its existence in the long-run if it wants
to expand further.
14. Leadership Facilitation

This principle states that every department at every level of management is able to
achieve its objectives because of the leadership qualities of superiors.
15. Balance
Every department is expected to achieve one goal at-a-time. Therefore, there must be a
balance while assigning the activities.
16. Simplicity
If the structure of an organization is simple in nature, then the activities will
automatically be more effective.
17. Authority
Every superior must get the best work done by his employees.
18. Definiteness
Every position in an organization along with its purpose must be clearly defined to all the
levels of management.
19. Authority Level for Decision-Making
The authority level is concerned with decision-making for an organization. The decision-
making property flows from the lower to the top level. If top-level fails to make a decision, then
the bottom level loses its power of decision-making. So, these were the principles of office
management. Every individual must aware of these principles to make his/her mark in the
corporate world. In order to facilitate the candidates to understand business operations and
processes holistically
The Functions of Administrative Office Management
6 Key Office Management Functions
1. Planning
Creating a structure of the responsibilities required to achieve the objectives of the company is a
key function of office management. Detailed planning and meeting organization is the first step
toward efficient operations and facilitating control.
2. Organizing Resources
Organizing resources walks hand in hand toward achieving company goals with planning. These
resources include materials, personnel, and financial backing. The next stage after planning for
office managers is task delegation, such as identifying which materials are necessary and
assigning those materials to chosen personnel. The best office managers consistently coordinate
tasks in order to keep these resources moving toward planned goals.
3. Staffing
Another key responsibility of the office manager is staffing. Executive office managers run lead
or coordinate with human resources on all matters of staffing recruitment, compensation,
promotion, and retirement of subordinate managers.
4. Communication
Effective communication, a staple of any high-functioning operation, is a necessary factor of
office management. If an office manager is unable to properly dictate the needs of the company
to its employees, then optimum efficiency will not be possible. Good communication goes both
ways. If this same office manager is unable to articulate the needs of your company, then the
issue may be that this office manager is not a good fit the organization.
5. Working with IT
Modern office managers use technology quite a bit on the job. They may use software for their
own day to day role and also help to manage the software and technology for employees. Office
managers also work with the IT department to ensure that all meeting rooms are running
smoothly, and should be trained on all video conferencing technology and Wifi connection for
employees and guests.
6. Motivation
A highly complex factor of office management, motivation comes in two forms. Self-motivation
and external motivation. When employees are self-motivated, the job of the office manager is
made easier. But when they are not, that is where the job of office management is to externally
motivate. This motivation should satisfy the employees' needs while being
competitive, productive, and comprehensive. When external motivation does all of this, office
workers will have high morale and be more likely to improve their performance.
Office managers are some of the few people who interact with every level of employee,
either virtually or face-to-face every day. As office cultures around the world continue to expand
and shift, the significance of the office manager role will increase.
Activity 1
1. Why are office management skills important?
2. Which of the principles do think works best in an organization? Why?
3. Explain further the functions of administrative office management.
Boni/Pasig Campus
MODULE 2
THE WORKPLACE
WEEK 2 - Forces of Change in the Workplace
Ethical Theories and Behavior in the Workplace
OBJECTIVES:
1. Discuss the forces of change in the environment.
2. Explain the ethical theories and behavior in the workplace.
Forces of Change in the Workplace

A. Internal Forces for Organizational Change.
1. Nature of the Work Force: The nature of work force has changed over a passage of
time. Different work values have been expressed by different generations. Workers who are in
the age group of 50 plus value loyalty to their employers. Workers in their mid-thirties to mid-
forties are loyal to themselves only. The youngest generation of workers is loyal to their careers.
The profile of the workforce is also changing fast. The new generation of workers have better
educational qualifications, they place greater emphasis on human values and question authority
of managers. Then behavior has also become very complex and leading them towards
organizational goals is a challenge for the managers. The employee turnover is also very high
which again puts strain on the management. The work force is changing, with a rapid increase in
the percentage of women employees, which in turn means, more dual career couples. Because of
this, Organizations have to modify transfer and promotion policies as well as make child care
and elder care available, in order to respond to the needs of two career couple.
2. Change in Managerial Personnel: Change in managerial personnel is another force

which brings about change in organization. Old managers are replaced by new managers which
is necessitated because of promotion, retirement, transfer or dismissal. Each managers brings his
own ideas and way of working in the organization. The informal relationships change because
of changes in managerial personnel. Sometimes, even though there is no change in personnel,
but their attitudes change. As a result, the organization has to change accordingly. Changes in
the organization are faster when top executives change. Change in top executives will lead to
important changes in the organization in terms of organization design, allocation of work to
individuals, delegation of authority, installation of controls etc. All these changes will be
necessitated because every top executive will have his own style and he will like to use his own
ideas and philosophies.
3.Deficiencies in Existing Management Structure: Sometimes changes are necessary

because of some deficiencies in the existing organizational structure, arrangement and
processes. These deficiencies may be in the form of unmanageable span of management,
larger number of managerial levels, lack of coordination among various departments,
obstacles in communication, multiplicity of committees, lack of uniformity in policy
decisions, lack of cooperation between line and staff and so on. However, the need for change
in such cases goes un-recognized until some major crisis occurs.
4. To Avoid Developing Inertia: In many cases, organizational changes take place just
to avoid developing inertia or inflexibility. Conscious managers take into account this view that
organization should be dynamic because any single method is not the best tool of management
every time. Thus, changes are incorporated so that the personnel develop liking for change and
there is no unnecessary resistance when major changes in the organization are brought about.
Examples of Ethical Behaviors in The Workplace
Examples of ethical behaviors in the workplace includes; obeying the company’s rules,
effective communication, taking responsibility, accountability, professionalism, trust and mutual
respect for your colleagues at work. These examples of ethical behaviors ensure maximum
productivity output at work. And could be pivotal for career growth.
1.Obey the Company’s Rules & Regulations

At the start of an employee contract, companies may need the employee to sign various
documents, including the company rules and regulation agreement form. Also, the employee
may be given a handbook that may serve as a guide.
Some common rules are tardiness, inappropriate dressing, and language, etc. Due to the
excitement of getting a new job, some employees do not properly read these rules and may end
up deferring them in the future.
Therefore, it is important that new employees properly read these rules & regulations in
other not to defer them.
3. Communicate Effectively
Effective communication is very important to avoid misunderstandings when dealing
with issues in the workplace. Communicating effectively may mean different things to people
at different points in time.
Effective communication may also have an employee breaking one of the rules and
regulations of the company without getting penalized for it. An employee reaching out to HR
that they will be coming in late due to some unforeseen circumstances may be spared for
coming late if the situation is properly communicated.

4. Develop Professional Relationships
Good professional relationships are not only a thing that fosters teamwork among
employees, but also help with individual career development for employees. Developing
professional relationships with coworkers or other professionals outside the workplace will
also directly or indirectly improve productivity.
Professional relationships between low-level and high-level employees will make it
easier for ideas to be shared and knowledge to be passed to junior employees. That way, the
company can confidently have an intern work on a tough project to meet a pending deadline
due to the guidance from older employees.
Salespeople, for one, need to build external professional relationships with professionals
from other organizations—especially those who are potential clients. These relationships will
help create a contact person in another organization in case they need to sell a product to them.
5. Take Responsibility
It is important for employees to always take responsibility for decisions made both
individually and in a team. This is, in fact, a leadership trait that every employee who is
looking to take up a managerial position in the future should exhibit.
Understandably, employees may want to save their job and are therefore scared of taking
responsibility for a particular event. However, they shouldn’t let this fear take them out of the
team.
6. Professionalism/Standards
There are professional standards that everything an employee does in the workplace. The
use of informal words in a formal workplace is highly unprofessional.
These standards should be held high and applied to every part of an employee’s activity
in the workplace. This should include the way they speak, kind of work they deliver and their
relationship with coworkers and customers.
7. Be Accountable
Accountability is also a very good trait of an employee. One of the things that may short
change a talented and responsible is the lack of accountability.
Lack of accountability may result in your boss thinking you have an “I don’t care
attitude” to the company’s project or worst take you as a liar and may lead to job loss in the
long run.
8. Uphold Trust
An employee should not do anything that may make his or her employee withdraw trust.
As an employee of a company, your employee trusts you to get work done perfectly on time.
Things like missing deadlines regularly or delivering work that needs to be revised over
and over again will deny you a promotion. It may even leave the employer not giving you
tasks to complete in the future—a nightmare for freelancers.
9. Show Initiative without being told

Is the company running behind deadline and you feel you can stay a few extra hours after
work to finish up? Do it. You are a freelance designer and your client wants a particular
poster designed but doesn’t have a copywriter to write the content. If you can write the
contents, do so. Don’t delay a client’s work because of a few contents.
10. Respect Your Colleagues
It doesn’t matter whether you are dealing with the intern, a junior, janitor, etc. they
should all be treated with respect. As a manager, treating your team members with respect
will help improve their productivity.
Giving constructive criticism and saying kind words to them even when they are not able
to deliver perfectly will help them strive to do better in the future.
11. Work Smarter

Don’t just work hard, work smarter. The reason why you see an employee promoted to
the post of manager after just 2 years and a hardworking employee who has been with the
company for 10 years failed to get a promotion is smart work.
Unethical Workplace Behaviors

1. Lies
Lying is a trait that is detested in and outside the workplace. It kills trust, affects
relationships and may even put people in trouble.
There are different situations where employees lie in the workplace—with just
one lie opening the floor for many others. It could be a sales manager lying about the
number of clients they were able to get in a month or an employee calling in sick just to
attend another job interview.
A lot of employees start lying from their CV, by adding experiences they didn’t
acquire, and the skills they don’t have. Employees need to understand that lying about
work may eventually get them in trouble and needs to stop before they lose their job.
However, we notice that employees lie due to fear of their employer—an
employee will call in sick to go for interviews because companies frown against
employees interviewing at another company. HR should put up a more friendly culture
that will encourage people to progress in their careers taking up other jobs and even
support them throughout the process.
2. Taking Credit for Others Hard Work

It is very common for managers to take credit for their team member’s hard work
when reporting to the management. A team member may have brought an idea that helped
the sales team improve their sales by 200%.
However, when giving a report, the manager doesn’t mention the team member’s
name but claims the idea as his. Employees need to reduce the use of “I”, but embrace the
use of ” We”.
By taking credit for another person’s work, you will be denying the person a
promotion, bonus or commendation for a job well done. This will discourage the person
from sharing ideas that will benefit the company in the future.
3. Verbal Harassment/Abuse
Employees need to stay away from using foul language on coworkers in and out
of the workplace. This is very important when dealing with customers.
Customers are known to get angry and may result in verbal abuse due to a bad
product or service. They may even get insult you when they are at fault.
4. Violence
Similar to verbal harassment, employees should not be violent when dealing with
coworkers and customers. Customers may likely provoke you, but it is better to keep shut
and walk away rather than turn violent.
5. Non-Office Related Work

A lot of employees have side hustles which they use to supplement salaries. This
is very good and only very few companies are against employees working to make money
outside work hours.
However, some employees still do non-office related work during office hours.
Employees who have side hustles should try doing them on weekends or employing other
people to handle some of the business logistics to avoid eating into office hours to get the
work done.
6. Extended Breaks
Companies give lunch breaks to employees and people take advantage of these
breaks to do other things outside office work like, go for interviews, meet with friends or
even work on their side hustles. They are free to do whatever they want these lunch
breaks.
Employees, however, take advantage of these lunch breaks and extend them
beyond time.
7. Theft/Embezzlement
Some employees are known for diverting company funds into their bank accounts
—padding project quotations, invoices, etc. to deceive the company on how much was
spent on particular projects.
This act is detrimental to the company because employees who steal sometimes
replace quality products with counterfeits which are cheaper but causes damage in the
future.
8. Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is an offense that is not limited to the workplace alone. An
employee accused of sexual harassment will not only face consequences in the workplace
but also tried at a court of law.
Many companies have a zero-tolerance rate for sexual harassment in and outside
the workplace. This may tarnish the company’s reputation and the only way to curb is to
make an example of defaulters.
9. Corrupt Practices
Some common causes of corruption can be seen during the employment process
of an organization. They invite so many people to send their CVs and come for interviews
but only people with the same political affiliation with them get the job.
This is also common with companies that ask for contractors to bid for a project
but the employees will only give them to their friends who may not even bid at all.
Management/Employers Unethical Behaviors

Workplace ethics is not for employees alone. Employers are also bound to
workplace ethics and may also be tried for unethical behavior.
1. Sex for Job/Promotion - it is common for managers, employers and major decision-
makers to use their position in the workplace to influence the hiring decision in
exchange for sex.
2. Late Night Out/Unpaid Overtime- Some employers take advantage of desperate job
seekers and the competitive job market to use employees’ leisure time as they wish.
They do so with the mentality that they are doing employees a favor by employing
them, not knowing that the favor is mutual.
Employees who are scared of queries or job loss are not able to protest the
infringement into their private time by the employer.
3. Verbal Harassment- It is common among employers to verbally harass employees

when they make little mistakes. This will reduce employee morale and productivity.
Employers should always say kind words to their employees.
4. Undue Pressure- Deadlines are a great way to make sure the work gets done on time.
However, when employees are placed under undue pressure, they end up trading
quality for on-time delivery.
An example of undue pressure will be giving an employee a 1-day deadline for a
project that would normally take a week.
5. Nepotism- This is a common type of corruption that happens in the workplace. An

employee who has been working hard for years while influencing company growth
may get sidelined for a promotion because of another employee who is a family friend,
family, or friend of the employer. Things like this are what reduce employee morale or
even push talented employees to dropping a resignation.
6. Unfriendly Work Environment- One of the things that can mar productivity is an
unfriendly working environment. This may come as a combination of abusive bosses,
lack of commendation, nepotism, etc. An unfriendly environment is an environment
that combines various unethical behaviors into one.
7. Unrealistic Expectations- Creatives usually have it worse when it comes to having

unrealistic expectations from employees.
Advantages and Implications of Workplace Ethics
1. It can stimulate positive employee behavior and create a positive ambiance in the
workplace.
2. Ensures management guides and mentors their employees in a healthy

environment.
3. A workplace with good ethics usually strengthens the bond employees have with
their superior.
4. It boosts productivity through employee performance and job satisfaction which

in turn increases company growth.
5. Bad workplace ethics can cause a strain in the relationship with company
stakeholders.
6. When it leaks (which it most likely will) poor behavior can be recorded and
propelled into unsavory headlines online. This can lead to reputational damage to the
brand name.
How to Solve Unethical Issues at the Workplace
1. Have Rules
Organizations need to have predefined rules and regulations regarding workplace
ethics. These rules and regulations should be given to new employees together with their
employment contracts.
Most of the people they are not happy in their workplaces. Stress and anger
management in the workplace has destroyed many people.
2. Promote knowledge
Don’t just offer code of conduct or ethics training to new hires as one of the ways
to prevent unethical behavior in the workplace. Routinely provide refresher courses to
your existing staff. Bring in guest speakers to help employees build problem-solving
skills so that they can react appropriately to employee misconduct.
3. Provide tools
Consider implementing a reporting system that allows your employees to disclose
conduct violations anonymously, and identify procedures for staff to request private
meetings with supervisors responsible for ethics oversight.
4. Be proactive
According to the ACFE study previously mentioned, organizations that lacked
anti-fraud controls suffered greater average losses—often twice as much—from ethics
violations.
5. Employ data monitoring
Another effective way to prevent unethical behavior in the workplace is to
establish management review boards to investigate possible violations to the code of
conduct. Set up reporting hotlines or email accounts that are capable of capturing relevant
details including corresponding documentation or the names of potential witnesses.
6. Foster ethical behavior

When evaluating candidates during the hiring process, you should consider their
values and whether they fit into the company’s vision. Distribute responsibilities across
employees and departments, creating a system of checks and balances that reduce the risk of
unethical behavior.
Activity 2
1.Discuss the forces of change in the environment.
2.Explain the ethical theories and behavior in the workplace.

Boni/Pasig Campus
MODULE 3
WEEK 3 - Anger, Stress and Time Management in the Workplace
Workplace Team and Environment
Solving Problems in Administrative Office Management
OBJECTIVES:
1. Elucidate in how to avoid anger, stress in the workplace.
2. Discuss how to solve problems in administrative office management.
3. Explain the importance of workplace team and environment.
Anger, Stress and Time Management in the Workplace
1. Avoid stress and anger management in the workplace

There is no way you will able to work when you are angry. So, you need to calm
down and don’t let your emotions to control you. You need to have patient,
whatever people are saying about you don’t take it personal and put it to your heart. Just
walk away when you realize what they are saying might upset you.
2. Manage your emotions in the workplace

Don’t let your emotions control you. Even if you are feeling sad don’t let them
make you do the things you will regret later. Emotions can destroy you and your career, so
be careful of what you are doing when you are angry.
3. Balance life and work

If you balance your life and work, you wont have stress that will make you to lose
it, in front of your staff.
4. Don’t keep stress and anger management to your self

Whatever that is bothering you, let it out don’t keep it to yourself because it will
destroy you. If your boss made you angry let him know, so that he will fix it fast than for
you to be moody and angry. Talk about so that you won’t be hurt inside.
In concluding stress and anger management in the workplace can destroy your life.
And your career so you need to be careful of what you are doing. So that you won’t lose
your job.
How To Build a Team Environment
What is a team environment?

A team environment is a setting in the workplace that's focused on everyone working
together toward a common goal. Brainstorming, joint projects and collaboration are all common
elements of team environments and strong, open communication is essential for success.
Benefits of a team environment

There are many benefits to having a team environment in the workplace, including:
 Better learning and creativity: When people work together as a team and spend time
brainstorming, creativity tends to thrive. Each member of the team brings their own unique
perspective, which helps to generate more creative, effective ideas. It also increases learning, as
team members have the ability to learn new skills and maximize their shared knowledge.
Increases conflict resolution skills: When team members come together who have
different habits, backgrounds and work styles, conflict can occur. However, in a strong team
environment, the employees resolve the conflicts themselves. This improves upon their conflict
resolution skills and strengthens the relationship between team members.
Encourages healthy risk-taking: Because employees in a team environment generally

have the support of their team, they are more apt to take calculated risks and try innovative ideas.
Sharing successes also helps the team to bond further, which can be transformative for a
company.
Improves productivity: Working on a team has been shown to inspire people to work

harder, as team members can help motivate one another to be more productive.
 Boosts morale: People are naturally sociable and enjoy sharing experiences with one
another. Employees can draw energy from their team members, share in one another's successes
and experience greater levels of control over their decisions. Additionally, working as part of a
team can increase their feelings of belonging, which is fulfilling and helps people feel more
connected to the company they work for.
Important skills for working in a team environment

There are a number of skills that are important for working successfully in a team environment,
including:
1. Communication
This skill is critical for working well as part of a team. You must be able to communicate
in a manner that's clear and concise about deadlines, expectations and responsibilities.
Maintaining open lines of communication with members of your team also helps to promote trust
and create a positive team environment. While conflict can occur, maintaining respectful and
open communication can help to resolve any issues rapidly.
2.Problem-solving
Problem-solving skills help you to be able to look at challenges objectively and explore
creative solutions. With strong problem-solving skills, you can more easily identify obstacles and
inefficiencies that are impacting the success of your group, which in turn makes it possible to
improve those processes in the future.
3. Time management
Time management skills include a variety of skills, such as goal-setting, prioritization,
planning and delegation. Teams are often working collaboratively on projects and rely on one
another to complete their portion of a project in order to achieve group goals. Strong time
management skills are essential in order to balance a workload and meet deadlines in a fast-
paced, collaborative environment.
4. Critical thinking
Critical-thinking skills can help you make more informed decisions. They help you to
look at an idea or issue from multiple perspectives, reflecting on experiences you may have had
in the past and listening to the opinions of team members. By remaining open and objective and
using critical thinking skills, you can help your team arrive at the best possible solution.
5. Collaboration
Collaboration skills are also essential for succeeding in a team environment.
Collaboration skills include facets like open-mindedness, organization, long-term thinking and
adaptability. By maintaining a willingness to learn and be open to new approaches, you can
become a better contributor and leader within your team.
How to build a team environment

Here are the steps you can take to build a team environment:
1. Choose a leader
Choose a manager that employees already trust. The person you choose should be an
individual who's good at motivating others and keeping a team focused. They should have strong
delegation skills and also be someone who's a visionary.
2. Consider the team size
There are advantages and disadvantages regardless of the team size you choose. With
large teams, you have the advantage of a larger number of skills sets to draw from. However, it
can also be challenging to reach a definite consensus with a large group. In contrast, a small team
can allow you to foster strong working relationships. It can be challenging, though, for a small
group to manage large, long-term projects. Ultimately, you need to consider the size of the
project, the length of time it will take to complete and the skill sets that it will require.
3. Communicate roles
Each person in the team should have a set role for how they will contribute and what they
need to accomplish as part of the team. By assigning roles, you know that there will be no
overlapping responsibilities or miscommunication over who is responsible for which aspect of
the project.
4. Create a collaborative environment

The final step is to create a collaborative environment where employees understand that
all suggestions will be heard, everyone can express their opinions and everyone is comfortable
asking questions. Each person within an organization should know that their input is valued by
the organization.
How to work in a team environment

It takes time for a team to develop strong working relationships and for everyone to
become accustomed to their roles. However, there are some steps you can take to work
effectively in a team environment:
1. Put yourself in the right mindset
When you work independently, you generally focus on projects in a manner that suits
your personal preferences. In a team environment, though, it's important to remember that
workloads are divided and group consensus is needed to determine the scope of the project and
its direction. You also need to keep team member responsibilities in deadlines in mind when
you're managing your own workload. Understanding this can help put you in the right mindset to
work effectively in a team environment.
2. Be respectful of others' opinions

It's important to be respectful in your interactions with other members of your team,
keeping in mind that there are multiple ways to approach a project. While it's important to speak
your mind and be open about concerns and objections you have, you should always do so in a
manner that's respectful to others.
3. Fulfill your role

Even when responsibilities are assigned to individual members of a team, there are times
that overlap may occur. There may also be times when some people on the teamwork more than
others. Always give your full effort to the responsibilities you're tasked with and meet deadlines
you've been given. Also, be willing to offer your help to others when it's needed.
4. Recognize team member contributions
Acknowledge the efforts of people on your team and express appreciation for their
insight and creativity. It's best to acknowledge specific contributions that they made and
verbalize the impact that they had on the project as a whole. While you are working together as a
team toward a common goal, your team members will also appreciate that their individual efforts
are being recognized. It will help generate enthusiasm and create a feeling of camaraderie among
the group, which can help encourage further exceptional results.
3 Stages to Problem Solving for Administrative and Executive Assistants
Stage I: Recognition is being aware and cognizant a problem exists. This can also be
something such as an administrative process you use no longer works.
1. Identify the problem or issue.
2. Clearly state the problem or issue.
3. Gather as much background information as possible or facts to support the issue
at hand.
4. List negative effects.
5. Assemble relevant information.
6. Write five to ten possible solutions
Stage 2: Identify the Solution by coming up with several options.

