OFFICE
ADMINISTRATION 1
POLYTECHNIC EDITION
NAZZATU SYIMA ABD RAHMAN
NUR NADIA SAHEERA ROS LAILI
NOOR AZURA AZMI
POLYTECHNIC EDITION
AUTHORS:
NAZZATU SYIMA ABD RAHMAN
NUR NADIA SAHEERA ROS LAILI
NOOR AZURA AZMI
OFFICE
ADMINISTRATION 1
POLYTECHNIC EDITION
POLITEKNIK SULTAN IDRIS SHAH
MINISTRY OF HIGHER EDUCATION
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
First Published 2021
No parts of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise without the prior permission of publisher.
eISBN: 978-967-2860-15-0
Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia
Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
Nazzatu Syima Abd. Rahman, 1988-
OFFICE ADMINISTRATION. 1 / AUTHORS: NAZZATU SYIMA ABD RAHMAN,
NUR NADIA SAHEERA ROS LAILI, NOOR AZURA AZMI. – POLYTECHNIC
EDITION.
Mode of access: Internet
eISBN 978-967-2860-15-0
1. Office management.
2. Office practice.
3. Government publications--Malaysia.
4. Electronic books.
I. Nur Nadia Saheera Ros Laili, 1986-. II. Noor Azura Azmi, 1986-.
III. Title.
651.3076
Published in Malaysia by:
Politeknik Sultan Idris Shah
Sg. Lang, 45100 Sungai Air Tawar Selangor Darul Ehsan
Tel. No.: 03-32806200
Fax No.: 03-32806400
https://psis.mypolycc.edu.my
Writers:
NAZZATU SYIMA ABD RAHMAN NUR NADIA SAHEERA ROS LAILI NOOR
AZURA AZMI
Editor:
NOOR AZURA AZMI
Content
CHAPTER 1: 1
INTRODUCTION TO OFFICE MANAGEMENT 26
Tutorial (25)
CHAPTER 2:
OFFICE ACCOMODATION, LAYOUT & ENVIRONMENT
Tutorial (66)
CHAPTER 3: 67
TELEPHONE TECHNOLOGY AND SERVICES 94
115
Tutorial (93) 134
CHAPTER 4:
OFFICE STATIONERY AND SUPPLIES
Tutorial (114)
CHAPTER 5:
OFFICE AUTOMATION
Tutorial (133)
CHAPTER 6:
OFFICE MAIL SERVICES
Tutorial (156)
REFERENCES 157
Preface
It is a great pleasure to place this book of OFFICE
ADMINISTRATION 1, Polytechnic Edition for the
benefit of secretarial science students and
readers.
This book is an introductory to provide
knowledge of secretarial area suitable for Office
Administration 1 course for Diploma in Secretarial
Science.
As an important knowledge and information for
secretarial students, this book provides brief and
easily understood content that meets the
requirements of the syllabus.
Happy reading, and may it be useful to all
students and readers.
Nazzatu Syima Abd Rahman
Nur Nadia Saheera Ros Laili
Noor Azura Azmi
Synopsis
OFFICE ADMINISTRATION 1, Polytechnic Edition
is form of an electronic book (e-book) which
provide introductory to secretarial knowledge
that covers the role and functions of an office,
office accommodation, layout and environment,
telephone and technology services, office
stationery, office automation and procedures in
office mail services.
Consisting of six (6) important chapters with
colorful and interesting layout, students and
readers also get access to the exercise in the
form of QR Code at the end of every chapters.
Nazzatu Syima Abd Rahman
Nur Nadia Saheera Ros Laili
Noor Azura Azmi
01 CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION LEARNING OUTCOMES
TO OFFICE
At the end of this topic,
MANAGEMENT students should be able
to:
• Discuss the role and
functions of office in
an organization
• Interpret the key of
office activities in an
organization
• Elaborate office
management in
organization
1
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO
OFFICE MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
1.0 INTRODUCTION TO OFFICE MANAGEMENT
1.1 ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF OFFICE IN AN ORGANIZATION
1.1.1 Definition of office in an organization
1.1.2 Significance and main objective on an office
1.1.3 Types of alternatives office
1.2 KEY OF OFFICE ACTIVITIES IN AN ORGANIZATION
1.2.1 Duties of secretary
1.2.2 Behaviour and attitudes needed as a professional office
secretary
1.3 OFFICE MANAGEMENT IN ORGANIZATION
1.3.1 Definition of office management
1.3.2 Elements of office management
1.3.3 Functions of office management
1.3.4 Effective Management Techniques
2
1.1 THE ROLE AND FUNCTION OF
OFFICE IN AN ORGANIZATION
1.1.1 DEFINITION OF OFFICE IN AN ORGANIZATION
• Office is a part of an organization. It is a place where records
of various activities are kept.
