If you are running a business, then you know that it’s not going to be just something you do by yourself. There are plenty of small business owners that start off alone, but they often outsource the work that they need to do to other areas such as marketing or IT.
If there’s one thing that you should definitely consider when it comes to running your business effectively, it’s hiring an office manager. You may be currently juggling the office management and administrative side yourself, but you don’t have to do that on your own.
Hiring an office manager can make all of the difference to the way your business is running, and if you are shopping around for one, make sure that you understand what you need first.
Do you need somebody who’s just going to answer the phones? Do you need somebody who is adept in being able to order stationary and supplies, including understanding the difference between a standard A4 envelope and a #10 envelope size? These may seem like trivial questions, but these are so important if you are determining the best office manager for the job.
An office manager can be an excellent addition to any business, but having one comes very important as your business starts up and moves forward. You need somebody who’s going to be able to put their minds to the work and get it all done, so here are the reasons you should go ahead and hire one.
- You do not yet have an HR department. You don’t need an office manager to run your HR department, but you do need somebody who is adept at handling paperwork and suppliers. As time moves on, you might expand your administrative team to include the HR department, but until then, you need your office to run smoothly. It may make sense to you to outsource to HR first before you bring in an office manager to manage everything else, but it’s a good way to get started.
- You can work to build a culture. Running a business takes a lot of time and effort and it means to have people involved. The office manager is going to be one of the very few people who interacts with everybody in every department in their business. They’re also going to be your gatekeeper for outside suppliers and those with interest in what you do. If you want to build a good work culture, you need to have a great relationship with an office manager, which is why you’re hiring has to be done with integrity. As your company starts to grow, you’ll be able to maintain that culture and have somebody at the front of your business who acts like the face of it to show that that culture is working.
- They get the paperwork done. Office managers aren’t just receptionists or administrators, they fully manage everybody in your office as well as keep your office compliant. And the paperwork is up to date. If your schedule is hectic, your office manager is going to be able to keep you on track. They can organize and distribute all the information necessary for your business, and they can delegate tasks with efficiency. If you need to go between departments of your business, the office manager is going to be that for you.
- They all head up business and building maintenance. If there’s something happening in the office that you rent or the office that you have purchased, then you need to get the facilities team onto it. Your office manager will be the person to coordinate that.If there’s any decor or updating or renovation to be done, your office manager will be in charge of that too. There is a reason that office managers are unsung heroes and often some of the lowest paid in the business. They might be out there doing the admin work, but they are keeping your cogs turning. In fact, if you’ve got an office manager right now, make sure you are paying them way above average because they will stay loyal to you if so.
- They keep track of everything. Office managers are insanely organized. They are adept at keeping track of absolutely everything in your business and they will make sure that the inventories are done and dusted.Improving your bottom line is easily done with the help of an office manager, and they’ll be able to help you to do that without sacrificing on the necessities that your business needs. With a in- depth office manager on hand, all of the essentials will remain fully stocked for your business.