1. List the positive or negative outcomes of each possible solution.
2. Select the best one.
Stage 3: Implementation
1. Consider how you will present this information to those involved: communication
style; format (verbal, written); timing.
2. Implement your idea.
3. Evaluate the outcome.
4. Adjust as necessary and try again.
5. If necessary, try a different solution.
Follow these steps when working with bigger issues or problems or even if you are
trying to come up with new ideas or ways of doing something better.
Workplace Team and Environment

A team environment is a setting in the workplace that's focused on everyone
working together toward a common goal. Brainstorming, joint projects and collaboration
are all common elements of team environments and strong, open communication is essential
for success.
Teamwork creates a system to ensure that deadlines are met and that there's high
quality work. When one team member falls behind, there's another to pick up the pieces.
When work is divvied up among members of a team, it gets done faster, making the overall
business operate more efficiently.
Activity 3
1. Elucidate in how to avoid anger, stress in the workplace.
2. Discuss how to solve problems in administrative office management.
3.Explain the importance of workplace team and environment.

Boni/Pasig Campus
MODULE 4
MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
WEEK 4 - Selecting and Orienting the Office Staff

Steps of The Selection Process for Hiring Employees
How to Create an Employee Selection Process
OBJECTIVE:
1. Determine the processes in selecting and orienting the office staff.
2. Identify the employee selection process.
What is Selection?
Selection is the process of identifying an individual from a pool of job applicants with the
requisite qualifications and competencies to fill jobs in the organization. This is an HR process
that helps differentiate between qualified and unqualified applicants by applying
various techniques.
The term ‘selection’ comes with the connotation of placing the right person in the right
job. Selection is the process in which various strategies are employed to help recruiters decide
which applicant is best suited for the job.
Some activities include:

 Screening
 Eliminating unsuitable candidates
 Conducting an examination (aptitude test, intelligence test, performance test,
personality test, etc.)
 Interviews
 Checking references
 Medical tests
8 Steps of The Selection Process for Hiring Employees
1. Application
The application phase in the selection process is sometimes seen as passive from the
hiring team side – you just wait for candidates to respond to your job ad. However, applications
can and should be selection tools, helping you sort candidates as qualified or unqualified. How
can you do this? There are two options to get started: qualifying questions and gamification.
2. Qualifying questions
If you’re using software to build your application forms, using qualifying questions at the
beginning of your selection process should be easy. You can add two or three questions relevant
to the position.
3. Help candidates complete your applications

You want candidates who start completing your forms to actually go all the way and
submit their application. Yet, so many candidates abandon applications because it takes too long
to complete them or they’re too complicated. To avoid this, here are a few things you can do to
streamline this part of the selection process:
 Keep qualifying questions to a minimum and make sure they don’t require complex or
long answers.
 Try applying to one of your open roles; that’s how you’ll be able to spot glitches, hurdles
or lengthy applications.
 Test your application forms’ (and careers page’s) mobile version. Many people apply via
mobile so it needs to work well.
4. Gamification
Gamifying your recruitment process isn’t a new trend, but with the progress of
technology, you can now use gamification tools more effectively in the selection process.
Especially in the application phase, consider asking less-experienced candidates and
those transitioning from different backgrounds to play online or offline games.
The reasoning behind this is that candidates who are recent graduates, or have made a
career change, won’t have much relevant experience to showcase in their resumes — despite
being possibly the right fit for a job. This can be a problem when you’re trying to evaluate them
based on their application. By using gamified assessment methods in the that stage, you can
shortlist promising people and your hiring team will have better chances of interviewing only a
few truly qualified candidates. This also gives you an opportunity to diversify your applicant
pool when you find the majority of applicants that meet your required background come from a
narrow subset or demographic.
Step 1: Job Design

This is the step during which the work is reviewed and decisions are made about how to
accomplish all the work that needs to be completed. The outcome of this step is a clear
definition of how work will be accomplished most efficiently (in terms of timing and cost) and
effectively (in terms of quality, quantity, and customer satisfaction).
Step 2: Position Description

A position description is the formal document that describes a job. Position descriptions
should be updated as often as key responsibilities change, and reviewed no less than every five
years. This section includes guidance on using the People Admin position management process.
Step 3: Forming a Selection Committee

Selection committee members should be as diverse as possible in order to represent a
variety of perspectives regarding a particular position incumbent or requirements. The
committee may be comprised of supervisors, peers, clients/customers, or other key stakeholders.
It is important that each member of the committee be a willing and committed participant.
Step 4: Recruiting
Quality recruiting results in a quality applicant pool. The purpose of any recruiting effort
is to cast a wide net in places where there are likely to be high-quality applicants. This area
includes specific information on filling out the Posting Request form within PageUp
Step 5: Initial Screening of Candidates

The quantitative criteria are those items which enable a clear go/no-go decision based on
each candidate’s application materials and other submitted documents (e.g., does this person
have the appropriate degree?).
Step 6: Phone, Video or other Pre-Interview Options

Phone, video, or other pre-interview options (e.g., reference letters, additional criteria, job
or work samples, etc.) can help you manage your recruiting costs, and also be very effective in
differentiating among your remaining candidates. It is at this stage that you can begin to assess
some of the qualitative criteria (oral communication, sense of humor, clarity of thought and
reasoning, etc.) that were not able to be determined in Step 5.
Step 7: Campus Visits and In-Person Interviews

The search chair or committee should identify a reasonable set of activities for the
campus visit (who to meet with, room scheduling, presentation times announced, etc.) and ensure
that all interested parties are aware of the arrangements. Please ensure that all campus
employees (and any others) who will participate in the campus visit process are aware of the
interview guidance included in this section.
Step 8: Recommendation for Hire

If there is agreement over an applicant chosen for hire, you will need to clearly identify
the rationale for the choice, and ensure that all proper approvals and final details (including
reference or background checks) are completed.
Step 9: Offers and Notices to Applicants
The candidate may expect to negotiation on any number of items: starting salary, starting
date, years of credit, vacation time, relocation costs (must be more than 120 miles from
Marquette), pre-scheduled time off, etc. In order to prepare for a successful offer (and
acceptance), do your homework on what you can be flexible with.
Step 10: Documentation and Record Keeping

Documentation and record-keeping are critical parts of each step of the search process.
Step 11: Onboarding and Preparing for New Hire

It is a good idea to assign one person to be the contact person with the new hire. If the
contact person is someone other than the person who made the offer, someone from the selection
committee is a next-best option.
How to Create an Employee Selection Process
1. Announcing the Job

Once it is decided that an empty position needs to be filled or after a new position is
created, the management team should list out the desired qualifications for the job. Candidates
may need a degree or certification, a specific number of years of work experience, or a
background in a particular industry. When these have been established, the human resources
team can pick where to advertise the job.
Common placements include Facebook or LinkedIn. Entry-level positions may be shared
to Craigslist as well. Online job boards are also common. Don’t forget to share it with your
community newspapers or job fairs. For positions where you want to consider existing
employees, use best practices for announcing internal hires. Companies may also enlist the help
of a staffing agency or recruiters for the initial outreach phase.
2. Reviewing Candidate Applications

Next, go through all the applications, resumes, and cover letters to narrow down the
candidate pool. Discard any that stray significantly outside the desired qualifications listed in
step 1. When unemployment is low, you may find that less qualified candidates are applying, so
adjust your expectations accordingly on those skills or experiences that aren’t absolutely
necessary.
When many workers are looking for jobs, you can be more particular about those
qualifications. Compile a list of a suitable number of potential employees, as established by your
HR teams. Since many candidates will be eliminated in the next step, and some will lose interest
over time, identify more potential hires than you think you’ll need.
Another benefit to having more candidates get through this step is that you may have
another unexpected opening in the very near future. If the qualifications are similar, you can save
yourself the time of going all the way back to steps one and two. You’ll have a full candidate
pool for this separate posting that you can use again.
3. Conducting Initial Candidate Screening

To keep your interview time to a minimum and free up management and HR resources,
use phone interviews to further narrow down the pool. This can be useful for screening out-of-
town candidates, and it can tell you a bit about how they communicate. While phone interviews
shouldn’t be used as the only way to judge personality or professionalism, it can give you insight
into the potential candidate’s suitability.
Your interview questions during this part of the process may include:
 Why do you want this job?
 What about our company interests you?
 How do you think this company will help you grow in your career?
The point of this brief interview is to ensure that they are genuinely committed to moving
forward, as well as for the interviewer to catch any glaring red flags. It also helps the candidate
learn more about the job or ask questions that they can use to remove themselves from the
running if they don’t think it’s a good fit. This is especially useful for out-of-town candidates
who may be hesitant to drive or fly in without knowing more about the job.
4. Conducting In-person Interviews

Now that you have fewer candidates in the pool, you can start setting up in-person
interviews to better assess their qualifications. Whether you choose a panel or group interview,
or stick to one-on-one sessions, your interactions with the candidate will focus on their ability to
communicate and their compatibility with company culture.
Companies have been known to schedule their interviews all on one day, so managers
only have to take time away from their duties once. You can choose to conduct structured
interviews, unstructured interviews, or a mix of both, but be consistent in your approach to avoid
discrimination or bias. This is where an applicant tracking system (ATS) may be useful for
keeping tabs on your efforts.
Don’t forget to include anyone who will be working directly with the candidate in the interview
process, if possible. You will want to ensure a good personality fit, in addition to checking all of
the qualification boxes.
6. Making Final Candidate Selection

Once everyone has been interviewed and you’ve received feedback from the
interviewers, the hiring manager will narrow the pool down to the best fit for the job. Sometimes,
a second candidate will be identified as a runner-up in case the first pick declines the job offer.
Since the next phase involves testing, having a second candidate in mind is helpful if the first
choice doesn’t pass.
7. Testing The Candidate

Before an applicant is brought on board as a proper new employee, the employer may
make an offer of employment conditional upon passing tests or a background check. This
communicates that, if all goes well, the job is theirs. Drug tests are common, as well as criminal
background history checks.
Be sure you’re aware of the legality of such tests and checks. States have their own rules
about what you can use as a condition of employment. If you are drug testing, for example, give
the candidate an opportunity to disclose any legally-prescribed drugs they are taking that may
interfere with the testing or cause a false positive. Character or personality tests could be used in
this phase of the hiring process as well.
Activity - 4
1. Discuss the selection process.
2. Explain the significance of orienting the office staff.

Pasig Campus
MODULE 5
RECRUITMENT/ORIENTATION
WEEK 5 - Selection and Recruitment
Orientation/On-boarding
OBJECTIVES:
1. Discuss the types of recruitment.
2. Deliberate on the difference between recruitment and selection
3. Explain the process of orientation.
What is Recruitment?
Recruitment is the process in which people are offered selection in an organization. It is
when prospective employees are searched for and are then encouraged to apply for jobs within
the organization.
This is just one step in the process of employment however it is a long process that
involves a series of tasks, starting with an analysis of the job requirements and ending with the
appointment of the employee.
Specific tasks involved in the process of recruitment include:

 Analyzing job requirements
 Advertising the vacancy
 Attracting candidates to apply for the job
 Managing response
 Scrutinizing applications
 Shortlisting candidates

Recruitment activities are typically performed by Human Resource practitioners, either
internally or externally.
Types of Recruitment
Internal recruitment sources are promotion, transfers, retrenched employees, contact or
references, ex-employees, retired employees, etc.
External recruitment - sources are recruitment through advertisement, campus recruitment,

recruitment by employee exchanges, recruitment by third parties, internet recruitment,
unsolicited applicants, etc.
Tips to Streamline Your Recruitment Process
Recruiting new talent is not always a straightforward and simple process. However, here
are some pointers that will help you attract and choose the very best prospective hire.
1.Be Specific with the Job Requirements
If you include too many requirements or not enough, you may be missing out on potential
candidates. Tailored job descriptions help to include the right candidates in your talent pool.
2. Implement an Applicant Tracking System

Applicant tracking systems can help recruiting managers organize candidates and
determine the best fit for the position. ATS systems not only alleviate the workload of recruiters
but also prevent inefficient spending and wasted time.
3. Prioritize Diversity
Striving for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is crucial to the recruiting process. It
will make all candidates feel comfortable applying and belonging to a company that values their
participation. The more voices and perspectives heard in the workplace, the stronger, more
innovative, and more compassionate the company.
Why Budget for Recruitment and Selection?

Budgeting for the recruitment process is typically unconsidered by the hiring manager or
those responsible for human resources. The recruitment and selection process can incur a
massive economic cost to the company, which should be expected. To avoid future losses, it is
vital to invest in the process of staff recruitment.
Tip: The best time to calculate the budget for staff recruitment is during the initial planning
phase.
Recruitment Budgeting: The Cost of Recruitment & Selection

To accurately budget the selection process, it is essential to understand the difference
between direct and indirect costs.
Direct Costs - These are the costs directly associated with the process of recruitment. Some
of these may include:
 Advertisements of the job offer
 Tests and testing material
 Space to interview applicants
 Food and accommodation (if applicable)
 Salaries of the employees
Indirect Costs
The indirect costs are shared expenses between other departments of the company.
However, these are not included in the budget. Instead, the costs are divided into the budgets of
the various departments they serve.
The Difference Between Recruitment and Selection

The difference between recruitment and selection can be understood by comparing the two
processes against the same characteristics or factors. See the chart below.
Comparison Recruitment Selection
Meaning An activity of searching for potential A process of selecting the best
candidates and encouraging them to apply. candidates
Approach An activity of searching for potential Negative – seeking out ways to reduce
candidates and encouraging them to apply. the applicant pool until one ideal
candidate is identified.
Objective Inviting more candidates to apply for a Choosing the most suitable
vacant position.
Key Factor Advertising the job. Appointing the candidate.
Sequence First Second
Process Vacancies are notified by the organization The organization makes an applicant go
through various sources, then an application through various levels (submitting a
form is made available to candidates. form, writing a test, undergoing an
interview, etc.) to deem whether they’re
an appropriate fit.
Specifications The recruitment policy specifies the The selection policy consists of a series
objectives of recruitment, providing rules and of methods/steps/stages by which the
regulations for the implementation of the evaluation of the candidate will be
recruitment program. done.
Contractual Recruitment only implies communication of Selection involves the creation of a
Relation vacancies and open positions – therefore, no contractual agreement between the
contractual relation is established. employer and employee.
Method Economical Expensive
The process of recruitment involves the development of suitable techniques for

attracting more candidates to a position vacancy, while the process of selection involves
identifying the most suitable candidate for the vacancy. Recruitment precedes the selection
process, and the selection process is only completed when a job offer is created and given to the
selected candidate by appointment letter.
In order to thoroughly understand the difference between recruitment and selection, there

are certain points to keep in mind.
1. Recruitment is the process of finding candidates for the vacant position and
encouraging them to apply for it.
Selection means choosing the best candidate from the pool of applicants and
offering them the job.
2. Recruitment is a positive process aimed at attracting more and more job seekers to

apply.
Selection is a negative process, rejecting unfit candidates from the list.
3. Of the two, recruitment is relatively simpler. Recruitment has the recruiter paying
less attention to scrutinizing individual candidates, whereas selection involves a
more thorough examination of candidates where recruiters aim to learn every minute
detail about each candidate, so they can choose the perfect match for the job.
4. Recruitment is less time-consuming and less economically demanding, as it only

involves identifying the needs of the job and encouraging candidates to apply for
them.
Selection involves a wide range of activities, which can be both time-consuming and
expensive.
5. In recruitment, communication of vacancy is done so through various sources such
as the internet, newspaper, magazines, etc., and distributes forms easily so candidates
can apply.
During the selection process, assessment is done so through various evaluation
stages, such as form submission, written exams, interviews, etc.
What is Orientation? What is On-Boarding?

Planning an orientation to employees should be as carefully done as planning a
systematic approach to training. For example, there should be overall goals that you want to
accomplish with the orientation. There should be carefully
chosen activities and materials used in the orientation to achieve the goals.
Participants should produce certain tangible results that can be referenced
to evaluate the orientation both during and after the orientation.
A progressive view of orientation is that of “on-boarding.” On-boarding
works from the perspective that the organization must do all it can to fully
equip the employee for maximum performance for the organization — and for maximum
fulfillment of the employee. Some organizations have on-boarding programs that last up to a
year, where the employee experiences a several-day orientation program, which includes, not
only the orientation to the facilities and personnel, but also various self-assessments for the
employee to get clear on what he or she wants from employment in the organization.
The employee might be placed in a peer group of fellows, new employees who share
advice and other feedback to learn more about the company and other roles in the organization.
Basic Checklist to Orient Employees

While the approach to on-boarding is usually quite unique to the nature and needs of an
organization, here’s a checklist that can be used to orient an employee to an organization.
The following activities should be conducted by the employee’s

supervisor. The checklist is relevant to the activities that should occur after
the employee has received a job offer.
1. Before the Employee Begins Employment, Send a Welcome Letter

Verify the exact starting date and also provide a copy of the employee policies and
procedures manual. Note that you’ll dedicate time for them to review the manual later. Do not
specify the terms of salary and compensation — that should have been included in the job offer.
Provide a Job Description and Any Suggested Performance Goals. All employees deserve
explanation of what is expected from them. A job description, which explains duties and
responsibilities, often is not enough. Therefore, suggest some additional areas of focus, ideally in
the context of performance goals for the employee to address especially during the first year of
employment. Make it clear that you will discuss these with the employee soon.
2. When the Employee Begins Employment, Meet with Them Right Away
Explain how they will be trained, introduce them to staff, give them keys,
get them to sign any needed benefit and tax forms, explain the time-recording
system (if applicable), and provide them copies of important documents (an organization chart,
last year’s final report, the strategic plan, this year’s budget, and the employee’s policies and
procedure manual if they did not get one already.
3. Show Them the Facilities

Show them the layout of offices, bathrooms, storage areas, kitchen use, copy and fax
systems, computer configuration and procedures, telephone usage and any special billing
procedures for use of office systems. Review any Policies
and/or procedures about use of facilities.
4. Schedule Any Needed Computer Training

Include training about the most frequently used software applications. Be
sure the employees learn any security procedures for computer information, including careful use
of passwords, overview of location of manuals and other useful documentation, location and use
of computer networks and other peripherals, and where to go to get questions answered.
5. Assign a Staff Member as Their “Buddy”

This is extremely important. Identify another employee, other than you (the
supervisor), that the employee might quickly establish rapport with, to pose
any questions that the employee is not comfortable posing to the supervisor.
The buddy can invite the new employee to various social functions undertaken
by other employees.
6. Take Them to Lunch on the First Day

Use this opportunity to be with them in other than a work setting. Don’t talk
about work. Ask them about their family and share some information about yourself.
7. Meet with Them at the End of the Day

Take just a few minutes to ask if they have any questions or any needs they’d like to talk
about. Remind them that you or their buddy is there if they have
any questions or needs.
8. Meet Again with the New Employee During the First Few Days
Review the job description again. Remind them to review the employee manual and sign
a form indicating they have reviewed the manual and will comply with its contents. Review any
specific performance goals for the position. In the same meeting, explain the performance review
procedure and provide them a copy of the performance review document.
9. Have One-On-One Meetings on a Weekly Basis for the First Six Weeks
One of the biggest mistakes of new supervisors is to meet with direct reports
only when there are problems. That sends the message “I’m only here if
you have a problem, and you better not have any problems.” Instead, meet
to discuss the new employee’s transition into the organization, get status on
work activities, hear any pending issues or needs, and establish a working relationship with the
new employee.
Activity #5
1. Determine the processes in selecting and orienting the office staff.
2. Differentiate between selection and recruitment.
3. Why do newly hired employees need to be oriented?

Boni/Pasig Campus
MODULE 6
SUPERVISING THE OFFICE STAFF
WEEK 6– The Responsibilities of the Supervising Personnel

Roles of the Supervising Personnel
OBJECTIVES:
1. Identify the responsibilities of the supervising personnel.
2. Explain the roles of the supervising personnel.
Definition
Supervision is direction, guidance and control of working force with a view to see that
they are working according to plan and are keeping time schedule.
Oversees clerical and support services, ensuring tasks are completed in a timely and effective
manner.
Assists clerical and support staff with their assigned duties, particularly when more
advanced, skilled, or sensitive work is required.
Completes, prepares, and distributes various forms and reports.
What are the responsibilities of a supervisor in the workplace?
1. Managing workflow
One of a supervisor’s most important responsibilities is managing a team. Often, supervisors
create and oversee their team’s workflow, or the tasks required to complete a job. Supervisors
must define goals, communicate objectives and monitor team performance.
2. Training new hires

When a new employee joins the team, their supervisor should help them understand their role
and support them during their transition. This might include providing workplace orientation and
explaining company policies or job duties. The supervisor may manage all onboarding activities,
or they may work with the human resources department to make sure the new hire receives the
guidance and information they need.
3. Creating and managing team schedules

In some cases, organizations have set hours for their entire workforce, and supervisors won’t
need to adjust them. However, when team members work in shifts, supervisors are usually
responsible for creating schedules.
4. Reporting to HR and senior management

As a supervisor, you’ll often be responsible for reporting team and individual performance
to human resources and senior management. You may need to evaluate each member of your
team and record employee punctuality, performance on goals, professionalism, disciplinary
issues, adherence to company policies and more. You may also be required to develop and
administer performance improvement plans.
5. Evaluating performance and providing feedback

Supervisors are often tasked with developing or executing employee feedback and recognition
programs. This responsibility might include setting employee and team goals and choosing
appropriate rewards for achievements. For example, if a salesperson exceeds their monthly
quota, they may be eligible for a bonus. This time should also be used to provide both positive
and constructive feedback.
6. Identifying and applying career advancement opportunities

Because supervisors work closely with employees, they often help decide who is eligible for
promotions. In some cases, supervisors may directly award promotions. However, even when
supervisors don’t have the authority to directly promote employees, senior management
professionals often consult supervisors during the promotion process.
7. Helping to resolve employee issues and disputes

When employees are unhappy with their workplace experience, they may approach their
supervisor before speaking with HR. Supervisors must use active listening skills to understand
employee complaints and to work with them to reach a solution.
If an employee complains that another employee or member of management has violated
company policies, the supervisor will likely need to report the issue to HR for an investigation.
In the case of minor disagreements between employees, supervisors may act as mediators and
help the two parties come to a resolution.
What does it take to become a supervisor?