• According to Denyer, “Office is place where clerical operations
are carried on. It is not a mere place but a place with various
activities.”
• According to Mills and Standingford, “The purpose of office has
been defined as the providing of service of communication and
record." The office collects information about the various
activities of the organization from both internal and external
sources.
3
1.1.2 According to Leffingwell, W. H., well
SIGNIFICANCE organized office makes it possible for
OF AN OFFICE management to:
• Plan it operations intelligently.
• Puts its plans into effect surely.
• Follow their progress currently.
• Determine their effectiveness
promptly.
• Appraise the results without delay.
• Coordinate all the activities of the
business.
• Term of office activities include
receiving, collecting, recording,
processing and communication of
information.
4
1.1.3 TYPES OF ALTERNATIVES OFFICE
Virtual Office Mobile Office Home Office
A setting that allows you to Very much like traditional A space within a person’s
perform work activities as offices, but they are home that is used to
you would in a traditional temporary. perform office tasks.
office.
Offices set up at Workers can communicate
Some offices employ virtual construction sites and easily with others using
assistant. manned by office staff. email, the internet, an
intranet, fax, and a
A virtual assistant is a Example, an counting firm telephone.
worker who performs task or law firm may have many
normally handled by a staff members who work
secretary or administrative away from office so they do
assistant. not need a permanent
office.
3 TYPES OF ALTERNATIVES OFFICE
5
KEY
OBJECTIVES
OF AN OFFICE
6
1.2.1 THE
DUTIES OF
SECRETARY
Creating /Analyzing Searching for Processing Information
Information Information
1. Editing and
1. Composing 1. Accessing databases, proofreading
memorandums, letters, the internet, and
and reports company intranets 2. Keyboarding
2. Organizing, 2. Requesting 3. Opening and
summarizing, and information from reviewing incoming
interpreting data persons within the communications
company
3. Creating 4. Entering, updating,
presentations 3. Gathering or manipulating data in
information from database
4. Making decisions persons outside the
and recommendations company 5. Photocopying
based on information
studied 4. Using reference 6. Preparing outgoing
manuals and books communications
7. Preparing checks,
orders, and invoices
7
1.2.1 THE
DUTIES OF
SECRETARY
Communicating Searching for
Information Information
1. Answering telephone 1. Maintaining calendars
2. Greeting callers 2. Maintaining database
and files
3. Responding to
persons within and 3. Maintaining financial
outside the organization records
4. Providing instruction
to co-workers
5. Preparing and
delivering presentation
8
1.2.2 BEHAVIOUR AND
ATTITUDES NEEDED AS
A PROFESSIONAL
OFFICE SECRETARY
A professional in any field is someone
who conforms to expected ethical and
quality standards and behaviours. Being a
professional is important to your career
success.
Cooperation
• A cooperative worker is
willing to participate in
what needs to be done
to achieve a goal.
Loyalty
• Being loyalty means
supporting the efforts
of the company and
workgroup.
Continued learning
• As a professional office
secretary, you are
expected to show a
willingness to learn
and to improve your
understanding or skills
that relate to you job.
9
BEHAVIOUR AND ATTITUDES
NEEDED AS A PROFESSIONAL
OFFICE SECRETARY
Confidentiality
• Revealing
confidential data
may cause harm to
the company or its
employees or
customers.
Sharing information
• Professionals
secretary share
information in
appropriate ways.
Accepting
Responsibility for
Mistakes
• When you make a
mistake, accept
responsibility for
the error as soon as
you realize it was
made.
10
1.3 OFFICE MANAGEMENT
IN ORGANIZATION
1.3.1 Definition of Office Management
George R. Terry
“A task of planning coordinating, and
motivation the efforts of others
towards the specific objective in the office.”
Mills and Standingford
“ The art of guiding the personnel of the office
in the use of materials, methods, machines, and equipment appropriate
to their environment in order to achieve its specified purpose.”
Leffingwell and Robinson
“A function is that branch of the art and science of management
which is concerned with efficient performance of office work,
whenever and wherever that work is done.”
11
1.3.2 Elements of Office
Management
Purpose Method
Clear cut objectives or goals of an • A technique of performing office activities
organization will definitely provide proper such as filling, copying, records retrieval
direction to ensure the implementation of and disposal, processing of incoming and
plans, policies, programmes and budget runs outgoing mail as well as communication.
smoothly within organization. • Includes using forms, stationery, furniture,
premises, equipment to perform the task.
