Roles and Responsibilities of an Office Manager

Most people would like to be the boss where they work, but the truth is that it’s a lot more work than it seems. Not everyone has what it takes to deal with the stress that comes with being accountable for the actions and productivity of others. Office managers must have exceptional time-management, communication, delegation, and leadership skills to fulfill the many duties that come with the role. Not to mention, office managers are the ones who hear from corporate when things in the local office aren’t going as they should. So, as you can see, being a manager isn’t a task for the faint of heart or anyone looking for an easy job.

Truthfully, offices can’t function without an office manager making sure everyone’s aligned with the company objectives and being as productive as possible. However, many people step into the role not fully understanding the expectations of their position and find themselves in way over their heads. That’s why it’s a good idea to learn about the managerial role before stepping up to fill those shoes. So, what are the roles and responsibilities of an office manager? Continue reading to learn the ins and outs of the position and what resources you need to excel.

Office managers must create a safe work environment

The most important job of an office manager is making sure everyone under their charge feels safe in their working environment. This can include providing safety training, having an open-door policy to discuss safety concerns, and pulling all the stops to make your office as secure as possible. One way to make all the people in your building feel safer is to employ Swiftlane access control systems to enhance building security. Swiftlane systems use face recognition and other security measures that enable building managers to control building access with a mobile app. There are plenty of Swiftlane competitors, but Swiftlane is one of the best options for physical security in this new age of security threats.

Office managers initiate and lead company objectives

As team leaders, one of the main responsibilities of the office manager is initiating and leading company objectives. They often work directly with company executives to provide insight into operations in the local office and help them determine objectives that can help improve company efficiency and productivity. Team leaders must have a high level of competence to ensure others are fulfilling the duties of their roles, which is why many companies send their future managers to a project management program to develop the skills they’ll need for the job. Project Vanguards provides project management certification in Houston, but they also offer online PMP training courses to enable you to work on your personal development without interrupting your busy life.

Office managers recruit and hire new talent

Another important responsibility that comes with being an office manager is finding and recruiting new talent. Any company is only as good as the people who work for it, and office managers have the unenviable task of sifting through tons of applications to find the ideal candidate. Luckily, these days, there are recruitment tools that make the search for talent much easier.

Office managers sometimes have to be mediators

Office managers also act as mediators when there are conflicts between team members. Managers have to maintain a clear head and try to understand both sides of the conflict, which is why it’s important for them to have excellent communication skills.

As you can see, the roles and responsibilities of an office manager are many. Becoming a manager or executive isn’t the right career move for everyone, as it can be a lonely position, but someone has to be the boss, and if you have the necessary leadership skills and the confidence to make tough decisions, you might be management material.