In many cases, companies promote individuals from non-managerial roles after they have proven
themselves capable to lead others well. When deciding who to advance to a supervisor role,
companies often look for employees who demonstrate the following:
 Excellent communication skills
 Expertise in team or department
 Ability to remain calm under pressure
 Firm grasp of company policies
 Strong work ethic
 Punctuality and time management skills
 Professionalism and a positive attitude
 Organizational abilities
 Interest in leadership opportunities
Supervisory Skills
All supervisory skills allow managers to better perform their job, but there are
different types of supervisory skills, some of which include the following:
 Leadership skills: As a manager, you are responsible for leading a team of
employees. Leadership skills reflect the way in which you are able to lead
employees.
 Communication skills: You'll also need strong communication skills to succeed in
a managerial position. A type of supervisory skill, communication skills reflect
your ability to communicate with employees, customers and other individuals in
your professional work.
 Conflict resolution skills: Managers do more than just dictate tasks. In many
cases, they must resolve conflicts between two or more employees. Your ability to
resolve such conflicts is measured in your conflict resolution skills.
 Motivation skills: As the name suggests, motivation skills refer to your ability to
motivate employees. According to Gallup , managers are responsible for 70% of
their employees' engagement. If you aren't able to motivate your employees,
they'll become disengaged, resulting in poorer performance.
Qualities of a Good Supervisor

1. Interactive Communication Skills
If you don’t have the ability to make your thoughts and desires clear, your employees
won’t know how to accomplish the tasks you assign. Equally important is understanding
employee feedback. A good supervisor communicates efficiently with their employees and
ensures they stay informed about project progress and any problems.

2. Empathy and Compassion
If you can’t place yourself in your employee’s shoes, you won’t be able to lead them
effectively. For instance, you should know that a parent can’t work overtime, or an employee
going through a hard time might require temporary special considerations. When you are
accommodating in the face of genuine needs, your employees will be loyal in return.

3. Ability to Delegate
A great supervisor excels in assigning tasks to employees who are best suited to handle
them. The proper delegation will help streamline a project, maximize profitability, and ensure
efficiency. On the other hand, poor delegation can compromise a project.

4. Being Flexible
A single approach to management doesn’t work in all situations. Hence a good supervisor
will choose tactics based on the situation. For instance, when a deadline nears, you will have to
adopt a hardline approach to ensure the work gets done. Nevertheless, if your employees can’t
operate at full speed, you will have to adopt a more relaxed approach during downtime. This will
give your employees time to recover their strength.

5. Maintaining a Positive Attitude
Supervisors who walk into the office every day with a positive attitude make the office
environment pleasant. Additionally, positive attitudes are contagious. People usually adopt the
attitude of their environment, and being positive is a good one to take on.

6. A Dose of Humility
Though a confident and positive outlook is essential, not all decisions you make will
work well. During instances when a project fails or a choice backfire, learn to accept
responsibility and learn from the mistake. You can’t simply blame your employees for problems
that resulted from your inefficiency or errors. Take a step back, understand what went wrong,
and learn from the mistake.

7. Passion for the Organization
Lastly, good managers love the company they work for, appreciate the organization’s
objectives, and understand the company culture. They will easily be able to convey to their staff
why this is a great place to work, get team members on board, and contribute efficiently to the
well-being of the organization.

How to Motivate a Team at Work
1. Keep them connected to the company
If you fail to share crucial company information, either intentionally or unintentionally,
employees will come to their own conclusions. Whenever feasible, give your staff updates on the
organization’s financial performance and long- and short-term goals, and explain what this
information means for them and their jobs. Keeping your team in the loop will help them feel
connected to the company.
2. Clearly define your expectations

When employees don’t understand what they’re supposed to be doing on a certain
project, it’s hard for them to get excited about it. Every time you give your staff an assignment,
spell out as many details as you can and verify your instructions and expectations. Also explain
how the project fits into the company’s larger goals, and encourage them to ask questions if they
need additional information.
3. Don’t sugarcoat unpleasant projects

Sometimes employees will be required to take on projects that aren’t exciting or
glamorous. When handing out these assignments, be frank about the scope of the task.
4. Be consistent
You need to treat each employee as an individual and tailor your approach to his or her
needs. But don’t reprimand one office assistant for taking too long to process the travel expense
forms while allowing another to go days over the deadline on a similar project. No one likes to
work for a manager who appears to always turn to their favorites.
4. Set a good example

The saying “Do as I say, not as I do” doesn’t work well in business. You should
exemplify the standards you hold your employees to, especially when it comes to punctuality,
appearance, courtesy and willingness to pitch in when needed. This also means not concealing a
mistake when you make one. You’ll only encourage staff to hide their own errors
5. Ask for input

Actively seek feedback from team members. Maintain an open-door policy, and an open
mind, so that it’s easy for individuals to approach you. Some members of your administrative
staff, in particular, may be uncomfortable sharing their thoughts without a gentle nudge. Reach
out to them directly to ensure their ideas are heard.
6. Show you care

As a team manager, getting to know your staff members so you can relate to them on a
personal level can be really helpful. Make a point to ask about their hobbies and interests. The
better you know them, the more effectively you’ll be able to identify what motivates each one.
7. Reward creativity
Let your support staff know it’s safe — and, in fact, encouraged — to come up with new
ideas and put them into action. Your teams will know that you value their opinion. They’ll also
be more invested and engaged if they’re working on something they came up with. If someone’s
suggestion for streamlining the new vendor approval process doesn’t work out as well as
planned, don’t get upset or criticize the person. Rather, treat it as a learning experience and
encourage your teams to apply the lessons to other projects.
8. Break out of comfort zones

Encourage staff members to take on new responsibilities and projects outside of their
typical roles. Make sure these assignments are manageable for individuals in terms of difficulty
and workload, but also try to make them challenging enough that they help employees build
skills and experience. By giving your staff members a chance to try new things, you’ll
demonstrate your faith in them and prompt them to perform at a higher level.
9. Offer training
Most professionals want to keep learning and improving their skills so they can advance
in their careers. Support and encourage that desire to learn by offering training programs,
mentoring and tuition assistance for work-related courses.
11. Discuss career aspirations

Just as it is important for your company to set objectives, it’s crucial that your employees
have career goals so they feel they’re working toward something. Talk to your staff about their
ambitions and work with them on plans for meeting those goals.
13. Promote from within

If members of your staff believe they’re stuck in the same job and are unable to advance,
they’ll quickly lose motivation. Promoting from within demonstrates that the organization is
committed to helping them climb the corporate ladder, and they’ll work harder to reach the next
step.
13. Criticize constructively

When employees are doing a substandard job, let them know, but do it with care and tact.
Never criticize an employee in front of his or her colleagues. Also, focus the discussion on the
performance, not the person.
14. Offer a helping hand
Regularly check in with employees to ensure their workloads are manageable and let
them know it’s OK to seek assistance when they are overwhelmed. If work can’t be handled by
existing staff, bring in temporary professionals to help keep things on track. Interim staff can
assist during peak demands or with special projects, easing the burden on existing employees.
15. Provide rewards

Employees can feel unappreciated or suffer burnout if they are not recognized or
rewarded for their good work and efforts. Keep in mind that rewards don’t have to be monetary.
Extra days off, acknowledgement in company publications and the opportunity to broaden job
responsibilities are just three examples of effective non-financial rewards.
16. Be liberal with praise often

Simple but heartfelt thanks will make an employee feel like his or her work matters. In
fact, support staff said they value an in-person thank-you even more than a promotion or paid
time off as a reward for a job well done.
17. Give them a break

Remind employees to take regular breaks to recharge, and set a good example by doing
so yourself. If your team seems particularly stressed, organize a quick collective break where you
can provide cakes or a catered lunch.
18. Say ‘No’ Tactfully

Whenever you have to say no to an employee’s request — whether it’s for a raise, a day
off or a change in hours — make sure you’re not alienating the person with the manner in which
you refuse. Be kind, give an explanation for your decision and try to phrase your response so the
employee doesn’t leave your office embarrassed.
19. Keep an eye on salaries

No, money isn’t the only reason people feel enthusiastic about their work, but it is a
critical factor.
20. Help staff achieve work / life balance

Boost engagement by offering programs like telecommuting and flexible schedules,
which help employees juggle their work and personal lives. Providing on-site services such as
dry cleaning, child care or exercise facilities also allows team members to be more efficient with
their time.
21. Create a place where people want to work
Professionals feel more eager to come into the office if it’s comfortable and clean and
provides all the tools necessary to do the job effectively. They’re also happier and more engaged
when management promotes a clear commitment to basic courtesy and demands that employees
treat each other with respect.
22. Be stingy with meetings

If team members are constantly in meetings, they’re more likely to feel disconnected
from their regular assignments because they don’t get enough uninterrupted time to concentrate
on those tasks. Before you call a formal meeting, make sure it’s really needed. It’s equally
important to keep these gatherings brief and to the point.
23. Get out of the office

Whenever possible, hold training events, celebrations or similar activities off-site. A
change of scenery can provide a break from routine and help professionals reconnect with their
colleagues. Allow for some social time in the agenda; it can help enhance the spirit of teamwork.
24. Recognize the signs of low morale

Many companies become aware of trouble with motivation and morale only when the
problem reaches a tipping point. To prevent this, be alert to the early symptoms. These include a
rise in absenteeism, complaints about customer service, poor performance from top employees or
increased conflict between team members.
25. Learn from those on the way out

Staff members who are leaving the company will sometimes be franker and more honest
with you than those who are still on the job. Exit interviews can give you insight into ways your
department can improve. Remember, though, that the departing employee may not be entirely
objective. Take this into account when you’re considering his or her comments.
Activity # 6
1. Identify the responsibilities of the supervising personnel.
2. Explain the roles of the supervising personnel.
3. How can supervisors motivate the employees?

Boni/Pasig Campus
MODULE 7
Training, Appraising and Promoting Office Personnel
WEEK 7- Difference between training and Development
Benefits of Training and Development
OBJECTIVES:
1. Explain the process of training, appraising, and promoting office personnel.
2. Discuss the benefits of training and development.
Definition
Training and development initiatives are educational activities within an organization
that are designed to improve the job performance of an individual or group. These
programs typically involve advancing a worker's knowledge and skill sets and instilling greater
motivation to enhance job performance.
Training and development help companies gain and retain top talent, increase job
satisfaction and morale, improve productivity and earn more profit.
Difference between training and Development
Training Development
Training refers to an education process in Development refers to an informative
which employees get a chance to develop process which mainly helps in understanding
skills, competency and learning as per the about the overall growth and improvement of
post duty requirements. the skills of the employee.
It is a process of increasing knowledge and It is a process of learning and growth.
skills of an employee.
It is short time/term focused and for a fixed It is long time/term focused, which takes
duration. place throughout the life of a person.
Training is a job-oriented process. Development is a career-oriented process.
Trainings are performed in an aim of Developments are performed in an aim of
improving knowledge and skill that are improving knowledge and skill to face future
needed to perform their existing jobs. challenges.
It helps individual to learn how to perform It prepares individuals for future job and
his/her present job satisfactory. growth in all aspects.
It is a reactive process. It is a proactive process.
It is the result of initiatives, taken by It is the result of initiatives, taken by self and
management and it is a result outside it is a result of self-motivation.
motivation.
Trainings are mainly attended by individual. Development is mainly attended by
individual.
Mainly training refers to learning new things Mainly development refers to implementing
and refreshing old one. learned sessions and finding new ones.
It focuses on technical skills and it has a It focuses on conceptual and human ideas
narrow scope. and it has a wider scope.
Training focuses on the role. While development focuses on the person.
It revolves around present need. It revolves around future need.
What are the Benefits of Training and Development?
1. Retains Employees
Retention is a major challenge for employers but retaining strong workers can be
achieved through career development. In fact, training and development has become so
centralized within businesses that it is often used as a competitive advantage when hiring.
Offering career development initiatives helps employees establish a sense of value within the
company and fosters loyalty, ultimately resulting in increased staff retention and a 59% lower
staff turnover rate.
2. Develops Future Leaders

Targeting employees with the skills for future leadership can be vital in establishing a
business for growth and evolution. Leadership talent can be acquired through new hires, or HR
professionals can select current employees as managerial candidates.
4. Boosts Workplace Engagement
Finding ways to bolster the consistent engagement of employees can diminish boredom
in the workplace, which left unchecked can create feelings of dissatisfaction and negative
working habits. Regular training and development initiatives can prevent workplace idleness and
in turn will help businesses establish regular re-evaluation of their employees, skills and
processes.
5. Builds Workplace Relationships
Finally, providing opportunities for employees to explore new topics, refine their skills
and expand their knowledge can help your team members bond with each other. During these
training and development sessions, they will tackle new challenges together. They can also lean
on one another for various learning opportunities by collaborating with colleagues who have
specific areas of expertise.
Why is training and development important?
The top ten benefits of employee training and development programs

include:
1. Increased productivity: When employees stay current with new procedures and
technologies, they can increase their overall output.
2. Reduced micromanagement: If workers feel empowered to perform a task, they

typically require less oversight and work more independently. 1
3. Train future leaders: Organizations must have a solid pipeline of well-trained and

innovative potential leaders to grow and adapt over time.
4. Increased job satisfaction and retention: Well-trained employees gain confidence in

their abilities, leading to greater job satisfaction, a reduction in absenteeism and overall
employee retention.
5. Attract highly skilled employees: Top recruits are attracted to firms with an identifiable
career path based on consistent training and development.
6. Increased consistency: Well-organized training ensures tasks are performed uniformly,
resulting in tight quality control that end users can trust.
7. Increased camaraderie: Training and development helps create a sense of teamwork

and collaboration.
8. Bolstered safety: Continuous training and development helps ensure employees have the
knowledge and skills to perform a task safely.
9. Ability to cross-train: Providing consistent training creates a knowledgeable team

overall where employees can help train or assist each other as needed.
10. Added innovation: Consistently trained employees can help develop new strategies and
products, contributing to the company’s bottom line and continued success.
Performance Appraisal Defined
It is a process of analyzing an employee's worth as well as contribution to the job.
Getting an objective evaluation of an employee's performance will help a company identify any
existing problems in the workplace. This will help the HR department to solve those problems
quickly and with ease.
Performance appraisal is a process where the employee’s performance, contributions &

skills are evaluated against his/her job requirements. This provides a uniform platform to
measure financial rewards, selection for promotions, or assignments to important projects for
each candidate.
Modern Methods & Types of Performance Appraisal in HRM

1. Graphic Rating Scale Method
This method is based on the idea of rating employees based on individual characteristics.
For example, some organizations may choose to evaluate employees based on quality and
quantity of work, decisiveness & emotional stability. Employees are rated on a fixed scale (say
1-10), based on the extent to which they meet each of the desired criteria. The average of all the
scores constitutes the overall score of the employee.
Graphic scales are practical; they are cost-effective and can be developed quickly. They
also help in measuring a particular objective effectively. However, the appraisal in such cases
largely depends upon individual perspectives. This may lead to disputes or non-uniformity in
evaluations. Furthermore, personal bias can also play a role in it. You must be careful to define
each character as clearly as possible.

2. Ranking Method
The name of this method explains exactly what it is. The Human Resources team ranks
each employee on a list based on factors decided by the human resource department. Hence, the
best performers are on the top, and the worst performers rank at the bottom.

This simple method of ranking employees can be modified in several ways. One of these
methods is the paired comparison ranking style wherein employees are compared in pairs of two
against each other. The number of times one employee is preferred over someone else is
recorded. The top employee is the one with the highest number of preferences.

The grading scale method can be combined with ranking. The employees with the best overall
score on the grade scale (from 1-10) rank at the top of the list. The ranking method is preferred
because it is simple, efficient, and requires little time and money. However, personal bias and
favoritism may cause major disruptions in objective evaluation.

3. Checklist Method
Employees are evaluated by making use of a checklist in this method. The checklist can have a
variety of different factors that the human resource department has chosen to be important. The
employees are then judged based on those factors The employers must select between the yes/no
options in those checkboxes.
Items in the checklist carry a numerical value based on their importance to job
performance. Therefore, the appraisal score is calculated by adding up the scores of all these
individual factors.
The checklist method makes it easy to evaluate employees as their supervisors have to
simply choose between yes/no. It also helps the employees receive clear and direct feedback.
However, it may not be easy to design an effective checklist and assign a weight based on the
importance of factors.

4. Management by Objectives Method (MBO)
MBO is considered to be one of the most systematic methods in performance appraisals.
The idea is to give each employee a set of objectives that have to be achieved by them. During
the performance appraisal, the supervisors will evaluate the extent to which the objectives have
been achieved.
This is a strong method of evaluation. The employees have been clearly instructed as to
what is expected of them. It also helps the company to set benchmarks and standards for growth.
However, a lot of time and effort goes into determining the objectives and evaluating them.

5. 360-degree Feedback Appraisal
This approach is basically a group performance review. The data regarding an
employee’s behavior is collected by his/her close subordinates. An employee’s colleagues might
be able to review his/her performance under a variety of situations and circumstances, which
might have escaped the employer. This allows for holistic, full-circle, multi-tiered feedback
regarding a person.
This method is useful as it eliminates subjectivity. It also promotes an atmosphere of
open culture, self-development and better communication. However, every company must
develop an effective system and procedure to utilize this method.

6. General Performance Appraisal in HRM
General performance appraisal is one of the most common types of performance
appraisals. In general, a manager sets goals and targets for an employee and urges them to
achieve it. This pushes the employee to achieve them and encourages them to grow.
The manager calls a meeting and sets certain goals for an employee. Once the employee
achieves those goals, they review it and set newer goals. This method is an ongoing conversation
between the employee and the manager throughout the year. The manager can also recommend
development plans and key growth areas.

7. Technological Performance Appraisal
In this method of performance appraisal, the employee’s technological capabilities are
judged and the Technological skills are kept at the forefront of all the other skills that are not
related to the employee’s job.
Here the focus is on how easily the employee adapts to new technology, how aware the
employee is of the technology around them, and how much technical knowledge they have.

8. Sales Performance Appraisal
A salesperson is closely linked to the financials of an organization. Therefore, this kind of
appraisal has a direct impact on the sales of a company. Here, the employee is judged based on
the revenue they bring into the company. Here the focus is on what the employee achieves in
contrast to how they are or how they behave.
The manager should discuss goals and deadlines for sales. This way an employee can
have a goal to achieve.
Performance Appraisal Objectives

1. Provide Feedback:
Appraisals are an effective way to give feedback to employees Also, managers to
communicate clearly regarding employee objectives and expectations. An employee can learn
about what he/she can do to improve their future performance.

2. Downsize or Right-Size:
The COVID pandemic is one of the many harsh realities that might force an organization
to downsize. In such a situation, appraisals are a way to make sure that the most productive and
talented individuals can be retained in a company. It is also an effective way to know which
employees are non-performers.

3. Promote the Right Person:
Appraisals give an organization objective and data-driven tools to make good promotion
decisions. Also, It helps the most talented individuals retain the position of the highest
importance.
4. Set Goals & Measure Goals:
The annual appraisals are also an effective way to set future goals for the employees.
This ensures maximum productivity and superior performance.

5. Improve Work Performance:
An employee can only improve if he knows how to Objectives of a good appraisal
include highlighting the specific area of improvement for every employee.

6. Determine Compensation Changes:
An appraisal system works as a determining factor in increasing compensation, pay
raises, etc. Also, it ensures that people who work harder get paid better.

7. Encourage Coaching & Mentoring:
Managers are usually expected to coach their team members Also, appraisals help the
managers to identify the areas where mentoring is required.

8. Employee Training and Development:
Individual skills are evaluated during an appraisal. Also, this helps employees to identify
if they need to acquire more skills and competencies to contribute to the company. It also helps
an organization to plan the up-skilling training for their employees.

9. Provide a Legal Defense for Personal Decisions:
A company can be held accountable for any decision that they take, even firing or
promoting an employee. Therefore, conducting a performance appraisal will help the company
prove a point if their decisions are ever challenged.

10. Encouraging Coaching & Mentoring:
Teaching and coaching are part of managing employees. It is part of being a good
manager. Performance appraisals will help them understand where an employee is lacking
therefore where they can train and help employees to do better.

11. Improving Overall Organization’s Performance:
Last but not least, performance appraisals will help the company to learn more about the
employees and their requirements. It will help the employees to understand where they are
lacking and where they are doing well. This will help them learn and grow quickly.
Activity #7
1. Explain the process of training, appraising, and promoting office personnel.
2. Discuss the benefits of training and development

Boni/Pasig Campus
MODULE 8
PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL IN HRM
WEEK 8- Modern Methods & Types of Performance Appraisal in HRM

Characteristics of an Effective Performance Appraisal System
OBJECTIVES:
1. Identify the modern methods & types of performance appraisal in HRM.
2. Deliberate on the characteristics of an effective performance appraisal system.
Characteristics of an Effective Performance Appraisal System:
A good appraisal system satisfies these characteristics according to your requirements.

1. Clear Objectives
Employee performance appraisals should have a clear goal. There must be
a predefined set of factors to evaluate employees based on their skill sets Which obviously must
be clear what the managers aim to get out of these appraisals.

2. Well Defined Performance Criteria
Employees must have a clear idea of what they are being evaluated. Good appraisal
systems have a set of procedures and standards for the performance of each individual. For
instance, a fresh graduate cannot be evaluated against someone with years of experience.