Personnel Environment
• Known as human resources. Office environment comprises of lighting,
• Office Manager has to ensure the ventilation and temperature control, interior
decorations, office furniture, security, safety,
implementation of plans and policies
pertaining to effective recruitment and and sanitary arrangements.
selection od a right person for the right job,
training and development programmed,
promotion and transfer.
12
1.3.3 Functions of
Office Management
According to Luther
Gullick, functions of
management are:
13
The SEVEN (7) Functions Of Office
Management Include:
1. Planning 2. Organizing
• Deciding in advance what • The process of organising
is to be done.
is very essential for
• It Involves the selection
of objectives, policies accomplishing the
and procedures to
achieve the goals of the objectives of the
organization.
organization set by
• Deciding what to do,
when to do, where to do management.
it, how to do it, who is to
do it and how the results • It involves the
are to be evaluated.
establishment of an
organization structure
through determination
and grouping activities,
assignment of activities
to the specific
department or individual,
defining roles, delegation
of authority to carry out
the responsibility of
work.
14
The SEVEN Functions of Office
Management include:
3. Staffing 4. Coordinating
• The process of • The process of
recruitment, selection, coordinating involves
training, placement, synchronising individual
compensating, actions with the goals of
promotion and demotion the organization.
and finally the retirement
of employee. • The best coordination
• To take the right man for occurs when individual
see how their jobs
the right job. contribute to the goals of
the organization.
• The quality of hired
personnel will benefit the • The coordinating must
future of the imply knowledge and
organization. understanding the
organizations objectives.
15
The SEVEN Functions of Office
Management include:
5. Directing 6. Controlling
• Moving to action and • Undertaking control
giving instruction to a consists in the verifying
whether everything
group of people. occurs in conformity with
the plan adopted, the
• The management instructions issued and
principles issued.
guides and leads them
• The control is a
continuously by giving measuring and correction
device.
clear instructions,
• The process of control
communicates their involves three (3) steps:
orders, rules and a) Setting standards of
desired performance
decisions, motivates,
b) Comparison of actual
provides leadership and performance against
standards
guidance, supervise
c) Taking corrective
their work and actions
behaviour, and inspires
them towards
performance
improvements.
16
The SEVEN (7) Functions of
Office Management include:
7. Budgeting
• Estimate of income and
expenditure for a
definite period,
expressed in terms of
numerical units.
• To carry out office
operations and to keep
the expenditure within
limits.
17
1.3.4 Effective Management
Techniques
18
The Effective
Management Techniques
Set a Goals and Clear Delegate Work and
Directions Responsibilities
• Define your • Having hired some
organization goals. employees, the
workload has to be
• Make a list for all the shared with them
different things that
need to be done along • Delegates work and
with the actions responsibilities
employees must take. according to
employees' strength
• A manager need to or weakness and let
deliver an effective employees to
message to the develop their own
employees to improve good work habits
the organization and leadership skills.
performance.
19
The Effective
Management Techniques
Encourage Employees Recognize Problems
• Setting deadlines and • The manager should
goals help employees know about
to keep focused, busy, personality conflicts,
and motivate them to lagging productivity or
do their work. other problems occurs
in organization.
• Each employee has to
be talked about the • The manager can be
company’s goals and solve immediately
work with individual before they escalate.
goals directly linked
with organization goals. 20
• Employees should
understand their
professional growth
path in the company.
The Effective
Management Techniques
Rewards Employees Be a Mentor
• Increase their • As a manager, you
monthly salary, giving should set an
bonus, or example in terms of
recognition. your behaviour.
• Do it in front of other • Sharing manager
employees to knowledge and
motivate them to experience with the
perform better in the employees.
future.
• Showing employees
how to do it is more
effective than just
talking them
through it.
21
The Effective
Management Techniques
Give Reviews Be Kind and Tolerate
• Employees need • Family emergencies,
feedback about their illnesses and other
performance to unexpected events
improve their skills always arise among
and grow employees, so
professionally. manager must get
used to it.
• A formal review
program has to be • Manager should
setup and show employees
performance some consideration
appraisals are to be by being more flexible
given once or twice a with work hours and
year. time off, so that the
employee can tend to
solve their
emergencies.
