Every Company or Business, whether large or small, needs effective Office/Administration staff. People working in this sector provide the support a company needs to meet its business objectives.
Roles in this job family range from managers, who undertake future planning and are responsible for the running of the organisation, through to assistant-level staff, who undertake all the routine office duties. Many jobs involve dealing with people outside the organisation, such as customers, representatives of other businesses or members of the public. This could be through the telephone, by e-mail or face-to-face.
The majority of employees in this area of work are office-based. Many jobs involve spending all or part of the time sitting at a desk, using a computer and a telephone. In some jobs, attending meetings becomes a regular part of the work – to make decisions or to report on the progress of a project, for example. Some jobs involve travel to other venues for meetings, site visits or conferences.
Work environments vary from large, modern, purpose-built, open-plan offices to small dark rooms. Full-time staff generally work around 37 hours a week, Monday to Friday. Part-time work and job-sharing positions are often available in many roles.
There are opportunities in every employment sector, which include national and local government, finance, manufacturing, health, leisure, media, transport and the utilities. Employers can range from multinational corporations, with thousands of staff, to small companies with just a few employees. Virtually every business requires office staff in some sort of capacity.
It is estimated that over four million people are employed in administration, business and office work. About half a million people have been employed by the Civil Service alone, in around 170 government departments and agencies.
There are opportunities all over the United Kingdom, particularly in towns and cities.
Teamworking, communication, organisational and problem-solving skills are important, and customer service skills are required in many jobs. Supervisors and managers also need strong leadership and decision-making skills. ICT skills are required for the majority of positions. Some of these positions require specialist skills and qualifications.
Entry is possible at all levels. While some jobs are open to people with fewer formal qualifications, as long as they can demonstrate the required standard of literacy and numeracy, other roles require a degree or postgraduate qualifications for entry. A wide range of courses is available in business-related subjects at schools and colleges; a Diploma in business, administration and finance could provide a starting point for future employment.
There are several Internet Job boards and Jobsites advertising vacancies in the area of Office/Administration.