3. Accuracy & Reliability in Results
An effective performance appraisal also helps a company to make clear, data-driven &
informed decisions. The data (or results) of any appraisal must be reliable and valid, and they
must be presented in an unambiguous manner. Accurate insights will also help a company gain
the trust of its employees.

4. Post Appraisal Interview
Post appraisal interviews are important because they help the employees to get direct
feedback from their superiors or managers. These interviews also help the managers decide if
any training or skill development programs are needed. Employee grievances can also be
addressed during this interview.

5. Time-Saving
A good appraisal system is one that saves time as well as cost. Also, this helps a company
to get the maximum benefit. Instead of wasting all their time on managerial tasks, HR personnel
could focus on other important jobs.

6. Continuous Feedback
Modern appraisal systems have done away with the annual performance review model.
Instead, that model has been replaced with a system wherein managers give continuous (read-
periodical) feedback to their employees. This helps the employees fill in their weaknesses from
the start and improve upon them.

7. Focusing on What Matters
A good appraisal system evaluates employees on various factors. However, an
employee’s work performance and competency are of utmost importance. Subjective factors,
such as personal behavior, attitude & personality come secondary to an employee’s skill set.

8. Match Your Goals
Appraisal systems should be designed according to the functioning of your company. For
instance, if you are using a 360-degree feedback approach, feedback should be taken from only
those who have worked closely with the employee overtime. It’s good to practice to be
innovative with appraisals so they match your company’s working policy.
Advantages & Disadvantages of Performance Appraisal

It is often wondered why do HR departments conduct performance appraisals. The performance
appraisal process is a complicated one. It needs to be done in a way that truly brings changes to
the way the company functions. While it gives the managers a clear idea about their employees it
is a tedious task that sometimes doesn’t bring any results or changes. Therefore, the question
comes up as to whether you should conduct a performance appraisal in your company or not.

Why It is Important to Promote Employees
1. Increase employee retention

Promotions give your best employees a reason to stay with you. By recognizing their
talent and providing them with a new challenge, they may be content and uninterested in
exploring other employment opportunities. Also, a promotion may make them more loyal to your
company, which also decreases the likelihood they will leave.
2. Make employees feel valued

Promoting an employee shows you see and appreciate their hard work. This may help
them care about their work more, and it validates their efforts in the workplace. The promotion
may encourage them to continue to pursue their career goals.
3.Improve workplace performance and motivation

While employees often receive promotions because of their excellent workplace
performance, a promotion may improve their performance even more. By recognizing and
rewarding their hard work, you motivate them to continue to do a good job. Their commitment to
good work contributes to the success of the company.
4.Create healthy competition
Promotions may create some competition in the workplace, as multiple people may want
a single promotion. This competition may motivate employees to work hard and deliver the best
possible results. Friendly competition can push employees to grow, and the company benefits
from the improved work performances.
5.Develop leaders
Identifying leadership qualities in employees is important in the promotion process.
When an employee earns a promotion based on their work performance, current leaders likely
also see leadership potential within that employee. This allows managers to help employees
better develop their leadership skills, setting both the employee and leader up for future success.
6.Improve morale
Employees may be more engaged and happier in the workplace when they feel valued.
Promotions often also include higher pay, providing employees with better rewards for their hard
work. Also, if an employee knows they are doing their job well, they may be happier with their
performance and push themselves to work harder.
When to Promote Employees
Here are some things to consider when you decide to promote an employee:
 Skills and abilities
 Work performance
 Education qualifications
 Technical certifications or qualifications
 Seniority
 Leadership potential
 Time since last promotion
 Level of training
Here are some signs to look for when you consider promoting a lower-level employee:
 They're committed to their work
 They do more than what their job requires
 Their work and performance exceed expectations
 They help others
 They adapt to changes
 They mastered their craft or technical skills
Here are some signs it may be time to promote a management-level employee:

 They volunteer or ask for more responsibilities
 They take ownership of tasks
 They manage themselves and require little to no supervision
 They view their success as the company's success
How to promote employees
Here are some steps for how to promote employees:

1. Evaluate your current staff
It's important for you to have a good understanding of the strengths, abilities and goals of
your current employees. Talk to employees often about if they are content with their current
position or if they believe they're ready to advance to a new position with more responsibilities.
Having monthly, quarterly or annual reviews builds rapport and provides you with better insight
to your employees' goals.
2. Determine your promotion method

Evaluate the job position itself, and identify which promotion method best fits the
situation. For example, if you need to fill a management position, this will probably be a merit-
based competitive process. However, if you are restructuring a department with different titles
and adjustments in responsibilities without increases in pay, this may be a dry promotion.
3. Establish the requirements for promotion

Determine clear criteria for who is eligible to apply for the promotion. This may include a
minimum number of years working with the company, accomplishments, skills and experience,
certifications and qualifications. Make sure all employees clearly understand the requirements of
who is eligible to reaffirm your choice for who ultimately receives the promotions is a subjective
decision.
4. Announce the promotion opportunity
Post the job, and alert employees of the opportunity. Many companies choose to post
positions internally before seeking external candidates. This is imperative if your company
advocates for promoting from within first.
5. Evaluate and interview candidates

Review all candidates to identify the most qualified candidates. Ensure each candidate
meets the minimum requirements for the position. It's important every qualified candidate
receives a fair assessment to avoid the impression of discrimination or favoritism. Interview the
eligible candidates.
If internal candidates do not meet the minimum requirements, it's beneficial to still have a
conversation with them. Be honest about why they did not move forward, but encourage them to
continue to pursue opportunities. Ask them about their career goals, and give them advice on the
potential best next steps for their career.
6. Make and announce your decision

Once you decide who you will promote, make them an offer in private. Allow them
adequate time to make their decision, and request they avoid discussing it with anyone at the
company. Once they accept, discuss the promotion with the internal candidates you didn't select.
Acknowledge their hard work and qualifications, and provide constructive feedback about areas
of improvement.
After you discuss the promotion with all internal candidates, share the news with the rest
of the company. The best channel depends on your company culture, but it's most often an email
or letter. Reinforce how many qualified applicants you had in your messaging to be mindful of
the other internal candidates and maintain a positive atmosphere.
Activity #8
1. Identify the modern methods & types of performance appraisal in HRM.
2. Deliberate on the characteristics of an effective performance appraisal system.

Boni/Pasig Campus
MODULE 9
Office Salary Administration
WEEK 9 - Wage and Salary Administration

Difference between Salary and Wage
Advantages and Disadvantages of Salaried and Waged Pay
OBJECTIVES:
1. Cite the differences between salary and wage.
2. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of salaried and waged pay
Definition.
Wages and salaries are the payment for work agreed between an employee and his or her
employer under the contract of employment in the private sector and for contractual agents in the
public service, or employment for civil servants.
Wage and Salary Administration.

Wage and salary administration is a collection of practices and procedures used for
planning and distributing company-wide compensation programs for employees. These practices
include employees at all levels and are usually handled by the accounting department of a
company.
Wages are payments for labor services rendered frequency, expressed in hourly rates,
while a salary is a similar payment, expressed in weekly, monthly or annual rates.
A ‘wage’ (or pay) is the remuneration paid, for the service of labor in production,
periodically to an employee/worker. “Wages” usually refer to the hourly rate or daily rate paid to
such groups as production and maintenance employees (“blue-collar workers”).
Salary’ normally refers to the weekly or monthly rates paid to clerical, administrative and
professional employees (“white-collar workers”).
Wage and Salary Administration – Nature and Characteristics Nature
1. The basic purpose of wage and salary administration is to establish and maintain an equitable
wage and salary structure.
2. It is concerned with the establishment and maintenance of equitable labor cost structure i.e. an
optimal balancing of conflicting personnel interest so that the satisfaction of the employees and
employers is maximized and conflicts are minimized.
3. The wage and salary administration are concerned with the financial aspects of needs,
motivation and rewards.
4. Employees should be paid according to the requirements of their jobs i.e. highly skilled jobs
are paid more compensation than low skilled jobs.
3. To minimize the chances of favoritism.
Characteristics:
1. Payment of wages is in accordance with the terms of contract between the employer and the
worker.
2. The wages are determined on the basis of time-rate system or piece-rate system.
3. Wages change with the change in the time spent by the laborer.
4. Wages create utility.
5. Wages may be paid weekly, fortnightly, hourly, or on monthly basis.
6. Wage is the reward paid to the workers for the services rendered by them.
7. Wages can be paid in cash or in kind.
8. All kinds of allowances are included in wages.
Wage and Salary Administration –

Objectives Its objectives are:
1.To compare or draft company HR policy
2. Find out the income level and return ratio of similar industries
3. To understand wage differentiations
4. To examine the competitiveness of entry level employees
5. To establish hiring rates favorable to the community
6. To keep abreast wage and salary rates with production cost
7. To minimize labor turnover due to pay disparity
8. To increase employee’s satisfaction and morale
9. To learn about the trend of perks and benefits in the market
10. To resolve existing labor problems concerning compensation.
Difference between salary and wages
Differences Salary Wage

Skills Required High skill set, Licensed Professionals Unskilled or semi-skilled workers,
such as lawyers, doctors also termed as often known as Blue collared
white-collared employees. employees
Cost Structure Paid at a fixed rate Rate is variable
Frequency of payment Monthly at a predetermined annual Daily or weekly, depending upon the
amount, which is equally distributed in employment.
12 months throughout the year.
Basis of Payment A fixed amount is paid as decided, and The hourly rate is decided as per the
the variable factor depends on the industry trends.
performance.
Recipients Salaried workers are generally referred Waged workers are referred to as
to as employees. Labor.
Nature/Type of jobs Office and administrative jobs Manufacturing or process-related
work;
Performance review Most salaried guys have their No performance review system here;
performance reviewed at periodic labor works correctly on an hourly
intervals, which decide on their rate basis.
increment of salary.
Duration Salary once decided stays the same The wage rate can change any time,
throughout the year. and it can be effective as per the
prevailing rate.
Resignation A salaried class generally has a notice There is no such thing as a notice
period to serve, which will allow the period here since the labor worker is
employer to find the replacement with easily replaceable.
the same skill set.
Purpose In exchange for salary an individual is Wage workers don’t need to
expected to increase the revenue of the generate any revenue; they just need
firm directly or indirectly to get the work done.
Leaves A salaried worker has a predefined wage worker has no such schedule,
schedule of the paid leaves. and every day off is a day without
any wage.
Examples of profession Doctors, Lawyers, Bankers Construction workers, Bus driver,
Delivery services, Carpenter,
Welder, Electrician
Benefits of salaried pay

 Consistency: Your employees are guaranteed a certain amount every week or month
excluding bonuses. This makes financial planning easier as they’d know how much is
coming in and going out in a salaried job.
 Additional perks: Salaried employees are entitled to a number of paid days off every
year. The number of days would be pre-agreed with your employer. It is also possible
to agree on flexible working hours. So employees can come in to work an hour or two
earlier to leave an hour or two later.
 Higher wages: Salary workers generally have more responsibilities compared to their
waged counterpart. Salaried workers might have to work more than the standard work-
hour week to catch up with deadlines. Compensation for these responsibilities is
reflected in their salary.
Disadvantages of salaried pay
 Overtime: One of the main disadvantages of salaried pay is working overtime.
Although salaried employees are entitled to overtime, tracking overtime can be a bit of
a challenge. An hourly worker would work overtime and simply charges for the hours
they worked.
 Pay cuts: Companies going through tough financial periods slash expenses by cutting
pay. Although waged employees are more likely to get their hours cut, it wouldn’t
affect their hourly rate as they only get paid for the hours they work. While salary
workers might need to work more hours with no extra pay.
 Public holiday pay: Like overtime pay, waged workers are often paid more to work
on public holidays like Christmas or Easter. Depending on the nature of your business
and contract, salaried workers might have to work over holiday periods without extra
pay.
Benefits of waged pay

 Payment for hours: An advantage of an hourly wage is that employees get paid for
the hours they actually work. This means that if a worker works for eight hours a day
they get paid for the eight hours. If you ask an employee to work overtime, they’ll also
get paid for that as well.
 No contract: Waged employers are not bound by contracts. If they find somewhere
that offers more money for working the same hours they can change employment.
Because they are not bound by contract, waged employees cannot get charged against
any legal obligations like leaving before working the agreed upon period.
 Less responsibility: Employees working on a salaried basis could be liable if
anything goes wrong within the company. Waged workers have less responsibility for
the growth of the company.
 Immediate pay: Unless otherwise stated, waged workers would mostly get paid daily
or weekly as their pay is directly related to the number of hours that they’ve worked.
While salaried employees wait a month to get their paycheck.
Disadvantages of waged pay

 Working hours: Waged workers get paid according to the hours they have worked.
This means they would have to work extra hours to earn any extra pay.
 Hours cut: If your company is going through financial troubles and you need to cut
down on expenses, in most cases employee hours are the first to go, which means a
smaller paycheck. But it also means the employee will still get paid for however many
hours they work.
 Benefits: Waged employees don’t have a safety net. A waged employee would lose
out on wages if they are absent from work even for medical reasons. In most cases,
they wouldn’t get medical insurance or contributions to their pension, either.
Fringe Benefits -Objectives and Special Characteristics
The main purpose of fringe benefits is to increase the financial position of the employees.
They include items which are over and above the normal earnings.
Considering the above point of view in mind the important objectives of fringe benefits are:
ADVERTISEMENTS:
1. To recruit and retain the talented personnel in the organization.
2. To maintain sound industrial relations and avoid unrest in the organization.
3. To identify unsatisfied needs of the employees and convert those into satisfying needs by
utilizing appropriate steps.
4. To protect social security of the employees during old age by providing provident fund,
gratuity and pension.
5. To develop a sense of belongingness among employees of the organization.
6. To comply various legislations related with fringe benefits which are formulated by central
and state Government.
7. To ensure cooperation, loyalty and faithfulness among employees of the organization.
8. To develop Brand Image of the organization in the eyes of public.
The special characters of fringe benefits are as follows:
1. Fringe benefits are supplementary forms of compensation.

2. Such benefits are paid not as incentives but based on membership of the employees with the
organization.
3. Benefits are linked to performance; these are extended as a condition of employment.
4. Such benefits raise the standards of living of employees, therefore, contributes to enrichment
of quality of work life (QWL).
5. Some of the benefits may be statutory while others may be voluntary.
6. Payment of fringe benefits in India are primarily made for reasons like, employee demands,
presence of trade union, employers’ preference to motivate employees, as social security
measures and finally to create a motivating environment.
Fringe Benefits – Importance to Employees and Employer
Fringe/employee benefits are important not only for the employers and employees, but
also for the community.
1. Importance for Employees:

The benefits are important to the employees for the following main reasons:
1. They enhance the real earnings of the employees and enable them to save money, which they
would, otherwise, have spent in the absence of these benefits.
2. Money value of these benefits has, for long, not been taxable under income tax law, thus
enhancing employees’ living standards. However, during more recent years, the value of these
benefits is adjusted in the income tax payable by individual employees, but many of these still do
not come into the ambit of income tax deductions.
3. Availability of the social security benefits in the event of such contingences as unemployment,
sickness, disability, old age, maternity and so on mitigates the worries of the employees
regarding apprehended insecurity.
4. Many benefits, particularly medical and refreshment facilities, are conducive to the protection
of health of employees and enhancement of their efficiency.
5. Housing accommodation with ancillary amenities and transport facilities result in saving of
time and add to employees’ convenience.
6. Many benefits are made available to the employees’ family members, which promote
congenial family life and strengthen employees’ motivation.
7. Many companies make available to their employees plots for construction of houses or flats on
lease basis, and also bear a part of the burden of interests on house loans. Thus, a major item of
worry of the employees is mitigated.
8. Some companies advance loans to their employees on liberal terms for the purchase of
vehicles and household appliances. This facility also raises the living standards of employees.
2. Importance for Employers:
Fringe/employee benefits are advantageous to the employers for the following main
reasons:
1. Employers have, for long, been enjoying substantial rebate on these benefits under income tax
law. This advantage has, however, increasingly diminished during more recent years.
Nonetheless, employers still receive rebates for expenditure on many of these benefits.
2. In establishments facing chronic problems of unstable workforce and absenteeism, long-term
social security benefits such as life insurance cover, provident fund and pension and housing
accommodation have proved effective in reducing their incidence.
3. These benefits generally tend to strengthen employees’ motivation and efficiency resulting in
higher production and reduction of labor cost.
4. industrial relations as a result of provision of these benefits, especially when these benefits
have emanated from agreement with the union.
(v5. level on the ground of providing substantial benefits to their employees.
6. Provision of these benefits also enhances the prestige of the company in the community and
enables competent workers to be attracted towards the company.
Organizations provide a variety of fringe benefits
The fringe benefits are classified under five heads as given here:
1. Employment Security:
Benefits under this head include unemployment, insurance, technological adjustment pay,
leave travel pay, overtime pay, level for negotiation, leave for maternity, leave for grievances,
holidays, cost of living bonus, call-back pay, lay-off, retiring rooms, jobs to the sons/daughters
of the employees and the like.
2. Health Protection:
Benefits under this head include accident insurance, disability insurance, health
insurance, hospitalization, life insurance, medical care, sick benefits, sick leave, etc.
3. Old Age and Retirement:

Benefits under this category include deferred income plans, pension, gratuity, provident
fund, old age assistance, old age counseling, and medical benefits for retired employees,
traveling concession to retired employees, jobs to sons/daughters of the deceased employee and
the like.
4. Personnel Identification, Participation and Stimulation:

This category covers the benefits like anniversary awards, attendance bonus, canteen,
cooperative credit societies, educational facilities, beauty parlor services, housing, income tax
aid, counseling, quality bonus, recreational programs, stress counselling, safety measures, etc.
Other Miscellaneous Categories:

i. Payment for Time Not Worked:
Benefits under this category include sick leave with pay, vacation pay, paid rest and relief
time, paid lunch periods, grievance time, bargaining time, travel time, etc.
ii. Extra Pay for Time Worked:
This category covers the benefits such as premium pay, incentive bonus, shift premium,
old age insurance, profit sharing, unemployment compensation, Christmas bonus, food cost
subsidy, housing subsidy, recreation.
iii. Retrenchment Compensation:

The Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 provides for the payment of compensation in case of
lay-off and retrenchment. The non-seasonal industrial establishments employing 50 or more
workers have to give one month’s notice or one month’s wages to all the workers who are
retrenched after one year’s continuous service.
The compensation is paid at the rate of 15 days wage for every completed year of service with a
maximum of 45 days wage in a year. Workers are eligible for compensation as stated above even
in case of closing down of undertakings.
iv. Lay-Off Compensation:

Layoff is the temporary suspension or permanent termination of employment of an
employee or a group of employees for business reasons, such as the decision that certain
positions are no longer necessary or business slowdown or interruption in work.
Originally the term ‘layoff’ referred exclusively to a temporary interruption in work, as
when factory work cyclically falls off. In case of lay-off, employees are entitled to lay-off
compensation at the rate to 50% of the total of the basic wage and dearness allowance for the
period of their lay-off except for weekly holidays. Lay-off compensation can normally be paid
up to 45 days in a year.
Statutory Benefits Applicable to Employees after Retirement and during Old Age
These benefits are related to the social security of employees because the economic and saving
conditions of the employees are very poor due to the low wages and high living cost.
With a view to develop social security feeling after retirement and during old age the
following statutory fringe benefits are applicable to the employees:
1. Gratuity:
As per the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972, the gratuity is payable to all the employees
who render a minimum continuous service of five year with the present employer or at the age of
superannuation or death or disablement due to accident or disease. The maximum limit of
gratuity payable to an employee shall not exceed Rs.3.5 Lakhs and the rate for the purpose of
calculation is that the 15 days wages for every completed year of service.
2. Provident Funds:
The Employee’s Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 provides
provident fund and deposit linked insurance to the employees. Both employer and employees
contribute to the fund. The rate of contribution is the 12% of the Basic Pay and Dearness
Allowance in case of contribution to provident fund scheme and only 12% of the Basic Pay in
case of provident fund scheme where the contribution from the employer side is not applicable.
Generally, the organizations pay this fund amount with interest to the employee on
superannuation or separation from the organization by any means or to the dependents of the
employee, in case of death.
3. Deposit Linked Insurance:

This scheme was introduced in 1976 in the Provident Fund Act. If a member of
Employees Provident Fund dies during in service, then his dependents will be paid an additional
amount equal to the average balance during last three years in his account. The maximum
amount payable is Rs.10000 under this scheme.
4. Pension:
The Government introduced a pension scheme where the contributory provident fund
scheme is applicable.
5. The Employee State Insurance Act, 1948:

The Workmen Compensation Act, 1923 and Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 are another statutory
benefit schemes related to the health of employees comes under fringe benefits category.
The Human Resource Department is generally responsible for administration of the
organization. These are one of the means to ensure welfare of employees and to develop a sense
of belongingness among employees towards organization. Some of the organizations may
provide even more than the aforementioned various fringe benefits programs or may not provide
all the benefits described due to the financial ability of the organizations.
Following are the problems faced in administration of benefits and services:

(a) Workers have different interest in benefits and services.
(b) Trade unions oppose such schemes.
(c) Workers and managers do not have knowledge about benefit policy of the company.
(d) Managers are overloaded with work. Hence, they are not able to pay proper attention towards
administration of benefits and services.
(e) Lack of training in administration of benefits and services.
Administration of benefits and services must be proper; otherwise it will lead to confusion.
Following steps must be taken for effective management of benefits and services:
(a) Study of environmental factors.
(b) Study of competitor’s schemes and their administration.
€ Formulation of benefit and service objectives.
(d) Fixing responsibility of administration of benefits and services.
€ Communications of scheme to the employees and trade unions.
(f) Control of costs of benefits and services.
(g) Review of existing schemes.
Activity #9
1. Discuss the differences between salary and wage.

2. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of salaried and waged pay.
Boni/Pasig Campus
MODULE 10
Labor-Management Relations in The Office
WEEK 10 - Strategies for Effective Employee Relations
Labor-Management Issues
Benefits Of Strong Employee and Labor Relations
OBJECTIVES:
1. Discuss some strategies for effective employee relations.
2. Deliberate on some labor-management issues.
3. Explain the benefits of strong employee and labor relations.
Definition
Labor-Management Relations is the interaction of employees, their exclusive
representatives, and management to resolve, bilaterally, concerns affecting the working
conditions of bargaining unit employees.
Theories on Employee Relations

1.The work activities are distributed to various teams with one common goal.
2. The unitarist perspective has a large focus on teams.
3. The use of teams in an organization will result in increased productivity. This gives the
organization a competitive advantage as they are operating more efficiently. 4. As the teams
become more productive, the organization becomes more successful.
Labor Relations is responsible for managing:

 Employee, supervisor and administrator labor relations questions
 Addressing union organizing and employee representation matters
 Contract/policy and procedure consultation, interpretation and administration
 Collective bargaining
 Grievance administration, investigation, mediation and arbitration
 Labor/Management relations and meetings
 Labor/Management informal conflict resolution
 Administrator and management training
 Union requests for information
Strategy For Effective Employee Relations –
Employee relations, simply defined, is the relationship between employees and

employers. Every company knows they need an effective employee relations strategy, but few
do much about it and many are not sure how to go about forming a strategy.
Effective Employee Relations Strategy

1. Adopt A Conducive Workplace Culture
Employees want to feel good about what they do and where they do it.
2. Involve Your Team Members

Employees should feel important to your company. Let them willingly accept new
responsibilities and challenges. But, make sure they enjoy whatever they do. Encourage
employees to share their work with each other. This way people tend to talk with each other
more, discuss things among themselves and thus the comfort level increases. Let them
work together and make some decisions on their own. A team leader should intervene only
if necessary.
3. Insist Upon Proper Communication

Employees need to know what’s going on. Encourage effective communication
among team members. They can’t work in a vacuum and they need an avenue for
articulating needs, wishes, complaints and goals. Poor communication leads to confusion
and misunderstandings. The communication has to be precise and relevant. Be very
specific about expectations. Be straightforward. Written modes of communication must be
promoted among the employees for better transparency. Don’t just communicate to
employees; ensure there are flexible ways for employees to communicate back.
4. Recognition
Praise the individual for exceptional results and provide suitable rewards.
Encourage everyone to perform well to live up to the expectations of the management
team. Put measures in place so people can be recognized and applauded when they live up
to those values.
5. Regular Team Meetings

Let everyone come together on a common platform and discuss whatever issues
on their mind. The meetings must not be too formal. Leaders should start and end the
meeting with a positive tone, provide updates and get the group involved.
6. Events
Celebrate birthdays, holiday parties, and other occasions at the workplace. These
small initiatives actually go a long way in strengthening the bond among the employees.
Allow them to decorate the office, their work stations and make all the necessary
arrangements themselves. Employees will actually take the initiative and organize things
on their own. Let them enjoy each other and have fun.
Strong and effective employee relations generally lead to a better performing
organization. Employees want a culture where they are comfortable with each other, share
a good rapport and work in close coordination towards a common objective. A healthy
relation among employees promotes a positive workplace and employees feel happy and
satisfied at work. They look forward to going to work and contributing to the mission,
vision and goals of their employer.
What is Employee Relations in Human Resources?

Employee relations refer to the relationship between employer and employee. It involves
taking into account all potential interactions within a company, and implementing policies so
that the relationship between an organization and its people is managed through fair and
transparent practices.
An effective employee relations program should define:

 Policies for preventing and resolving disputes between employees and managers
 Working conditions
 Reasonable working hours
 Pay and benefits
 Measures to improve the work-life balance
 Procedures for collecting and implementing employee feedback
 Reward and recognition schemes.
An organization with a good employee relations policy provides fair and consistent
treatment to all employees. This helps team members commit to their jobs and increases loyalty.
It also reduces the number of employees disputes and creates an environment based on mutual
respect and appreciation.
Employer Relationship Management: Common Issues
1. Conflict: this could include disputes between employees, leadership issues, and personality
clashes. Unresolved conflict can result in decreased productivity, communication problems, and
poor company morale. In worst-case scenarios, it can affect turnover and profits.
2. Sexual Harassment & Bullying: a lack of clear policies regarding sexual harassment and
bullying can result in an undesirable workplace. If left unaddressed, it can affect employee
performance and team morale. It can also affect the company’s reputation and increase
absenteeism.
3.Wage and Hour Issues: if you fail to clearly define working hours and compensation
packages it could result in employee disputes. It could also result in non-compliance and wage
and hour violations. The same goes for annual leave disputes and timekeeping and attendance
issues.
4.Workplace Health & Safety: All workers are entitled to work in an environment where risks
to their health and safety are properly controlled. Employers have a duty to consult with their
employees on health and safety matters. If the working environment is unsafe then it will have a
direct effect on the employee experience.
The Benefits of Strong Employee and Labor Relations:
1.Productivity: if you create a happy work environment, you will increase employee motivation
and morale. This, in turn, will increase trust and productivity and result in more profit for your
business.
2.Loyalty: a pleasant work environment means a loyal workforce. Lower employee turnover
means reduced hiring and onboarding costs. This means that more money can be spent on
training and improving the skills of your existing employees.
3.Reduced Conflict: less conflict means your employees can focus on what’s most important –
doing their job to the best of their ability.
 Legal Compliance: a clear policy for managing internal relations can help you avoid
federal wage and hour violations. It can also help you comply with workplace health and
safety regulations.
Employee Relationship Management:

1. Communication and transparency: make sure there are open lines of communication so
employees feel they can speak up. This will help you avoid misunderstandings and potential
disputes. Conduct regular surveys with your employees so that they feel that their voices are
heard.
2. Appreciation and gratitude go a long way. Provide feedback and constructive criticism on a
regular basis. This will help your staff feel valued, and encourage them to grow and improve.
3. Rewards and recognition: implement a system for recognizing and rewarding good work.
This will inspire your employees to aim higher and focus on continuous improvement.
4. Show employees that you care. Treat your staff like people, not just cogs in the machine. Be
kind and provide guidance and support. You could even provide perks such as corporate gym
membership or meal vouchers.
5.Implement a system for time and attendance tracking to avoid disputes with timesheets,
wages, and overtime.
 Offer to support professional development initiatives.
 Don’t micromanage. Instead, encourage your employees to take responsibility and
engage with their work.
 Don’t pick favorites as this can create tension within departments. Make sure you treat all
employees the same.
 Engage with your employees to keep them happy and productive. Consider their
motivations, job satisfaction, and expectations.
 Implement a transparent employee relations policy and share it with all employees. Make
sure it includes clear procedures for reporting potential issues.
Activity 10
1.Discuss some strategies for effective employee relations.
2. Deliberate on some labor-management issues.
3. Explain the benefits of strong employee and labor relations.

Boni/Pasig Campus
MODULE 11
Office Personnel Problems and Practices
WEEK 11- Office Personnel Practices
Common Management Challenges
OBJECTIVES:
1. Deliberate some common office personnel practices.
2. Discuss common office personnel problems and practices
Definition
Work practices refer to the execution of specific duties and tasks related to a job
description, leveling potential hazards or risk factors that can compromise health and safety
standards.
Here are five tips you can follow to improve office etiquette — and lead your staff and your
company to success.
1. Be punctual, and pay attention

Try to arrive a few minutes early to start your workday or join a business meeting.
Whether you’re leading or attending the meeting, make sure you aren’t distracted by calls,
emails, texts or side conversations. Unless you’re making a presentation, don’t monopolize the
discussion, and don’t allow anyone else to, either.
2. Discourage gossip and public criticism

Gossip says more about the person sharing it than the person it’s about. So, give a clear
message to your team that not only won’t you share in gossip — defined as casual or
unrestrained reports typically involving personal details that are not confirmed as being true —
but you disapprove of it.
As a manager, it’s important to keep any discussion of sensitive issues to one-on-one,
face-to-face conversations with employees.
3. Be mindful and courteous

You should be mindful that scents travel. If you share a refrigerator, cover your food to
make it airtight, and toss out your old food and beverages at the end of each week.
Other potential distractions? Speakerphones, loud voices, ringing phones that aren't
picked up, conversations or loitering next to desks, messy desks and cluttered workspaces.
You can also be courteous by acknowledging your colleagues when they help you and
give them credit when appropriate. Build healthy mentoring relationships, get to know your
employees and pay attention to them.
4. Communicate with class

Keep your language clean, no matter how comfortable you are with your team or how
casual your office is. Make sure you know how to properly pronounce employee or customer
names. Consider your audience when you use humor, sarcasm, irony, puns and wordplay. Set
workplace standards for email and phone communication. Encourage two-way communication
and listening. Be open to input from your staff; in fact, ask for it. Express gratitude in person
when possible.
5. Show respect for down time
Here’s a message for those you supervise: Going to work sick does more harm than good.
It will only make you feel worse, your productivity will be lowered, and you could spread your
germs to the rest of the office. Use your sick days, and stay home when you’re sick.
You can be a better boss by demonstrating work-life balance. Unless it’s an emergency,
avoid late-night phone calls and emails, especially if you expect the recipient to respond after
hours. Keep reasonable business hours and expect others to do the same.
How much does office etiquette matter?

A lot. People may not be as formal at their jobs as they used to be, but they still expect
their colleagues to be respectful and courteous. What’s more, good manners project an image of
professionalism, strengthening your reputation and improving your chances for career success.
How you handle sensitive workplace situations can make or break your professional
image. Whether you work for a major accounting firm or lead a small business, there’s likely
some degree of office politics within your company. Most organizations are not immune to
political issues, especially small businesses with few employees, where office politics can have a
big impact.
10 Workplace Challenges and Solutions

1. Insufficient Training
A lack of training leads to a number of workplace issues. The most obvious one is that
employees aren’t able to do their jobs as well as they would like, but it goes deeper than this.
Poor training is a leadership challenge in the workplace that can also lead to increased
frustration because employees don’t know what it takes to improve their performance or excel in
their roles. If left unchecked, this can lead to employee burnout, which can be very damaging for
the employee and the business. Eventually, this may turn into the biggest challenge at work.
Solution:
It’s important to see training as an investment. When you make training a big part of your
culture, it will come back to you in improved efficiency and productivity. Make sure it’s an open
process by involving your employees in the conversation. Ask them what skills they think they
need to work on.
2. Schedule Inflexibility
People lead complicated lives that don’t always fit with the Monday to Friday, 8-5 work
schedule. While some businesses need their employees to work a fixed schedule, there are many
that don’t. Scheduling inflexibility can lead to higher stress levels, and affect your workers’
ability to do their best work.
Solution:
Flexible schedules might seem complicated, but with the right scheduling software,
they’re actually easy to manage. You can still keep track of your employees’ time (if you feel it’s
necessary), and you can give your staff greater responsibility for their schedules.
3. Poor Work-Life Balance

If you have a work-life balance problem, it is the biggest challenge at work. We all know
balancing work-life balance is tricky. From the CEO down to the new entry-level employee, we
can all find it tricky to get this right.
As a business owner and manager, important thing to remember is that more time spent at
work doesn’t necessarily mean you get more work done, and it certainly doesn’t guarantee
quality. If you’re expecting your employees to spend all their hours at work and rarely grant time
off, then it’s going to start to affect their health and their performance.
Solution:
Work-life balance starts with culture. If you’re conveying a message that the way to
success is to spend as much time as possible in the office, then it’s not surprising that people are
going to lack a proper work-life balance (even if your scheduling is flexible).
Celebrate time off and the idea that rest and relaxation are essential to peak performance. Invest
in employee wellbeing, and encourage people to switch off when they leave the office (don’t
expect people to constantly reply to emails and messages outside of office hours).
4. Lack of Motivation
Motivation isn’t something you can just magic up. There will always be some days where
your employees feel motivated and others where they don’t.
What is a problem when there’s a persistent lack of motivation across your entire workforce?
Motivation is a common workplace challenge, and thankfully there are lots of solutions to
it.
Solution:
Communicate with your staff! A great place to start is by asking what factors they find
most motivating. Create a list of factors such as pay, time off, goals, and bonuses, and ask them
to rank them in order of importance.
This will help you understand what gets the most out of your employees, allowing you to
implement new motivation techniques.
5. Lack of Communication
A lack of communication is a common problem in the workplace. But without
communication, it’s difficult for employees to know what’s expected of them. It also means that
other problems go unreported, rather than getting fixed, they begin to stack up.
Poor communication will hurt productivity and lead to more errors, so it’s important that
businesses find ways to improve in this area.
Solution:
Encouraging open communication should be one of the main roles of a manager. It’s
about putting systems in place that allows messages to travel freely from top-to-bottom, and
bottom to top.
Sometimes this can be as simple as finding the right platform to communicate on. For
example, you might be doing everything through email, when instead, what you need is
something more instant like Slack.
7. Trust Issues
When it comes to workplace challenges and solutions, trust issues can be one of the most
difficult to solve. This is because trust is generally eroded over a period of time, and it takes time
to win it back.
If employees feel like their employers can’t be trusted, or that they’re not trusted to do their job,
then it’s a recipe for unhappiness.
Solution:
One of the easiest ways for trust to break down is through a lack of communication.
People can’t read minds, so when they’re not getting the information they need, they start to fill
in the blanks themselves, and often not in a good way.
Sometimes businesses have to deliver bad news, but if you’re open and honest about it, it’s going
to help build trust.
One way to get people to communicate and trust each other again is to encourage team-building
activities.
8. Little Recognition
It’s natural that people want to be recognized for the hard work they do. It’s easy to get
into the mindset that an employee’s pay is their recognition, but often it’s the small details that
really matter.
When someone does great work, it’s an excellent opportunity to boost morale and build trust, so
don’t miss out on it.
Solution:
Create employee rewards like employee of the month, and keep track of milestones like
birthdays and work anniversaries. Demonstrate that your employees are valuable to your
company, and recognition shouldn’t be a problem at work.
8. Staff Conflict/ Bullying

Staff conflicts happen, it’s a part of life, and it’s a part of the business. People have
different opinions, and that’s a great thing, but it’s how communication is handled that matters.
When differences of opinion spill over into outright conflict, and even bullying, it can be terrible
for employee morale, performance, productivity, mood, and everything else.
Solution:
You can overcome this common workplace challenge by creating an open environment
where employees can express themselves in a structured way. By promoting teamwork,
encouraging feedback, addressing negative attitudes, and asking about the biggest challenges at
work, you can create a more harmonious environment.
9. No Potential Growth
Everybody has goals. As much as your employees might enjoy their jobs, they also want
to progress their careers and take on new challenges in the workplace. If your business doesn’t
appear to offer these opportunities, then it’s going to be a top issue in the workplace.
Solution:
Set a career progression map that shows your employees the opportunities that are
available. Discuss what criteria need to be met for raises, and help your staff plan their career
trajectory.
The other important aspect is to follow through with what you talk about. Show that you
promote from within and offer raises to high-performing employees.
10. Lack of Technology

It can be endlessly frustrating when you don’t have the right tools to do your job.
Choosing the right technology can be difficult, particularly for small business owners who have
limited resources. However, there’s some technology that pays for itself in the long run, and
without it, you just can’t keep up with the competition.
Solution:
One of the best things you can do is create a technology plan. This looks at your current
and future needs to decide which technology is a priority and which can wait.
Make sure to get feedback from your employees, as they’re the ones that will be working
with the technology on a daily basis. Ask them what problems have you faced during the work
and what technology can help resolve that.
12 common management challenges

1. Decreased performance levels
Employees may experience periods of time where they are not as productive as usual. A
decrease in productivity can sometimes affect other team members and overall goals, making it
important to help employees feel motivated.
Managers who consistently review processes and procedures within the company can
increase efficiency. Perform a workflow analysis to review your current systems and restructure
weak areas. Another way to address this challenge is by asking questions and offering solutions
to their problems. One-on-one meetings provide a great opportunity for managers to reestablish
work hours and expectations regarding work productivity.
2. Being understaffed
Managers must recognize when it's time to hire another team member to help fulfill
responsibilities within their department. Because the hiring process is time-consuming, it's
helpful to get assistance from other managers and human resources professionals when pursuing
a new candidate.
If needed, ask for help when creating a job description, interviewing applicants and selecting the
right person for the desired role. Consider having applicants complete a sample work test to help
you determine the best fit for your team.
3. Lack of communication
Another challenge managers face when overseeing teams is ensuring effective
communication. Because every team member has a different personality, there is a chance for
miscommunication from time to time.
Increase the frequency of communication to ensure employees know exactly what you expect of
them and when you need them to complete it. Redefine standards that reinforce your team's goals
and purposes. Consider implementing a messaging platform for the workplace that allows
everyone to communicate quickly. Let them know if you prefer one form of contact over
another.
4. Poor teamwork
Sometimes, employees may lose focus on collaboration when they spend a lot of time
completing individual tasks. To re-establish teamwork, managers should revisit the purpose of a
project. Managers who take the time to acknowledge their team's efforts and clarify the purpose
of their work commonly see increased levels of motivation.
Consider dividing your team members into partners so they have a chance to work with
someone for a specific project. Team-building exercises are another great way to help everyone
learn how to work better together. Base the content of your exercises around the challenges your
team faces. For example, if they need to get to know each other better, focus on relationship
building.
5. Pressure to perform
Some managers, especially new managers, to feel like they are under pressure to achieve
greatness from the very start of their role. If you frequently feel stressed about your leadership
position, take time to revisit the reasons why you were hired for the job. Recognize that leaders
learn from experience and mistakes. While planning helps, you will likely face unexpected
situations. The way that you choose to resolve conflicts and react to challenges reflects your
ability to lead.
6. Absence of structure
A common challenge that managers face in the workplace is the absence of structure,
especially when overseeing a new team. Depending on the work environment, some teams may
need to be supervised more closely than others in order to maintain productivity levels.
Take time to develop an organizational structure that helps employees know what you
expect of them. In addition, show your team respect to encourage loyalty.
7. Time management
Because managers are responsible for overseeing the members of their team and
communicating with other department heads, they typically struggle with balancing their own
tasks. One way to prioritize your own work responsibilities is by scheduling time throughout the
day to do specific work. Let your team know the times you'll be available to them and the times
you plan to focus on your work. Regularly update your calendar, and share it with team members
so they know when they can reach you.
8. Inadequate support
Managers sometimes need approval from the executive team of a company or the
business owner before moving ahead with a project. When the decision-making process takes
longer than expected, it may slow down their team's progress overall. The most important thing
to do in this situation is to be honest with your team members. Let them know that you are
waiting for information from the executive team, and if possible, allow them to work on other
projects. Try to arrange for a one-on-one with the decision-maker to expedite progress.
9. Skepticism
Teams often question the transparency of management when they feel distanced from
their supervisors, especially if certain employees feel like they are doing more work than others.
When people feel they are not part of the plan, their level of trust becomes compromised. Clear
communication and honest interactions help resolve skepticism in most instances because it
builds trust between an employee and manager. When you delegate tasks, explain why you
assigned it and how it contributes to the overall goal.
10. Difficult employees

Sometimes, managers oversee employees who cause tension in the workplace. Knowing
how to properly address any issues before they become major problems is one common
challenge managers face. To address specific concerns, request feedback from your team
members to learn about any issues they may have with completing work or communicating with
team members.
Implement any feasible suggestions to show you're listening to your team. Take time to listen to
their concerns and find out what you can about the situation. If you're unsure of what to do next,
consider enlisting the support of an HR professional in your company. Their training supports
conflict resolution and other aspects of employee relations.
11. Transition from coworker to manager

People who get promoted at work often find themselves managing old coworkers. This
situation may feel awkward at first, but with time and the right leadership, it may become less of
an issue. Ensure team members that you're there to support their efforts and ensure they have
everything they need to accomplish their goals. It may help to have a meeting shortly after the
transition where you address the change in roles and allow your team members to ask any
questions.
12. Weak workplace culture

When teams feel like they’re not connected with the rest of the workplace, they could
experience a decrease in motivation. Teams that feel they are part of a larger group, experience
more confidence and trust. One way to promote a strong work culture is by planning lunch
outings and rewarding employees who exceed expectations.
Activity #11
1. Discuss some office practices that every employee must apply.
2. How are office personnel problems resolved?
Boni/Pasig Campus
MODULE 12
Managing Administrative Services
WEEK 12- Records Management

Space Management for Administrative Services
OBJECTIVES:
1. Discuss the essentials of records management.
2. Explain why space has to be managed.
Benefits of creating an HR document management system

While it takes time to create file management strategies for your small business, your
investment will pay off in the following benefits.
1. Compliance
The most compelling reason to have a formal, effective document strategy in place
for HR is the law. Numerous federal laws require employers to store certain employee
records .
Some must be stored in a secure environment. Many have specific retention periods.
Your document storing system helps ensure that you comply with all of the relevant
requirements.
2. Legal protection
In addition to federal requirements, you need to be able to readily access employee
documents to answer regulatory audits and inquiries, employee complaints, and lawsuits.
For example, if an employee lodges a discrimination complaint, you may need to
access performance appraisals, compensation data, time and attendance records, hiring
documents, and more.
3. Security and privacy

Employers are also legally required to secure sensitive employee data, including
medical information, information on disabilities, Social Security numbers, and other
personal information.
A document management system prescribes security protocols to meet those
requirements. Examples include locking physical files, securing computers and other
information technology (IT) equipment when not in use, and protecting electronic data with
passwords and encryption.
4. Administrative efficiency
The only thing worse than working through a mountain of administrative paperwork
is climbing that mountain over and over again, hunting for documents and recreating lost
data. A document management plan is critical for efficient, organized HR administration.
4. Data flow
An effective document management policy streamlines document access and sharing
for efficient workflows. When you have a clear location and path for every document, you
can ensure that the right documents are available to the right people on demand.
HR electronic document management further enhances data flow and access.
Documents vs. Records
The term document encompasses paper, electronic forms and files, emails, faxes,
contracts, leases, vendor communications, etc. Records are any of those documents that have
been made final and are no longer meant to be altered.
Document Management
Document management is the processes of handling documents in a way that enables

them to be created, shared, organized, stored and retrieved efficiently and effectively.
Objectives of Document Management:

 Reduce lost and misfiled documents.
 Provide faster search and retrieval of documents.
 Reduce the amount of physical space used to store documents, such as file
cabinets, boxes and shelving.
 Better organize existing documents.
 Streamline information and workflow.
 Allow instant access to documents.