22
The Effective
Management Techniques
Managing Change Listen to Your
Employees
• The internet and
information technology • Manager can encourage
have changed the employees to provide
structure of many feedback through email
businesses. or company intranet
• Companies that • This shows them that
succeed and survive in they care about
today’s marketplace employee’s feedback to
must anticipate, adapt, show their thoughts
and thrive with the and opinions
changes.
• Make your employees
• Manager should take a feel appreciated and
proactive role in acknowledge.
managing and
communicating change 23
their staff.
10 Effective Management
MIND REFLECTIONS Techniques are:
1. Set a goals and clear
directions
2. Delegate work and
responsibilities
3. Encourage employees
4. Recognize problems
Definition of office: 5. Rewards employees 7 Functions of Office
Office is a place where records of 6. Be a mentor
7. Give reviews
Various activities are kept. 8. Be kind and tolerate Management are:
9. Managing change 1. Planning
10. Listen to your employees 2. Organizing
3. Staffing
6 Significance and 4. Coordinating
main objective of 5. Directing
6. Controlling
an office are: 7. Budgeting
1. Plans its
operations
intelligently INTRODUCTION TO 4 Elements of
OFFICE MANAGEMENT Office
2. Puts its plans
into effect Management
surely are:
3. Follow their 1. Purpose
progress 2. Method
currently
3. Personnel
4. Determine 4. Environment
their
effectiveness 6 Behavior and
promptly
attitudes needed
5. Appraise the
results without as a professional
delay office Secretary
6. Coordinate all
are:
the activities
of the business 4 Key objectives of an 1. Cooperation
office includes:
3 Types of an alternatives 2. Loyalty
1. To plan the Office are: 3. Continued
activities of office
1. Virtual office Learning
and ensure their 2. Mobile office 4. Confidentiality
execution
2. To coordinate the 3. Home office 5. Sharing
activities of the Information
various
departments 6. Accepting
3. To preserve all the
records of the Responsibility
business
4. To maintain books 5 Duties of Secretary are: for Mistakes
of accounts,
registers, books, 1. Creating/ Analysing
statutory and non- Information
2. Searching for Information
3. Processing Information
4. Communicating Information
5. Managing Information
statutory registers.
24
TUTORIAL
FOR
CHAPTER 1
Scan the QR Code to get
the questions
25
02 CHAPTER 2
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this topic,
students should be able to:
• Interpret the location of
OFFICE an office
ACCOMODATION,
• Explain the structure of
LAYOUT AND
ENVIRONMENT office building
• Elaborate the principles
of office layout
• Discuss office
environment
• Elaborate the concept of
5s Philosophy in private
sector and Public Sector
Conducive Ecosystem
(EKSA) 26
CHAPTER 2:
OFFICE ACCOMODATION,
LAYOUT AND ENVIRONMENT
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
2.0 OFFICE ACCOMODATION, LAYOUT AND ENVIRONMENT
2.1 LOCATION OF AN OFFICE
2.1.1 Urban and Sub-urban location
2.1.2 Factors influencing locations
2.2 STRUCTURE OF OFFICE BUILDING
2.2.1 Own office building and leased office building
2.3 PRINCIPLES OF OFFICE LAYOUT 27
2.3.1 Important of office layout
2.3.2 Checklist for accommodation requirements
2.3.3 Types of office layout
2.3.4 Types of office
2.3.5 Advantages and disadvantages of Open office and
private office
2.4 OFFICE ENVIRONMENT
2.4.1 Good office environment
2.4.2 Physical conditions of office environment
2.4.3 Basic considerations of choosing office furniture
2.5 CONCEPT OF 5S PHILOSOPHY AND EKSA
• The office should be
established at such a place
where customers can
reach without any
convenience.
• The success of any
business concern depends
upon the location of its
office, the Office Manger
is required to study the
following:
✓Location of an office
✓Office Building
✓Office Layout
✓Office Environment
28
2.1 Location of an Office
• Every business organization wants the best suitably location
to use, operate in or run for its office.
• Offices are designed with an eye toward managing the
efficient flow of work and maximizing the use office space
impact office productivity’s and ultimately the profitability of
the organization.
29
❑ Where to locate Office in urban location
Office?
Urban or
Suburban?
a) URBAN
LOCATION
- The office
located in the city.
- Urban location
includes towns,
cities of a region.
- Area of
municipalities can
be termed as
urban location
b) SUB-URBAN
LOCATION
- The office
located in the rural
area and far away
from the city.