Records Management
Records management is the practice of maintaining records including classifying, storing,
securing and destruction or archival preservation, which protects fragile historical archives and
assures permanent records are accessible and readable for years into the future.
Objectives of Records Management:

 Control the quantity and quality of records.
 Simplify the activities, systems, and processes of records maintenance and use.
 Identify what records exist by records inventory.
 Apply required retention periods to stored items.
 Develop and administer policies and procedures.
 Preserve records throughout their life cycle.
Definition of administrative service

The administrative service is a supporting unit whose main aim is to control the
financial and economic aspects of the scheme for the manager of the organization.
Therefore, its size and staffing depend largely on the services that are offered
Records management (RM) is the supervision and administration of digital or paper

records, regardless of format. Records management activities include the creation, receipt,
maintenance, use and disposal of records. In this context, a record is content that documents a
business transaction.
Generally speaking, there are two types of records management systems:

traditional paper record management systems, and electronic record management
systems. As the name might imply, traditional paper record management systems involve the
management and storage of hard-copy documents.
Their purpose is to provide reliable evidence of, and information about, 'who, what,
when, and why' something happened. In some cases, the requirement to keep certain records is
clearly defined by law, regulation, or professional practice
What is space management?

Space management is the process of controlling and managing the different physical
workspaces a business occupies.
It enables strategic planning to provide cost-effective solutions and allows the inventory of space
you have available to be optimized for employees to perform their work more efficiently.
To deliver value, space management relies on accurate and reliable data about how a
building’s space is being utilized. This is typically collected with technology such as occupancy
sensors, which can monitor and track occupancy rates in real-time. Such data can be integrated
into building management systems to help generate usage reports for analysis.
The principle of space management planning includes these four components:

Insight data, real-time records, space utilization and optimization, and reducing costs.
Insight data is about trends and historic data. It is about seeing how your organization is
utilizing its physical space over a period of time and the associated costs by analyzing reports
from an integrated workplace management system that compiles accurate space usage data.
Real-time records are how your company is utilizing its office space right now.
Space utilization and optimization is the third step where you analyze the insight and
real-time data, and plan how you use it to make improvements to your space.
Reducing real estate costs is making sure your plan is focused on where you can reduce
space and optimize your current space inventory to improve return on investment.

Why is space management software important?
It can help organizations take an evidence-based approach around decisions on how to
implement the following:

1. Reduce real estate costs
It might seem as simple as looking at the general opening hours of the office to find out
when the space is being used, but this simplistic approach doesn’t account for many aspects of
the modern working environment.
For example, with flexible and hybrid working hours now more popular than ever, can
you actually say for sure when most of your office users come and go? What about teams that
spend a significant amount of time on the road, going to visit customers or suppliers?
A space management system can give you an accurate picture of how many people you
need to have space for on an average day, and show you the trends of demand for this space
across weeks and months.
Management of space by both physical dimension and actual employee utilization could
highlight areas for consolidation - enabling savings on utility bills by requiring less heating,
cooling, and lighting; whilst also providing options for big cost savings by downsizing your
overall space or subletting for an additional income. Perhaps that bigger building you were
thinking of moving to might not be needed after all.

2. Meeting and conference room management
Meeting and conference rooms are premium office facilities – but are they being used
intelligently and in ways that justify the cost? Are rooms truly being used at capacity, and are
bookings being kept?
By monitoring actual meeting room usage, you can identify problems of under-
utilization and initiate an effective booking system for the capturing of actionable data regarding
missed bookings and both idle and inappropriately sized rooms, in order to create and implement
policies for the optimization of your workspace according to your real needs.

3. Reducing your buildings energy consumption
Knowing when the building is used also gives you a chance to better plan and operate
lighting and HVAC systems to coincide with actual demand and not just when you assume the
most people will need it.

4. Desk space management
Hybrid working may render your old seating arrangements obsolete. Knowing to what
capacity your employees are using their desks may help you determine how many permanent
desks could be converted to ‘hot desks,’ saving space.
Not only this, but integrating your real-time space utilization data into your desk
booking systems will enable you to efficiently roll out hoteling by making sure that any desk
that is not utilized in the booked time frame can be dynamically released for use.

5. Effective space management
Through improving the management of your organization’s available space in the above
areas, you can increase the productivity of your staff, who will find the booking of meeting
rooms and desks easier and far more efficient in a smart office tailored specifically to their
working needs.

Focusing on optimizing your building to help staff move around more efficiently and
operate in greater comfort, will reduce the time your staff are wasting searching for spaces to
work in or absenteeism that is related to the office environment. Further benefits include
minimizing costs associated with productivity losses.
Activity #12
1. Why is records management important?
2. What is the principle behind space management?

Boni/Pasig Campus
MODULE 13
ERGONOMICS IN THE OFFICE
WEEK13 - Office Ergonomics

Computer Ergonomics
Ergonomic Mouse
Typing Ergonomics
OBJECTIVES:
1. Discuss why ergonomics is important to workers.
2.Explain the different ergonomics such as computer ergonomics, ergonomic mouse,
and typing ergonomics.
WHAT IS OFFICE ERGONOMICS?

Ergonomics refers to making sure that there’s a perfect fit between a product, the
purpose it’s used for, and the person using it. In an office setting, ergonomics relates to items
such as chairs, desks, monitor stands and other elements that comprise an employee’s
workstation. Office ergonomics focuses on the worker, ensuring the worker is not at risk of
injury or health complications.
WHY IS OFFICE ERGONOMICS IMPORTANT FOR WORKERS?

For the worker, office ergonomics can help prevent injury, boost productivity and work
quality. If you are uncomfortable and irritable, this is likely to hinder your performance at work
as well as cause injury.
Not following the correct office ergonomics can result in the following common injuries and
conditions:
 Repetitive strain injury. Repetitive strain injury can be caused by consistently sitting
in an uncomfortable, unnatural position, as well as common mistakes such as straining. It refers
to the pain felt in muscles, nerves, and tendons due to repetitive movements and overuse injury.
Whilst it is widely associated with wrist and hand injuries caused by typing, it can also mean a
range of painful or uncomfortable conditions of the muscles, tendons, nerves and other soft
tissues. Most cases of repetitive strain injuries have their bases in the nerves in the upper body,
from the nerves in the neck and shoulders down into the wrists and hands.
 Back and neck pain. These are often the most common complaints from office
workers. This can be due to disc degeneration, or because of the excess pressure being suffered
by the spine. Back and neck pain can also be due to a slumped position causing nerve
constriction, as the spine and other bones change their position due to the long-term effects of
bad posture.
 Joint pain and muscle stiffness. By sitting in a sedentary position for the majority of
the day, you are risking joint pain and stiffness. This is particularly common in workers who sit
in a slouched or unnatural position, and in those who do not take adequate breaks.
 Digestive issues. Although this sounds unlikely, sitting in an unhealthy position can
impact digestion in some cases. A slouched position can compress your abdominal organs,
including your digestive tract. This can have an impact on your metabolism and affects your
ability to process food correctly.
 Impact on breathing ability. In some cases, the incorrect posture in the office
can negatively affect your lung capacity and ability to breathe properly. Slouching causes the
muscles and tendons in the front of your body to become shortened. The impact of this can
make it difficult to take full, deep breaths.
 Computer vision syndrome. Computer vision syndrome refers to a group of eye and

vision-related problems that result from prolonged computer use.
 Headaches are a common complaint from people who spend prolonged periods sat at a
computer. They often occur due to too much glare on the screen and improper computer
brightness and color. They are sometimes the result of eye strain.
 Carpal tunnel syndrome. One of the most common musculoskeletal disorders, carpal

tunnel is a condition that causes pain, numbness and tingling in the hand and arm. It causes
when one of the major nerves to the hand – the median nerve, is squeezed or compressed as it
travels through the wrist. This is commonly caused by the wrong mouse and keyboard
placement.
WHAT OFFICE ERGONOMICS SHOULD I CONSIDER?
There are different types of ergonomics that you should follow if you are an office
worker, as most of your working day is likely to be sat at a computer. If you work in an office,
you should be aware of the following office ergonomics to prevent injury:
COMPUTER ERGONOMICS
Computer ergonomics addresses ways to optimize your computer workstation to reduce
the specific risks of computer vision syndrome, neck and back pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
It also reduces the risk of other disorders affecting the muscles, spine, and joints.
THE CORRECT COMPUTER ERGONOMICS
MONITOR PLACEMENT
It is possible to strain your eyes by putting your face too close to a screen. Neck injuries
also commonly occur when the monitor is placed in an awkward angle or too far from your eye
level. Your eyes should be level with the top of your computer monitor.
Position computer monitors and display screens so they are:
 Level with your eye line to prevent neck and back pain
 Around an arm’s length away from your body to prevent computer vision syndrome
If you struggle to place your computer in the right position for your eye line, you may
benefit from an adjustable monitor arm.
REDUCING SCREEN GLARE
Screen glare can cause eye strain, headaches, and dry eyes. The following steps can be
taken to prevent this:
 Adjust your monitor so that its brightness is approximately equal to the area behind it.
 If you experience screen glare that isn’t reduced when you have changed the brightness,
you can cover your computer with an anti-glare filter and wear anti-glare glasses.
MOUSE PLACEMENT
You should keep your wrists in a neutral position, rather than bent up or down. Your
elbow should be bent at 90 degrees when you are using a mouse. Your wrists should not be
straining, nor should they feel uncomfortable during use.
WHAT IS AN ERGONOMIC MOUSE?

A good ergonomic mouse fits snugly into your hand and is designed to suit the amount of
clicking, scrolling, and browsing you do. They can keep your hand in as comfortable a position
as possible. This allows you to work for longer without feeling discomfort.
POSTURE ERGONOMICS
Ergonomic sitting posture means studying an individual’s sitting position in the office.
Following proper posture ergonomics ensures you sit in a way that maximizes comfort and
efficiency. Paying attention to your posture reduces your risk of pain, discomfort and work-
related injuries.
THE CORRECT POSTURE ERGONOMICS

Keep your feet flat on the floor, as this keeps the pelvis balanced, making it easier for

you to arch your lower back.
 Keep your elbows at the side of your body, so your arm forms an L-shape at the elbow
joint.
 Keep a straight back and sit up straight, so your bones, ligaments, muscles, and joints
can align themselves.
 Ensure you are sat with your hip far back in your chair.
Your knees should ideally be in line with your hips.


The image below demonstrates the correct posture ergonomics:
WHY IS OFFICE ERGONOMICS IMPORTANT FOR WORKERS?
For the worker, office ergonomics can help prevent injury, boost productivity and work
quality. If you are uncomfortable and irritable, this is likely to hinder your performance at work
as well as cause injury.
Not following the correct office ergonomics can result in the following common injuries and
conditions:
 Repetitive strain injury. Repetitive strain injury can be caused by consistently sitting

in an uncomfortable, unnatural position, as well as common mistakes such as straining. It refers
to the pain felt in muscles, nerves, and tendons due to repetitive movements and overuse injury.
Whilst it is widely associated with wrist and hand injuries caused by typing, it can also mean a
range of painful or uncomfortable conditions of the muscles, tendons, nerves and other soft
tissues. Most cases of repetitive strain injuries have their bases in the nerves in the upper body,
from the nerves in the neck and shoulders down into the wrists and hands.
 Back and neck pain. These are often the most common complaints from office
workers. This can be due to disc degeneration, or because of the excess pressure being suffered
by the spine. Back and neck pain can also be due to a slumped position causing nerve
constriction, as the spine and other bones change their position due to the long-term effects of
bad posture.
 Joint pain and muscle stiffness. By sitting in a sedentary position for the majority of
the day, you are risking joint pain and stiffness. This is particularly common in workers who sit
in a slouched or unnatural position, and in those who do not take adequate breaks.
 Digestive issues. Although this sounds unlikely, sitting in an unhealthy position can

impact digestion in some cases. A slouched position can compress your abdominal organs,
including your digestive tract. This can have an impact on your metabolism and affects your
ability to process food correctly.
 Impact on breathing ability. In some cases, the incorrect posture in the office
can negatively affect your lung capacity and ability to breathe properly. Slouching causes the
muscles and tendons in the front of your body to become shortened. The impact of this can
make it difficult to take full, deep breaths.
 Computer vision syndrome. Computer vision syndrome refers to a group of eye and

vision-related problems that result from prolonged computer use.
 Headaches are a common complaint from people who spend prolonged periods sat at a
computer. They often occur due to too much glare on the screen and improper computer
brightness and color. They are sometimes the result of eye strain.
 Carpal tunnel syndrome. One of the most common musculoskeletal disorders, carpal
tunnel is a condition that causes pain, numbness and tingling in the hand and arm. It causes
when one of the major nerves to the hand – the median nerve, is squeezed or compressed as it
travels through the wrist. This is commonly caused by the wrong mouse and keyboard
placement.
TYPING ERGONOMICS
Typing ergonomics focuses on preventing common workplace injuries such as strains,
stress, and damage of joints caused by typing mistakes. Typing ergonomics focuses on setting up
desk equipment correctly, as well as how to correctly type at a desk.
When caused by typing incorrectly, repetitive strain injury can cause the following
symptoms:
 Chronically cold hands, particularly the fingertips
 Weakness in the hands or arms
 Aching or pain
 Other common symptoms include swelling, tingling, numbness
KEYBOARD PLACEMENT
 A keyboard should be placed just below the elbow level. Your keyboard should be flat
on the desk, or gently sloping away from you.
 Keep your elbows at an open angle, at 90-110 degrees, to relax your forearms and
shoulders.
 You should position your keyboard so your elbows and arms remain as close to your
sides as possible. Your arms should sit at or below a 90-degree angle.
WHAT IS AN ERGONOMIC KEYBOARD?

Ergonomic keyboards are designed to make typing as comfortable as possible. They are
used to prevent you from developing repetitive muscle strains and injuries. It is advised to use
one of these if possible. You can read about the different types of ergonomic keyboards here.
WRIST PLACEMENT
 Keep your wrists in a neutral position, rather than bent up or down.
Following the correct typing ergonomics can prevent the risks of injury such as wrist ache
and repetitive strain injury:
HOW DO YOU TREAT A STIFF HAND FROM TYPING?

You can visit a massage therapist to help with aches and pains in the joints and muscles.
They may also recommend specific exercises you can practice to help with the pain and stiffness.
Following our advice on mouse and keyboard placement will also help prevent getting a stiff
hand.
ADDITIONAL TIPS FOR PREVENTING INJURIES

The following tips to improve your posture and prevent injury in the office:
 Avoid phone strain. If you spend a lot of time on the phone in your office, consider
exchanging your handset for a headset. Cradling a phone between your ear and shoulder can
strain the muscles in the neck.
 Don’t cross your legs, as this can contribute to posture-related health problems.
Crossing the legs puts pressure on the peroneal nerve, which supplies sensation to your legs
and feet.
 Adjust your chair so your forearms are straight and level with the floor. This prevents
repetitive strain injuries.
 Take regular short breaks, as these are better for your back than fewer long ones.
 Avoid wearing bifocals. Bifocal glasses mean you may not be able to see the screen
properly without having to raise or lower your head frequently.
Position the monitor to avoid reflection from overhead lighting and sunlight. If
necessary, pull blinds across the windows.
Activity #13
1. Discuss why ergonomics is important to workers.
2. Explain the different ergonomics such as computer ergonomics, ergonomic
mouse, and typing ergonomics.

Boni/Pasig Campus
MODULE 14
MANAGING ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEMS
WEEK 14 - Analyzing Administrative Office Systems

Theories of administrative management
Strategies for effective administrative management
OBJECTIVES:
1. Explain the theories of administrative management.
2. Discuss the different principles of administrative management.
3. Elucidate the strategies for effective administrative management.
4. Differentiate between Personnel Management and HRM
What is administrative management?
The term “administrative management” refers to the act of running and maintaining a
business or organization. The core objective of administrative management is to create a formal
structure that facilitates success for a particular business or organization. Administrative
management employees create a hierarchy of authority, decide on their key functions, assign the
different areas of responsibilities and divide labor across the company’s departments.
Theories of administrative management
1.Fayol’s Principles of Administrative Management

Henri Fayol was a theorist who introduced 14 principles of administrative management
based on his experience as an engineer and a director of a mining company in the 1800s. Fayol’s
14 principles are considered to be one of the earliest theories of administrative management.
These principles include:

 Division of Work: Dividing tasks evenly among employees
 Authority: Deciding how the chain of command functions in the organization
 Discipline: Setting policies on how standards of behavior are enforced
 Unity of Command: Selecting a single individual or team to be the executive branch
 Unity of Direction: Maintaining unified goals and vision
 Subordination of Individual Interests: Sacrificing personal needs for the good of the
organization
 Order: Communicating expectations and instructions
 Equity: Prioritizing fair and just treatment and dealings
 Stability of Personnel: Maintaining long-term relationships between employee and
employer
 Initiative: Taking advantage of every opportunity and acting with a sense of urgency

2.James D. Mooney’s Administrative Management Theory
James D. Mooney was an engineer and corporate executive. You may know him as one
of the early leaders in managerial theory. He identified three key principles that make
organizations distinctive social entities.
These include:
 Coordination
 Hierarchy
 Functional differentiation
Based on this foundation, Mooney, along with Alan Reiley, developed a systems theory
of organization that assigned a process and effect to each principle. His work is considered
critical in the development of administrative management theory.
3.Luther Gulick and the POSDCORB Theory

Luther Gulick, an American political scientist, was an expert in public administration. He
created the acronym “POSDCORB” which stands for:
 Planning
 Organizing
 Staffing
 Directing
 Coordinating
 Reporting
 Budgeting
He believed that organizations could be more successful at managing projects if they

approached them using these eight elements. Gulick’s theory is inspired by Fayol’s 14
principles.
Essential skills for administrative management

An administrator is a person who directs the activities of their team or employees and
undertakes the responsibility to achieve the objectives of a particular organization or business.
1. Technical skills
Today’s business environment is dominated by technology. A successful administrator
needs to understand and be proficient in the relevant technologies for their specific segment. This
means that the administrator must understand technology and know how to use and apply it
within their particular discipline.
2.Human skills
Technical skill is related to working with things or applications, but human skill is related
to working with people. This skill encompasses how an administrator interacts with their
subordinates, equals, and superiors. A good administrator should have the skills to understand
the people they work with, be receptive to their point of views and perceptions, understand their
expectations and identify their strengths and areas of weakness.
Human skills also include the ability to communicate well and to understand and be
sensitive to the needs and feelings of the people you work with or manage.
3.Conceptual skills
This is the ability to see an organization and know how each part works and how it
relates to other functions. This helps the administrator monitor proper coordination because in
most cases, the proper running of one process depends on other processes.
Also, conceptual skills allow the administrator to better understand where they fit in the industry,
the economic and market forces that affect their segment, and the role political and social forces
can play towards the success or failure of their organization.
Strategies for effective administrative management
Some key strategies for effective administrative management include:

1.Budget control and cost management
This is critical for the smooth operation of any organization. A successful administrative
manager must have a strategy in place to administer a budget, manage risk and report any
variances. A sub-strategy of budget control would also include the implementation of cost
improvement strategies such as automation, waste elimination and monitoring productivity.
2.Change control and management

It is always a challenge to manage change, not just at the team level but at a functional
level. There needs to be an administrative strategy in place to manage the process of change, to
evaluate that change, budget for it, implement it and ensure it is accepted throughout the
different departments of an organization.
3.Delegation
This is a basic necessity for the administrative side of any business operation. If you want
your business to run smoothly, assign responsibilities within the team. You also have to specify
the levels of authority so that tasks are completed on time by those who are best qualified to do
so.
4.Goal setting
This is a company-wide strategy but one that requires input from the entire
administration. There has to be a strategy that outlines a clear action plan for the employees and
states specific targets. Most organizations follow the SMART methodology for setting goals:
specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.
Leadership development
Effective administrative management includes a strategy to promote leaders from within,

and this will require developing the abilities of existing team members and honing their skills.
Leadership development is closely associated with succession planning, and both are very
important for any organization.
Differences between Personnel Management and HRM

Personnel Management Focus HRM Focus
Administering of policies Helping to achieve strategic goals through people
HRM training programs that are integrated with
Stand-alone programs, such as training
company’s mission and values
Personnel department responsible for Line managers share joint responsibility in all areas of
managing people people hiring and management
Creates a cost within an organization Contributes to the profit objectives of the organization
Activity #14
1.Explain the theories of administrative management.
2.Discuss the different principles of administrative management.
3. Elucidate the strategies for effective administrative management.
4.Disscuss the difference between Personnel Management and HRM

Boni/Pasig Campus
MODULE 15
PRODUCTIVITY AT WORK
WEEK 15 - Improving Productivity

Budgetary Control
OBJECTIVES:
1. Discuss ways to improve productivity at work.
2. Explain the types of budgetary controlling techniques
5 Ways To Increase Your Productivity At Work
1. Stop multitasking
It can be tempting to want to take care of a few tasks at once, especially if they seem
small or easy. But it simply doesn’t work. According to neuroscience professor Earl K.
Miller, “multitasking is not humanly possible.” Focus on one task at a time, and you’ll actually
end up completing it faster.
2. Take breaks
We might think working longer hours means we’re getting more done, but we never work
as well when we’re burned out. Studies show taking regular breaks
helps concentration and boosts your mood. Take a five-minute walk around the office, or spend
15 minutes grabbing that mid-afternoon coffee.
3. Set small goals

Sometimes, looking at our goals can be overwhelming. Seeing a handful of big projects
on our calendar can be stressful… but if you break it up into smaller tasks, you’ll feel more in
control and will be much more productive. Rather than write down "finish project," break that
into all the tasks it will take. This will keep you on track in your day-to-day and make the bigger
projects seem less daunting.
4. Take care of the biggest tasks when you’re most alert

We all sometimes push aside big goals because we’re not confident we’ll accomplish
them… And by the time we get to them, we’re too burned out from our day to give it the
attention it needs. That’s how projects end up bleeding into additional days, and making it feel
like productivity has disappeared.
Understanding when and how you work best is key to getting those big projects done on time.
There’s no set schedule that works for everyone… if you’re a morning person, tackle the big
tasks first thing in your day.
5. Implement the “two-minute rule”

Make the most of your time at work by filling those tiny windows with actual tasks.
According to entrepreneur SteveOlenski, finding and immediately completing tasks that take two
minutes or less actually saves you time. So, if it takes less than two minutes, do it now.
Reasons Why Employee Productivity Suffers

Some of the reasons why employee productivity can suffer are as discussed:
1. The most common reason employee productivity suffers is the lack of a clear set of
objectives or goals. Without direction, employees often get caught up in their own personal
tasks or address activities that aren't directly related to the company's strategic goals. In many
cases, employees are overwhelmed with work and don't know which tasks to focus on first.
2. The second most common reason employee productivity suffers is poor communication from
managers. Employees need clear direction and regular feedback on how they are performing.
It's important for managers to be available for questions about goals or tasks and provide
specific information about the job at hand.
3. The third most common reason employee productivity suffers is bad hiring decisions and a
lack of training. If you hire the wrong person for the job, they will never be able to increase
productivity at work. If you hire the right person but fail to give them proper training, they
will also suffer in terms of productivity.
4. The fourth most common reason employee productivity suffers is the lack of internal
resources, such as equipment, supplies, and personnel needed to complete a task or project.
Employees are unable to increase productivity at work if they lack adequate support and
resources to do their jobs effectively.
5. The fifth most common reason employee productivity suffers is poor time management
skills by employees and managers.
Ways to Increase Productivity at Work
1. Prioritize Tasks Each Day

Before you jump-start your day, take a few minutes to prioritize your tasks. At the
beginning of each day, list all your tasks from most important to least important. Make sure to
note deadlines for when each task is due. By prioritizing your daily tasks, you can make better
use of your time and increase productivity at work.
2.Take Breaks Throughout the Day

Productivity takes a hit when we're overworked, burned out, or just generally exhausted
at work. To increase your productivity at work, give yourself a break before you feel
overwhelmed to help avoid burnout
3.Avoid Distractions
Learn what distracts you and how to manage distractions. Stop checking your email
constantly. Avoid interruptions. It's not always easy to get work done when there are so many
distractions around us, but we can take some steps to increase our productivity by avoiding these
common workplace pitfalls. Distractions like personal phone calls, emails, social media
notifications, and meetings can cause a loss of productivity throughout your day if not managed
effectively.
5.Delegate Tasks to Others, If Possible

Delegate as much as possible; it will not only increase your productivity at work, but will
also help foster an office culture where others feel empowered to do their best work and take on
additional projects. In other words, if you delegate tasks effectively, not only will you complete
more tasks in a day, but others will also be motivated to increase their productivity at work.
6. Set Short-term, Achievable Goals

One of the best ways to increase productivity at work is to set short-term, achievable
goals. Studies have shown that people who are successful in their goals are more productive than
people who don't set goals. This is because setting a goal helps you manage your time and
resources and gives you something to look forward to, keeping you motivated and helping boost
your productivity at work.
7.Use a Calendar to Keep Track of Meetings and Deadlines

Using a calendar to keep track of meetings and deadlines can help you stay on top of your
workload so you don’t have any surprises come crunch time. Employees should also use their
calendars to set up recurring tasks, such as checking in with their manager or sending out regular
reports, so they don’t forget important deadlines.
8.Get Organized with Folders and Files in Your Computer and Office Space
To organize and streamline, you can use folders and files to cut down on clutter in your
digital and physical workspace. Being more productive can be achieved through organization.
All employees should have a place for everything, and everything should be in its place. Keeping
your documents, emails, tasks, and contacts in one place is extremely convenient.
9. Keep Your Workspace Clean, but Not Too Clean!

Keep your workspace clean, but not too clean where you're spending all your time
cleaning. One of the best ways to increase productivity is to create a work environment that
makes it easy for you to focus on work and nothing else. This means keeping your desk clear of
clutter and unneeded items, making sure there's enough light in your workspace so that you can
see what you're doing (but not so much that it hurts your eyes), and creating a space that is
conducive for working (zero distractions).
10.Use a Notebook or Take Notes on a Smartphone or Tablet Device to Stay Organized.

A to-do list doesn’t help you accomplish tasks; it only reminds you to do them. If you use
a notebook or a smartphone app to take notes and keep track of your tasks, there’s less chance
that a task will fall through the cracks. You can also write reminders directly into your planner or
on sticky notes, so they’re not lost in an email inbox.
11.Reward Yourself on Completion of a Task

One of the most effective ways to stay productive at work is using a reward system. To
use a reward system effectively, you need to create an incentive that will motivate you. It doesn’t
necessarily have to be monetary; it can simply be something you enjoy, like treating yourself
with a coffee or ordering your favorite food, basically anything that gets you pumped up and
working. It is important to set a task before assigning yourself a reward in order for it to increase
your productivity while completing your daily tasks or during work hours.
5 factors with an impact on labor productivity

1. Energy and personal attitudes
The combination of energy and a person’s attitude will play a significant role in
determining their productivity in any context, whether work-related or not. This is why it is
essential to successfully manage both, as the second in particular may be affected by external
variables such as the attitude of the other workers, the physical work setting, the level of
responsibility, the pressure received, and the number of processes in place. All these elements
and more can change a potentially positive attitude to a negative one.
2. Equipment and resources

Having insufficient resources to carry out a task is without a doubt one of the most likely
preconditions for undermining productivity. The correct technical equipment, along with the
necessary training and mentoring, are essential for achieving the expected productivity levels in a
role. And of course, it should also be noted that any scarcity of this factor will affect not only the
previous factor but also the following one.
3. Objectives
The planning and setting of objectives, sufficiently endowed with resources and done in a
participative way, will boost labor productivity provided they are consistent. Here it is well
worth pointing out how important it is for these objectives to be SMART: specific, measurable,
action-oriented, realistic, and time-bound.

4. Leadership
Evidently, the team leader will be involved in setting and monitoring objectives, and his
or her personality and style will influence productivity. A leader that can be trusted and who is
honest and balanced in their supervision can be the perfect driver for increasing productivity in
any department.
5. Environment
Finally, the physical features of the workplace are equally important for maintaining the
expected labor productivity. Everything from the furnishings through to the proximity of the
workmates and the necessary equipment, and including sufficient natural light or the decoration
of the workspace, will all influence productivity, as has been abundantly demonstrated.
Budgetary Control
Budgetary control is financial jargon for managing income and expenditure. In
practice it means regularly comparing actual income or expenditure to planned income or
expenditure to identify whether or not corrective action is required. Budgetary control is a
system for monitoring an organization’s process in monetary terms
3 Types of Budgetary Controlling Techniques

1. Financial Budgets.
2. Operating Budget.
3. Non-Monetary Budgets.
4.
Financial Budgets
Such budgets detail where the organization expects to get its cash for the coming period
and how it plans to spend it. Usual sources of cash include sales revenue, the sales of assets, the
issuance of stock, and loans.
On the other hand, the common uses of cash are to purchase new assets, pay expenses, repay
debts, or pay dividends to shareholders.
Financial budgets may be of the following types:
1. Cash budget
This is simply a forecast of cash receipts and disbursements against which actual cash
“experience” is measured
It provides an important control in an enterprise since it breaks down incoming and outgoing
cash into monthly, weekly, or even daily periods so that the organization can make sure it can
meet its current obligations.
The cash budget also shows the availability of excess cash, thereby making it possible to plan for
profit-making investment of surpluses.
2. Capital expenditure budget

This type of financial budget concentrates on major assets such as a new plant, land or
machinery. Organizations often acquire such assets by borrowing significant amounts through,
say, long-term bonds or securities.
All organizations, large or small, business or non-business, pay close attention to such a budget
because of the large investment usually associated with capital expenditure.
3. The balance sheet budget

It forecasts what the balance will look like if all other budgets are met. Hence it serves
the purpose of overall control to ensure that other budgets mesh properly and yield results that
are in the best interests of the organization.
Operating Budgets
This type of budget is an expression of the organization’s planned operations for a
particular period. They are usually of the following types:
1. The sales or revenue budget
It focuses on the income the organization expects to receive from normal operations. It is
important since it helps the manager understand what the future financial position of the
organization will be.
2. The expense budget
It outlines the anticipated expenses of the organization in a specified period. It also points out
upcoming expenses so that the manager can better prepare for them.
3. The project budget
It focuses on anticipated differences between sales or revenues and expenses i.e. profit. If the
anticipated profit figure is too small, steps may be needed to increase the sales budget or cut the
expense budget.
Non-monetary budgets
Budgets of this type are expressed in non-financial sales or revenues and expenses, i.e.
profit. If the anticipated profit figure is too small steps may be needed to increase the sales
budget or cut the expense budget.
Fixed and variable budgets

Regardless of their purpose, most budgets must account for the three following kinds of
costs:
1. Fixed costs
They are the expenses that the organization incurs whether it is in operation or not. Salaries of
managers may be an example of such a cost.
2. Variable costs
Such costs vary according to the scope of operations.
The best example may be the raw materials used in production. If $5 worth of material is used
per unit. 10 units would cost $50, 20 units would cost $100 and so on.
3. Semi-variable costs
They also vary, but in a less direct fashion. Costs for advertising, repairs, and maintenance, etc.
may fall under this category.
All these categories of cost must be accurately accounted for in developing a budget. Fixed costs
are usually the easiest to deal with. Variable costs can also be forecast, although with less
precision from projected operations.
Semi-variable costs are the most difficult to predict because they are likely to vary, but not in
direct relation to operations. For these costs, the manager must often rely on experience and
judgment.
Types of Budgets
Budgets can be classified as per the following basis.
1. Based on Area of Operation.
1. Functional Budgets.
2. Master Budget.
2. Based on Capacity Utilization.
1. Fixed Budget.
2. Flexible Budgets.
3. Based on Time.
1. Short Term.
2. Medium Term.
3. Long Term.
4. Based on Conditions
1. Basic Budget.
2. Current Budget.
Benefits of Budgetary Control

Budgeting plays an important role in planning and controlling. It helps in directing the
scarce resources to the most productive use and thus ensures overall efficiency in the
organization.
The benefits derived by an organization from an effective system of budgeting can be
summarized as given below.
1. Budgeting facilitates the planning of various activities and ensures that the working of the
organization is systematic and smooth.
2. Budgeting is a coordinated exercise and hence combines the ideas of different levels of
management in the preparation of the same.
3. Any budget cannot be prepared in isolation and therefore coordination among various
departments is facilitated automatically.
4. Budgeting helps planning and controlling income and expenditure to achieve higher
profitability and also acts as a guide for various management decisions.
5. Budgeting is an effective means for planning and thus ensures sufficient availability of
working capital and other resources.
6. It is extremely necessary to evaluate the actual performance with predetermined
parameters. Budgeting ensures that there are well-defined parameters and thus the
performance is evaluated against these parameters.
7. As the resources are directed to the most productive use, budgeting helps in reducing the
wastages and losses.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Budgeting
Organizations realize many benefits from budgeting including:
1. Budgets communicate management’s plans throughout the organization.
2. Budgets force managers to think about and plan for the future. In the absence of the
necessity to prepare a budget, many managers would spend all of their time dealing with
daily emergencies.
3. The budgeting process provides a means of allocating resources to those parts of the
organization where they can be used most effectively.
4. The budgeting process can uncover potential bottlenecks before they occur
5. Budgets coordinate the activities of the entire organization by integrating the plans of its
various parts. Budgeting helps to ensure that everyone in the organization is pulling in the
same direction.
6. Budgets define goals and objectives that can serve as benchmarks for evaluating
subsequent performance.
Budgets offer some advantages. They have potential drawbacks as well. Both are
summarized below
Strengths Weaknesses
1. Budgets facilitate effective control. Budgets may be used too rigidly.
2. Budgets facilitate coordination and . Budgets may be time-consuming .

communication
3. Budgets facilitate record keeping. Budgets may limit innovation and change.
4. Budgets are a natural complement to planning. However; Budgets hampers development, change, the
flexibility of the plan.
Difference between Budget and Budgetary Control
Point of
Budget Budgetary Control
Difference
Budgeting is the formulation of the plan of Budgetary control refers to the control of business
Nature
the organization. activities.
Aims The budget sets the target to be achieved Budgetary control aims at attaining that target.
But budgetary control is not possible without a budget.

Budget can be set without follow up action
Dependency However budget without the budgetary control will not
i.e., without budgetary control.
be of much
Assumption and The budget is forward-looking. It charts out But budgetary control is concerned with actual
the course of action to be followed in the performance. Its objective is to make the actual
Actual
future. performance confirm
Budgeting is a one-time job done before the Implementation of budgetary control involves the
budget period. measurement of actual performance and comparison of
Continuity However, due to the changing situation, the the same with the target to analyze the variance.
budget may require revision during the The process is continuous and carried out throughout
budget period. the budget period.
Making Budgetary Control Effective

Budgetary control can be made effective if an organization can ensure the following:
1. Setting appropriate standard
This is key to successful budgeting. Many budgets fail for lack of such standards, and some
upper-level managers hesitate to allow subordinates to submit budget plans for fear that they may
have no logical basis for reviewing budget requests.
2. Ensuring top-management support

Budget making and administration must receive the whole-hearted support of top ‘management.
If top management supports budget making, requires departments and divisions to make and
defend their budgets, and participate in this review, then budgets encourage alert management
throughout the organization.
3. Participation by users in budget preparation

Besides the support of top management, the concerned managers at lower levels should also
participate in its preparation. Real participation in budget preparation is necessary to ensure
success. It may also prove worthwhile to give department managers a reasonable degree of
latitude in changing their budgets and in shifting funds, as long as they meet their total budgets.
4. Providing information to managers about performance under budget

If budgetary control is to work well, managers need ready information about actual and forecast
performance under budgets by their departments. Such information must be so designed as to
show them how well they are doing.
Conclusion
Budgeting is the formulation of plans for a given future period in numerical terms. Organizations
may establish budgets for units, departments, divisions, or the whole organization.
The usual period for a budget is one year and is generally expressed in financial terms. Budgets
are the foundation of most control systems.
They provide yardsticks for measuring performance and facilitate comparisons across divisions,
between levels in the organization, and from one period to another.
Activity 15
1. Discuss ways to improve productivity at work.

2. Explain the types of budgetary controlling techniques
Boni/Pasig Campus
MODULE 16
OVERVIEW OF QUALITY MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES
WEEK 16 - Eight Universal Principles of Quality Management

Deming’s Quality Theory
OBJECTIVES:
1. Identify the eight universal principles of quality management
2. Explain Deming’s Quality Theory
The 8 Universal Principles of Quality Management
Principle 1: Customer focus

The first, and arguably most important principle, argues that a business wouldn’t exist
without its customers. Therefore, organizations should strive to understand their current and
future customers, in order to better meet their requirements and expectations.
Key benefits of cultivating good customer relationships include an increased market
share and boost to revenue, as well as improved customer loyalty. If you are seen as
understanding and reacting appropriately to consumer demand, the success of your business is
pretty much guaranteed, so it’s worth paying close attention to this principle.
Principle 2: Leadership
This principle extols the virtues of strong, purposeful and unifying leadership. Leaders
are responsible for creating a productive and progressive business environment. They also are in
charge of ensuring that future hires maintain that atmosphere.
Implementing this principle in your workplace relies upon having an established vision
for the business, as well as the right leaders in place to promote that vision to the rest of the team.
Spending some time getting this right from the get-go will save you time and stress in the future.
Principle 3: People involvement

Just as your business would be nowhere without a customer base, it also wouldn’t get
very far without a balanced, multi-skilled team either. Employees at every level of the
organization are crucial to its success, and this principle is all about recognizing that.
As an employer it's vital to ensure that your team are motivated and engaged, not just in
their day-to-day responsibilities, but also in the company as a whole. For this to happen, staff
need to understand the importance of their role and how it fits into wider company objectives, as
well as take responsibility for any problems that might impede them from doing their job to the
best of their abilities.
Principle 4: Process approach

A process-driven approach can help companies to avoid logistical problems that often
stem from confusion over the right way to go about things. It also future-proofs your business, as
having set processes ensures that there’s no moment of flat panic when a key team member
moves on, leaving everyone in the dark about key elements of their job.
Developing processes for every area of your business, from sales to marketing, finance to
HR, will ensure that resources are used most effectively, resulting in cost-effective and
consistent results. It also allows you to dedicate time and attention to bigger and more exciting
tasks!
Principle 5: Systematic approach to management

This principle is linked to the previous one, and argues that identifying, understanding
and managing processes using a clear system will help to streamline your business. By ensuring
that team members are dedicating the right amount of attention to key tasks, you’ll eliminate
wasted time and make your business more efficient.
A systematic approach also allows everyone to have access to every stage of certain
processes and stay up to date with progress. Plus, it looks great for prospective new clients when
your business is organized. Win-win.
Principle 6: Continual improvement

As the old adage goes, if you’re not going forwards, you’re going backwards. A business
should always be pushing for improvements, because if you’re not, you can bet that your
competitors will be.
Continual progress is a permanent goal of any successful organization. Take a look at the
world’s top 10 most prosperous organizations and you can guarantee that they have entire teams
dedicated to ensuring that they are always onto the next thing. Commitment to improvement also
allows you to be the market leader, as you’ll be the ones setting the agenda, rather than playing
catch-up to your competitors.
Principle 7: Factual Approach to Decision Making
This principle states that effective decisions are made based on rational analysis of data.
Whilst a gut feeling can be useful in some situations, it won’t really stand up when you’re
explaining to your board of investors why your profits are down by 10% this year.
Before making any business decisions, big or small, ensure that you have all the facts.
That way, if you’re ever questioned about why you made a certain decision, or asked to prove
how that decision benefits your business, you’ll have all the data at your fingertips to fall back
on. This principle also relies upon having access to reliable and accurate data, another vital
aspect for a modern-day business.
Principle 8: Mutually Beneficial Supplier Relations

Whether your business provides goods or services to customers, it’s likely you’ll rely on
some sort of supplier. This principle dictates that relationships between your company and any
suppliers must be mutually beneficial in order to add value to both parties. It allows both of you
to react more quickly and flexibly to customer demands if things are smooth and harmonious
between you, as well as making it easier to negotiate on costs.
Philosophy of Quality
Dr. W. Edwards Deming’s outlook on quality was simple but radical. He asserted that
organizations that focused on improving quality would automatically reduce costs while those
that focused on reducing cost would automatically reduce quality and actually increase costs as a
result. He outlined his ideas simply in his theory of management, now known as The Deming
Theory of Profound Knowledge.
The fourteen points of Deming’s theory of total quality management are as follows:

Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) is a cycle created for continuous improvement. In
the Planning phase, objectives and actions are outlined. then, you Do your actions and
implement the process improvements. Next, you Check to ensure quality against the original.
finally Acting requires that you determine where changes need to occur for continued
improvement before returning to the plan phase.
A Complete Management Philosophy in 14 Points
1. Create constancy of purpose. Management must create constancy of purpose toward

improvement of product and service, with the aim to become competitive and to stay in
business, and to provide jobs.
2. Adopt the new philosophy. We are in a new economic age. Western management must
awaken to the challenge, must learn their responsibilities, and take on leadership for change.
3. Stop dependencies on mass inspections. Cease dependence on inspection to achieve quality.

Eliminate the need for inspection on a mass basis by building quality into the product in the
first place.
4. Don’t award business based upon the price. End the practice of awarding business on the
basis of price. Instead, minimize total cost. Move toward a single supplier for any one item,
on a long-term relationship of loyalty and trust.
5. Aim for continuous production and service improvement. Improve constantly and forever
the system of production and service, to improve quality and productivity, and thus constantly
decrease costs.
6. Institute training on the job. Train for consistency to help reduce variation.
 Build a foundation of common knowledge.
 Allow workers to understand their roles in the "big picture."
 Encourage staff to learn from one another, and provide a culture and environment for
effective teamwork.
Implement cutting-edge methods for leadership
7. Implement cutting-edge methods for leadership. The aim of supervision should be to help
people and machines and gadgets to do a better job. Supervision of management is in need of
an overhaul, as well as supervision of production workers.
8. Abolish fear from the company. Drive out fear, so that everyone may work effectively for
the company.
9. Deconstruct departmental barriers. Break down barriers between departments. People in

research, design, sales and production must work as a team, to foresee problems of production
and in use that may be encountered with the product or service.
10. Get rid of quantity-based work goals. Eliminate slogans, exhortations and targets for the
workforce asking for zero defects and new levels of productivity. Such exhortations only
create adversarial relationships, as the bulk of the causes of low quality and low productivity
belong to the system and thus lie beyond the power of the workforce.
11. Get rid of quotas and standards. Remove barriers that rob the hourly worker of his right to
pride of workmanship. The responsibility of supervisors must be changed from sheer
numbers to quality.
12. Support pride of craftsmanship. Remove barriers that rob people in management and in
engineering of their right to pride of workmanship. This means, among other things,
abolishment of the annual or merit rating and of management by objective.
13. Ensure everyone is trained and educated. Institute a vigorous program of education and
self-improvement.
14. Make sure the top management structure supports the previous thirteen points. Put
everybody in the company to work to accomplish the transformation. The transformation is
everybody’s job. Leadership is The Key.
Deming’s Theory
Deming’s theory of Total Quality Management rests upon fourteen points of
management he identified, the system of profound knowledge, and the Shewart Cycle (Plan-Do-
Check-Act). He is known for his ratio - Quality is equal to the result of work efforts over the
total costs. If a company is to focus on costs, the problem is that costs rise while quality
deteriorates.
Deming’s system of profound knowledge consists of the following four points:

 System Appreciation - an understanding of the way that the company’s processes
and systems work
 Variation Knowledge - an understanding of the variation occurring and the causes
of the variation
 Knowledge Theory - the understanding of what can be known
 Psychology Knowledge - the understanding of human nature
Activity 16
1. Explain the eight universal principles of quality management.
2. Why is Deming’s Quality Theory very applicable in the modern times? Explain your
answer.

Boni/Pasig Campus
MODULE 17
QUALITY TOOLS IN TQM
WEEK 17 -Pareto Principle

Scatter Plots
Control Charts
Flow Charts
Cause and Effect, Fishbone, Ishikawa Diagram
Histogram or Bar Graph
Check Lists
Check Sheets
TQM Implementation
OBJECTIVES:
1. Explain the different the different tools in TQM.
2. Discuss how TQM can be implemented.
Definition
Quality Management tools help employees identify the common problems which are
occurring repeatedly and also their root causes. Quality Management tools play a crucial role
in improving the quality of products and services.
TQM Tools
Here follows a brief description of the basic set of Total Quality Management tools. They
are:
Pareto Principle
The Pareto principle suggests that most effects come from relatively few causes. In
quantitative terms: 80% of the problems come from 20% of the causes (machines, raw materials,
operators etc.); 80% of the wealth is owned by 20% of the people etc.
Therefore, effort aimed at the right 20% can solve 80% of the problems. Double (back-to-
back) Pareto charts can be used to compare ‘before and after’ situations. General use, to decide
where to apply initial effort for maximum effect.
Scatter Plots
A scatter plot is effectively a line graph with no line – i.e. the point intersections
between the two data sets are plotted but no attempt is made to physically draw a line. The Y
axis is conventionally used for the characteristic whose behavior we would like to predict. Used
to define the area of relationship between two variables.