Office in sub-urban location
30
Advantages and
Disadvantages of
Urban Location
Advantages Disadvantages
i) Easy contact with other i) Overcrowding and
offices congestion
ii) Increased image ii) Difficulty to expand
business
iii) Transport facilities
iii) Higher cost
iv) Banking, post office iv) Demand for more
and other facilities
pay
v) Recreational facilities v) Polluted atmosphere
vi) Other amenities – 31
water supply, electricity
vii) Employee’s
preference
Advantages and
Disadvantages of
Sub-urban Location
Advantages Disadvantages
i) Payment of lower rent i) Inadequate service
ii) Payment of lower cost facilities
ii) Inadequate transport
facilities
iii) Modernisation iii) Lack of communication
iv) Less traffic and crowding iv) Lack of employees
v) Proximity to transport v) Not easy to access of
routes office
32
2.1.2 Factors Influencing
Location of an Office
Convenience to ▪ The office should be located
customer near roadside, station and bus
stand.
Transportation
facilities ▪ If the office is located in a far-
off place, may be inconvenient
from the customer’s point of
view
▪ Customers can easily commute
and not be any transportation
problem for the customers.
Safety and climate ▪ Quite safe. Not be any fear of
theft.
▪ Climate of that place must be
healthy and free from dirt,
smoke and noise.
Postal, telegraphic ▪ Without a bank in the
and banking facilities proximity it becomes
difficult to carry on
business.
Availability of ▪ Should have sufficient
sufficient space accommodation and for
future expansion.
Need of the business ▪ The office of the retail
trade should be near the
godown
33
2.2 The Structure of Office Building
❑ The location of the office building plays an
important role
❑ If the office building located at busy area
(dirty and noisy place), it will affect the
health of employees.
❑ If the office building located at far off place,
the health of employees will increase
There are two (2) structures of office building:
OWN BUILDING LEASED BUILDING
A building structure of Written or implied contract
office that has roof and by which an owner (the
walls built for permanent lessor) of a building grants
use which belonging to a second party (the lessee)
the right to its exclusively
person. possession or rent the
building for specific period
under specified conditions
for lease payment.
34
Advantages and Disadvantages of
Own Building
1. A wise 1. Ownership of
investment building have
decisions problems like
payment of taxes,
2. Gives prestige's to settlement of
the organization and disputes with
improve image in tenants.
the eyes of the
customers 2. Own
building may
3. Permanency is require huge
assured. Address no investment
need to be change due
to growing needs of 3. High cost of
the business maintenance may
not suitable to
4. Building can be small and medium-
planned on the basis sized business
of presents and future
needs 35
Advantages and Disadvantages of
Leased Building
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
✓ Maintenance ❖ High Rents
responsibility.
Free from problems like ❖ Wastage of space.
payment of taxes and Waste in process of
settlement of disputes layout
with tenants
❖ Frequent shift
✓ No investments decision Leased building does
responsibility not lead to
permanence of address
✓ Ease in location change
❖ Not need-based
36
2.3 THE PRINCIPLES OF OFFICE LAYOUT
Importance of Office Layout
MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY
Office design can build you with
maximum efficiency when the
environment and the conditions in
which they work are pleasant.
ADEQUATE AND SUITABLE PHYSICAL OFFICE
Work productivity increases and they
can produce the quality of work.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENT
As workers they have special
requirement, such as tools, furniture,
supplies and equipment to finish
their work. If their wishes are fulfilled,
this enhance the morale of the worker.
37
2.3.2 Checklist for Accommodation
Requirements
38
2.3.3 The Types of
Office Layout
39
Office landscaping is term used to describe the different
elements in the office that can bolster productivity and
employee happiness.
Make sure the office is well-lit. If possible, have natural
sunlight from window wherever possible, and use LED
lighting instead fluorescent lights.
A landscaped office is an open office that the arrangement
of straight lines of desks divided by straight gangways.
An open floor plan can help keep workers happy and
productive.
40
Also known as movable walls.
This partition used for private office which is for flexible space
utilization, whether sound insulated or transparent
Movable partition of ceiling, partial or counter height made up
metal, wood or plastic materials and less costly.
The movable partitions may be of varied types as below:
i) Ceiling high partitions
ii) Half partitions up the height of door
iii) Folding partitions up to the ceiling
iv) Counter high partitions that segregate general office from
private office
41
A modular is a separate unit that combines with others to
form a larger unit.
Modular desk units are composed of different furniture
units, writing table, machine desk etc. that are joined
together to form a single unit.
The most popular type of modular desk is the L-pattern
desk with a flat surface.
They occupy less floor space, enhance work efficiency by
eliminating unnecessary motions.
42
2.3.4 The
types of
Office
43