Warning: There may appear to be a relationship on the plot when in reality there is none, or
both variables actually relate independently to a third variable.
Control Charts
Control charts are a method of Statistical Process Control, SPC. (Control system for
production processes). They enable the control of distribution of variation rather than attempting
to control each individual variation. Upper and lower control and tolerance limits are calculated
for a process and sampled measures are regularly plotted about a central line between the two
sets of limits. The plotted line corresponds to the stability/trend of the process. Action can be
taken based on trend rather than on individual variation. This prevents
over-correction/compensation for random variation, which would lead to many rejects.

Flow Charts
Pictures, symbols or text coupled with lines, arrows on lines show direction of flow.
Enables modelling of processes; problems/opportunities and decision points etc. Develops a
common understanding of a process by those involved. No particular recognition of symbology,
so communication to a different audience may require considerable time and explanation.

Cause and Effect, Fishbone, Ishikawa Diagram
The cause-and-effect diagram is a method for analyzing process dispersion. The

diagram’s purpose is to relate causes and effects.
Three basic types: Dispersion analysis, Process classification and cause enumeration.
Effect = problem to be resolved, opportunity to be grasped, result to be achieved. Excellent for
capturing team brainstorming output and for filling in from the ‘wide picture’. Helps recognize
and relate factors, providing a sequential view. Deals with time direction but not quantity. Can
become very complex. Can be difficult to identify or demonstrate interrelationships.

Histogram or Bar Graph
A Histogram is a graphic summary of variation in a set of data. It enables us to see

patterns that are difficult to see in a simple table of numbers. Can be analyzed to draw
conclusions about the data set.

A histogram is a graph in which the continuous variable is clustered into categories and
the value of each cluster is plotted to give a series of bars as above. The above example reveals
the skewed distribution of a set of product measurements that remain nevertheless within
specified limits. Without using some form of graphic this kind of problem can be difficult to
analyze, recognize or identify.

Check Sheets
A Check Sheet is a data recording form that has been designed to readily interpret results
from the form itself. It needs to be designed for the specific data it is to gather. Used for the
collection of quantitative or qualitative repetitive data. Adaptable to different data gathering
situations. Minimal interpretation of results required. Easy and quick to use. No control for
various forms of bias – exclusion, interaction, perception, operational, non-response, estimation.

Check Lists
A Checklist contains items that are important or relevant to a specific issue or situation.
Checklists are used under operational conditions to ensure that all important steps or actions have
been taken. Their primary purpose is for guiding operations, not for collecting data. Generally
used to check that all aspects of a situation have been taken into account before action or
decision making. Simple, effective.
GENERIC STRATEGY MODEL FOR IMPLEMENTING TQM SYSTEMS

1. Top management learns about and decides to commit to TQM. TQM is identified as
one of the organization’s strategies.
2. The organization assesses current culture, customer satisfaction, and quality
management systems.
3. Top management identifies core values and principles to be used, and communicates
them.
4. A TQM master plan is developed on the basis of steps 1, 2, and 3.
5. The organization identifies and prioritizes customer demands and aligns products and
services to meet those demands.
6. Management maps the critical processes through which the organization meets its
customers’ needs.
7. Management oversees the formation of teams for process improvement efforts.
8. The momentum of the TQM effort is managed by the steering committee.
9. Managers contribute individually to the effort through hoshin planning, training,
coaching, or other methods.
10. Daily process management and standardization take place.
11. Progress is evaluated and the plan is revised as needed.
12. Constant employee awareness and feedback on status are provided and a
reward/recognition process is established.
Total Quality Management (TQM) Implementation Strategies
Strategy 1: The TQM element approach

The TQM element approach takes key business processes and/or organizational units and
uses the tools of TQM to foster improvements. This method was widely used in the early 1980s
as companies tried to implement parts of TQM as they learned them. Examples of this approach
include quality circles, statistical process control, Taguchi methods, and quality function
deployment.
Strategy 2: The guru approach

The guru approach uses the teachings and writings of one or more of the leading quality
thinkers as a guide against which to determine where the organization has deficiencies. The
organization makes appropriate changes to remedy those deficiencies. For example, managers
might study Deming’s 14 points or attend the Crosby College. Afterward, they would work on
implementing the approach learned.
Strategy 3: The organization model approach

In this approach, individuals or teams visit organizations that have taken a leadership role
in TQM and determine their processes and reasons for success. They then integrate these ideas
with their own ideas to develop an organizational model adapted for their specific organization.
This method was used widely in the late 1980s and is exemplified by the initial recipients of the
Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.
Strategy 4: The Japanese total quality approach

Organizations using the Japanese total quality approach examine the detailed
implementation techniques and strategies employed by Deming Prize-winning companies and
use this experience to develop a long-range master plan for in-house use. This approach was used
by Florida Power and Light—among others—to implement TQM and to compete for, and win,
the Deming Prize.
Strategy 5: The award criteria approach
When using this model, an organization uses the criteria of a quality award (e.g., the
Deming Prize, the European Quality Award, or the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award),
to identify areas for improvement. Under this approach, TQM implementation focuses on
meeting specific award criteria.
Although some argue that this is not an appropriate use of award criteria, some organizations do
use this approach and it can result in improvement.
Activity 17
1. Explain the different the different tools in TQM.
2. Discuss how TQM can be implemented.

Boni/Pasig Campus
MODULE 18
CUSTOMER AND EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION
WEEK 18 - How to Improve Customer Service
Employee Satisfaction
OBJECTIVES:
1. Discuss the different ways for customer and employee satisfaction
2. Deliberate how to improve customer service
Satisfied employees help produce satisfied customers.

Satisfied employees are likely to assist customers with a more pleasant demeanor and a
higher level of customer service. This creates a more satisfying customer experience, increases
customer loyalty, and ultimately drives increased profitability.
How to Improve Customer Service

Research shows that if we receive good customer service, we will tell two or three
people. However, if we experience poor service, we will tell ten to twelve others! Since word of
mouth and on-line recommendations and referrals are often key drivers of new business, all
companies should strive to achieve consistently high service levels.
20 Practical Tips on How to Improve Customer Service in Your Company:

1. Understand customer needs
The more you get to know your customers, the more you are likely to understand
customer needs and expectations.
2. Seek and promote customer feedback

There are many ways to find out what your customers think about the organization.
Firstly, identify which methods are the most viable and rewarding for you. These could include:
 Giving customers the opportunity to provide testimonials and on-line reviews.
 Personally asking customers their views after they have used your product or service.
For example, by phone, face to face or in writing.
 Providing a very short, simple feedback form or survey with an incentive to complete.
The easier and shorter to complete the survey, the more responses you are likely to
receive.
 Inviting regular customers to share their views of your organization on an individual
basis. Some will be willing and eager to help you, especially if you want to build on the
things they like and value you for.
3. Set and communicate clear service standards

Set some simple customer service standards that team members can easily understand and
implement. You can also include the team members themselves in this process if you’re seeking
total engagement.
When setting customer service standards, consider:
 The tone and type of language that best represents your values and service ethics. For
example, formal versus informal style of language.
 Your main customer contact point, so there is a consistency of approach throughout the
customer experience.
 Support processes needed to ensure the consistent delivery of these standards. For
example, customer communication templates.
 Resources available, such as staffing levels and technology.
 Realistic timescales for delivering customer service, especially at your busiest times. For
example, answering the telephone within three rings.
4. Delight your customers by exceeding their expectations
 How often are your customers being delighted by receiving something more than they
were expecting and of value to them? Surprising your customer in this way, as long as
their basic needs are being met, can engender customer appreciation and future loyalty.
 Firstly, you might consider recognizing customers’ special events and occasions, or
meaningful milestones of customer loyalty. Or secondly, an extension to the product or
service they have purchased.
 Special or additional ‘touches’ often get referred to within the customer’s local or on-line
community. This can really help to raise your credibility and encourage new referrals to
your organization. See delighting your customers for further information.
5. Capture and share examples of great service

Identify the best way to capture customer feedback across the organization. You can also
include feedback from peers and managers where they notice a team member giving exceptional
customer service. From here, you can build a toolkit of best practice within your organization.
Customer feedback can also tie in to an Employee Recognition Scheme to give
recognition to the individual or team who delivered the exceptional service. Recognition in
this way means employees are more likely to ‘go the extra mile’ for their customers. They also
know their efforts are being noticed in this way by their employer.
6. Create easy and effortless customer service

Follow your customer’s journey, from the way customers find and buy your
organization’s service and products, to billing and after sales support. In particular, look for ways
of streamlining customer service processes at each stage of their journey.
7. Personalize your customer service

Take time to engage with your customers to find out what their needs really are. As a
result, you will be able to provide customers with the product or service options to fully meet
their needs. This will really help, as you strive to improve customer service standards.
In order to achieve a personalized service, consider how well your team members:
 Greet your customers and make them feel welcome.
 Respond in a way appropriate to the customer’s personality and lifestyle.
 Use your customer’s name.
 Ask open questions to find out their needs.
 Really listen and reflect back to the customer a summary of their needs.
 Appear genuinely interested in the customer as well as their situation.
 Pick up seamlessly from a previous colleague’s conversation with the customer.
 Demonstrate empathy when the customer shares a difficult or poor experience.
 Go out of their way to find the best solution for the customer.
8. Invest in customer service training

Choose a training provider who will really get to know your business and who can
support your business strategy and service standards. An experienced and engaging training
provider will be able to support you and your team in delivering personalized, tailored customer
service, in a sustainable way.
Alternatively, you could develop your own internal customer service training program to raise
the importance of customer service, product knowledge and skills within the team.
9. Analyze customer concerns and complaints

Get to the root cause of your customers’ concerns and complaints to find out what is
going wrong and why. It will help if you have a structured system for storing all customer
feedback, concerns and complaints. Once you have the information stored together, review the
data and ask yourself:
 What patterns are emerging?
 When do these complaints mainly occur?
 How are customers registering their concerns and complaints?
 In the main, what is letting us down? e.g. people, processes, policies?

Share this data with representatives in your organization who are best placed to provide
the broadest of insights into why these complaints may be happening. Most importantly, before
any review meeting set some guiding principles to ensure participants contribute in the most
effective way.
11. Make it easy for customers to complain

Consider how easy is it for your customers to make their concerns and complaints known
to you. An easy process will capture the full extent of your customers’ experiences and enable
you to really improve customer service. You will also help prevent future customer complaints.
Most customer focused organizations, dependent upon their size, have a transparent
complaint handling process that it understood at all levels. There are usually three stages:
 Stage 1 maps out how front-line staff will initially respond to the customer complaint.
This will normally include what they will say in response to customer feedback, concerns
or objections and different severity of complaint. It will also include the response
timescales and what the next steps will be.
 Stage 2 forms part of an escalation process to a team leader or manager, mapping out
how the complaint will be dealt with. This stage is normally activated when the customer
is either not happy with the initial front-line response or has written in to complain.
 Stage 3 usually involves the most senior manager to objectively review the whole
complaint and how the complaint has been handed internally. They will make a final
decision on behalf of the organization to either uphold the original decision at stage 2 or
to offer a different solution to the customer
10. Complaint handling review

Finally, conduct a periodic review on how effective your complaint handling process is at
each stage to identify improvements that can be made. Take a look at our tips for handling
customer complaints. Also consider some remedial training and coaching.
11. Find out what’s really going on

Shadow team members in the organization to find out what is really going on. Choose
different functions and team members that will give you the whole view of how customer needs
are being fulfilled within the organization.
Then on several occasions observe and work closely with these staff members. This will
show you how your systems and processes affect the customer.
Importantly, it will also identify what obstacles get in the way of delivering consistent
high levels of customer service. Hence choose team members who are open and keen to support
the initiative.
12. Check out your competitors

Give your staff the opportunity to see what level of customer service your competitors are
offering. You may even include other organizations that are not competitors but are known to
offer great customer service. Some of their customer practices may be adoptable in your
organization.
Once your staff have reviewed your competitors, get them to share their experience with
the rest of the team. From these insights, you can identify the best practice ideas that you want to
adopt within your own organization.
13. Hold regular internal customer service review sessions

Internal customer service reviews or forums, when set up well, can provide you with
some great ideas to improve customer service. Your staff work with customers on a daily basis,
so if they are encouraged to be open and honest without any repercussions, they will share
valuable insights.
Firstly, focus on getting the basics consistently right. Then get your staff to think of ways
that they can ‘add value’ or create special ‘wow’ moments for your customers. Balance this with
reviewing customer complaints or concerns expressed within this forum, once you have built the
level of team member trust.
Lastly, use the creativity of the group to generate a diverse range of solutions and
stimulate more radical and less obvious ideas. See tips on developing creativity and facilitating
groups, to get the most from these sessions.
14. Build a customer focused team culture

These teams are built and maintained by focusing all their communications, performance
measures and processes on the customer.
Some critical steps need to be taken in order to generate a customer focused team culture:
 Focus the team on delivering exceptional levels of customer service.
 Ensure job roles are clearly defined and focused on the customer. As a result, team
members can see how they contribute to the wider customer service strategy and goals.
 Assess team members performance against delivering great customer service on a regular
and effective basis.
 Define exceptional customer service for your organization. For example, what does it
look, sound and feel like?
 Measure the consistency of customer orientated behaviors displayed from front-line team
members. These behaviors include a warm and engaging communication style, as well as
showing interest and listening to others’ views. In addition, a strong desire to help and do
their best for others.
 Observe proficient administration and execution of customer orders from your customer
support team members. These normally require slightly different behaviors, such as
strong task orientation, meeting deadlines, attention to detail and desire for quality.
 Align team members’ motivations and communication style to the job tasks they
undertake.
 Encourage the collaboration of team members with their internal and external
colleagues. This is particularly valuable where they work well with those who have
different personal motivations and behavioral attributes.
15. Treat your staff as you treat your customers

‘Behavior breeds behavior’ and happy staff lead to happy customers. Hence paying as
much attention to the needs of your staff as you do your customers will help improve your
overall customer service.
If team members feel valued by their managers and the organization as a whole, they are
likely to perform better and engage with your customers well.
Firstly, review how your staff feel about the organization and their managers. Some of
the options include staff surveys, staff representative schemes and internal forums.
A word of caution, different staff members will value different aspects of what you
provide them with, so a range of schemes and practices will be important.
For example, these could include but not be limited to:

 clear, transparent internal communications.
 flexible working practices.
 regular one-to-one reviews.
 effective performance management.
 team ‘check ins’.
 well-being programs.
 employee assistance schemes.
 health and fitness services.
 recognition and reward schemes.
15. Involve support team members

Get team members from functions such as Finance, HR, Quality, Procurement involved
with any initiative that includes your frontline customer teams. These team members impact your
customer service but are often overlooked and can therefore feel undervalued by the organization
at ways to increase the team working and understanding between each of these support functions
with the customer facing teams. Bring them together to improve customer service. You may also
reduce any internal conflict that has arisen in the past, often due to misunderstanding and lack of
awareness of differing priorities.
17. Set up an employee recognition and reward scheme

Implement a simple recognition and reward scheme that focuses on delivering
exceptional customer service and fits with your organization’s culture.
Consider what forms of recognition and reward will motivate team members the most. Naturally,
any scheme you come up has to be commercially viable. However, if well thought through, the
scheme will normally pay for itself with the additional customer service results achieved.
Employee schemes can include:
 small ‘thank you’ gift e.g. chocolates, gift voucher, theatre tickets.
 outstanding recognition.
 long service awards.
 corporate gamification.
 gratitude on social media.
 additional time off e.g. a long weekend.
 peer nomination scheme for exceptional customer service.
 team performance awards.
 senior manager ‘thank you’ in person, email, letter, certificate.
18. Set measurable objectives around improved customer service

Focus team members on improving customer service by setting measurable objectives
and reviewing their progress on a regular basis. Align these objectives to your overall customer
service strategy and business goals. SMART objectives are usually set to ensure they are clearly
defined and measured. This process also ensures that you match resources and processes to
support the effective achievement of the standard set.
An example of a SMART standard in a customer contact setting is:
 “We will answer all calls within 5 rings using a personalized and friendly verbal
handshake”. This will include
 Good morning/afternoon, Company name, Team member name speaking, how can I help
you?”
This standard provides clear expectations for both team members, their manager and the
customer. It’s a great way to clearly review the factors impacting on the consistent delivery of
your organization’s customer service. In this example:
 Specific – Customers know exactly what to expect and team members know what the
organization expects from them.
 Measurable – Call handling times can be monitored.
 Achievable – Sufficient team members on phone lines per shift in line with the projected
call volume data.
 Relevant – Provides a warm first impression to the customer when they call.
 Time Bound – Provides team members with a way to self-evaluate their performance.
19. Review individual and team performance regularly

Undertake regular performance reviews, not just during the annual appraisal. Also
consider what time frames and format work best for you and your teams. For example, daily
briefings, weekly ‘check ins’, monthly one to one review, quarterly and half-yearly formal
reviews.
Include a review of how team members contribute towards a set team objective, as well
as how they actively support each other at work. This can be achieved through your normal one-
to-one reviews or you can facilitate a ’round table’ discussion where you ask the team to review
each team members performance and contribution to the team.
Ensure there are also regular times for reviewing the team members well-being.
20. Recruit team members with customer orientated behaviors

As we mentioned previously, different team members perform better at different tasks
dependent on their motivations, skills and behavioral attributes. With this in mind, here are some
steps to take when recruiting new team members:
 Capture the different behavioral attributes needed for your team. Competencies that are
often used in organizations are comprised of the critical behaviors, skills, values and
personal motivations needed. They enable you to form a consistent framework for
measuring different candidates against. This will ensure you are more likely to recruit the
right person rather than a reliance on your gut instinct or collective perceptions.
 Ensure that the job description is highly customer focused and reflects exactly what the
job entails.
 Implement a range of selection assessment techniques that measure both the skills
required for the job, as well as the important customer orientated behaviors. These
assessment techniques can include competency-based interviews, specific job tasks and
customer communication activities. They will show you how well the candidate engages
with a client. Examples of these include, taking a customer enquiry, responding to a
customer’s set of questions, as well as handling a customer concern or complaint. Whilst
the candidate won’t necessarily have the knowledge of your products and services, you
will quickly see how they engage with others.
Activity 18
1.Discuss the different ways for customer and employee satisfaction
2. Deliberate how to improve customer service
Prepared by:
DR. NENITA D. TANDINGAN

Professor
08/15/22
References
Burton, Sharon& Sheldon, Nelda (2018). Office procedures for the 21 st Century. New Jersey; Pearson
Education, Inc.
Caproni, Paula J. (2012). Management skills for everyday life. New Jersey; Pearson Education, Inc.
Fulton-Calkins, Ptsy & Stulz, KarenM. (2014) Office procedures and theory for administrative
professionals. Singapore:South-western.
Websites
Associate degree in office administration: program overview. http//study.com/program/Kaplan University
AAS in Business Admin-office Management. Html#tab3-page1
Luna community college office administration curriculum profile (2012-2016):

https://luna.edu.media/page files/Office administration degree C.P. 2012-2015pdf
SCANS competencies checklist http://www.wcic.edu/

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Republic of the Philippines

RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

ADMINISTRATIVE AND OFFICE MANAGEMENT

DR. NANETTE D. TANDINGAN

RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

Introduction To Administrative Office Management

Office management helps to maintain a close relationship between the different

2. Achievement of goal – Office management helps in increasing office efficiency, smooth

4. Minimalization of cost – Office management/manager guides the use of capital, natural,

5. Managing change - Office management helps in the implementation of plans at right

6. Maintain coordination -the office works as a co-ordinate of different unit of business

7. Helps in maintaining office efficiency – management helps in maintaining efficiency in

9. Dynamic approach – today’s business environment is continuously changing. Office

11. Provides leadership – management provides leadership by influencing and guiding

1. Objective and Purpose

2. Division of Work or Specialization

10. Principle of Span of Management

12. Parity of Responsibility and Authority

14. Leadership Facilitation

The Functions of Administrative Office Management

6 Key Office Management Functions

Forces of Change in the Workplace

2. Change in Managerial Personnel: Change in managerial personnel is another force

3.Deficiencies in Existing Management Structure: Sometimes changes are necessary

Examples of Ethical Behaviors in The Workplace

1.Obey the Company’s Rules & Regulations

9. Show Initiative without being told

11. Work Smarter

Unethical Workplace Behaviors

2. Taking Credit for Others Hard Work

5. Non-Office Related Work

Management/Employers Unethical Behaviors

3. Verbal Harassment- It is common among employers to verbally harass employees

5. Nepotism- This is a common type of corruption that happens in the workplace. An

7. Unrealistic Expectations- Creatives usually have it worse when it comes to having

Advantages and Implications of Workplace Ethics

2. Ensures management guides and mentors their employees in a healthy

4. It boosts productivity through employee performance and job satisfaction which

How to Solve Unethical Issues at the Workplace

6. Foster ethical behavior

RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

Anger, Stress and Time Management in the Workplace

1. Avoid stress and anger management in the workplace

2. Manage your emotions in the workplace

3. Balance life and work

4. Don’t keep stress and anger management to your self

What is a team environment?

Benefits of a team environment

Encourages healthy risk-taking: Because employees in a team environment generally

Improves productivity: Working on a team has been shown to inspire people to work

Important skills for working in a team environment

How to build a team environment

4. Create a collaborative environment

How to work in a team environment

2. Be respectful of others' opinions

3. Fulfill your role

3 Stages to Problem Solving for Administrative and Executive Assistants

Stage 2: Identify the Solution by coming up with several options.

Workplace Team and Environment

RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

WEEK 4 - Selecting and Orienting the Office Staff

Some activities include: