Lesson 5: Lesson 5:
Lesson 5: Working Efficiently and EffectivelyWorking Efficiently and EffectivelyWorking Efficiently and EffectivelyWorking Efficiently and Effectively
Objectives:
1. Define effective and efficient work habits.
2. Define ergonomics and explain its role in the office. 3. Define workstation and how to arrange your desk. 4. Define time management and explains its importance. 5. Explain the purpose and use of a time-use log.
6. Explain the concept of productivity and planning. 7. Explain the use of “to-do” list.
Definition:
Efficient
- means utilizing the best way of accomplishing a task.
Effective
- means making the best use of time in accomplishing a task. Time and motion studies were done on offices in the 60s to find the most effective and efficient ways of doing work.
- These studies resulted in ergonomics or the study of all office equipment and environmental factors that contribute to worker productivity and job satisfaction
Organizing your Desk.
An unorganized work area may appear humorous, but it is one of the greatest time wasters in the office and causes low productivity. The office desk gives an employer a quick impression of how the employee approaches his or her work. If it is cluttered, the employer will conclude that the employee is unorganized and unable to complete assignments.
arranged so that the materials and supplies can be organized for ease of location. Many offices today are using modular furniture which is designed for flexibility. Below is a typical executive/assistants desk. It is usually L-shaped. The top of the desk should have the following items.
1. Calendar – day to day calendar; office assignment calendar.
2. A three tier metal tray for incoming mail, outgoing mail, and “for file”
3. Reference manuals such as dictionary, thesaurus, and office procedure manuals.
4. A telephone directory or rolodex of frequently used telephone numbers. 5. A telephone
6. Disk file or diskettes
Figure 5.2 Workstation Environment
1. Adequate Lighting
2. Adequate contrast - no glare or distracting reflections 3. Distracting noise decreased to a minimum
4. Leg room and clearances to allow postural changes 5. Window covering
6. Appropriate software
7. Screen: stable image, adjustable, readable, glare/reflection free 8. Keyboard: usable, adjustable, detachable, legible
9. Work surface: allow flexible arrangements, spacious, glare free 10. Work chair: Adjustable
11. Footrest
In the center drawe should be supplies like paper clips, pens and pencils, stapler, scissors, etc. Letterheads, envelopes, folders, carbon paper, onionskin, and other stationery items are kept in the top right hand or left hand drawer. Work in progress is kept in the second drawer. This work should be divided into three piles: (a) Rush – (a-priority) work to be completed as soon as possible (b) Regular – (B priority) work to be completed after the rush items are done, and (c) (C-priority) work to be complted later. In the topic on time management, you will learn how to categorize these priorities.
The bottom drawer is for personal items –extra references like your typing book, umbrella, handbag, extra things for emergencies –first aid or earthquake supplies.
Time Management
Books and more reading materials have been written on time management. The proper management of time can be the most efficient way to accomplish office tasks. It can be defined as the process of planning your activities to gain better control over your time. How many times have we heard the statement, “But I don’t have time!” or “Where did time fly?”. If only there were 36 hours a day; but we only have 24 hours, right?
The first step is to analyze the use of your time now. Below is an example of a Time- Use Log. For a week, list down each day on a sheet similar to the one shwon below, all the activities you perform in your office. You may do it every 15 minutes or every 30 minutes. For each activity, ask yourself if that activity contributes to the satisfactory completion of your job requirements. This log is important, not only for improving your time use but also for showing your executive what are the things you do so that when someone says, “She is not doing anything,” you have a document to prove that you are busy all day.
Figure 5.3a Time Log
Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri
8:00 a.m. 8:30 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 10:30 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 11:30 a.m. 12:00 a.m. 12:30 a.m. 1:00 p.m. 1:30 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 2:30 p.m.
Log all activities –telephone calls made or received, meetings, discussions with co- workers, filing, editing, and so forth. Study your time wasters. You will be able to spot problem areas and trends quickly. Be alert to the following:
1. During what time of the day was I most productive? When was I least productive? Why?
2. How did I lose (or waste) my time? Was it because of unnecessary interruptions, visitors/socializing, crises, telephone? Who and what was involved in each case?
Time wasters and interruptions come from many sources. a. personal telephone calls
b. drop-in visitors from both inside and outside the office c. chatting in the restroom, photocopy room, etc.
d. Failure to plan, to set objectives, and to prioritize e. Improper or incomplete directions and/or information.
Increasing productivity
You will work more efficiently and productively if you plan activities ahead of time. A plan will enable you to carry out your tasks in the order that makes the most of your time and effort. Planning requires four steps:
1. Listing your tasks
-After you have entered what you do daily on your time log, list down the main tasks that you do in order to reach your goals. What are your duties according to your job description and what are the tasks needed to accomplish them?
2. Establish priorities
- A-priority tasks are those that you must finish today. Ask yourself the question: “What will happen to me if this is not done now?” if the answer is “I’m dead!”, then do them first.
- B-priority are tasks that can wait for tomorrow or even the day after. They are needed, but not immediately.
- C-priority are tasks that do not need to be done tomorrow or even next month. Gather these in one drawer for the time being and if you have not touched them or they are not needed after a month, throw them away.
These priorities may change. What was B-priority yesterday can be A-priority today; what was C-priority yesterday could be B-priority today, and so on.
3. Schedule your work
- Decide the order in which you should do these tasks. Using your priority choices, arrange a loose, flexible schedule.
a. Establish a work pattern. Is work getting out of time? b. Evaluate how long it takes to complete projects
c. Locate time wasters and establish solutions to stop them.
d. Establish office aids and files that will help work flow more smoothly. e. Evaluate personal office productivity performance level.
4. Avoid procrastination
- this is a bad Filipino habit. It is called the “mañana habit” –putting off for tomorrow what you can do today. Putting off a task repeatedly can be disastrous. Putting off filing can be very stressful when files pile up. You can save yourself a day of anxiety if you stop putting off doing things.
Work Simplification
This is the process of improving procedures that you use to get your work done. It involves streamlining some steps and eliminating others.
Here are four suggestions:
1. Group and complete similar tasks together. Example, if you are making photocopies, make them all at once rather than making several trips to the copier. If you make several phone calls, make them in sequence. Reserve a time for all outgoing calls.
2. Be alert to combining tasks. Example, if you are going to the mailroom to deliver outgoing mail and you are picking up your office supplies in an adjoining room, after delivering the mail, pick up your supplies.
3. List the procedures you do in completing a large task. Example: if you are doing bulk mailing, put stamps at one time, attach all labels, and seal them all simultaneously using a wet sponge. Be alert to the sequence of these tasks, so you use the most logical and efficient way.
4. Determine how to best organize and arrange the equipment and supplies you need to complete a task for smoother work flow.
Schedules
Office workers keep schedules. Long-term, such as, annual, semi-annual, or quarterly schedules including budget preparation, meetings, inventories, or tax reports. Weekly schedules will help you set aside blocks of time for tasks as they become due. When you finish work for each day, prepare a schedule for the next day. You can schedule any work you did not accomplish today as well as other tasks which may come suddenly, like a phone call asking for meeting at 2:30 p.m. A look at your calendar will tell you immediately if that is possible. Remember to be flexible.
Calendar entries should be neat. Use pencil, in case you have to change. You may also make your calendar entries on your computer. Your boss’ schedule can also be on the same calendar so that you can see at one glance how you can adjust you schedule to her or her schedule. Maximize the use of your computer. Pocket calendars are useful to carry around in your bag of briefcase for easy reference.
Figure 5.4
An office assistant who maintains an electronic calendar providews an executive with a printout of the day’s schedule.
Figure 5.5 This medical assistant uses a computer to maintain a listing of appointments.
Tickler Files
This is a system for reminding you on a daily basis what you have to do for that day. It is a file folder, numbered 1-31, one for each of the month. In each pocket, put the necessary correspondence or memo that you may need for that particular project or meeting for each day.
Appointments
Business appointments are usually made by telephone. To make sure that the appointment is made properly.
1. Identify yourself or your manager and your company. 2. Say why you want the appointment.
3. Indicate how much of the other person’s time you need
4. Have your calendar in front of you so you can propose a time or respond to the other person’s request for time.
5. Write down the details of the appointment—date, time, location, purpose, and other person’s request for time
6. Repeat all this information to the person you called, to make sure it is correct.
7. Tell the other person how to get in touch with you if the appointment must be changed.
If you are the one receiving a request for an appointment, check you boss’ calendar before committing him. Make sure you have the authority to confirm a date and time when the boss’ calendar shows that he is available. Write everything and make sure
Swiss Cheese Method
For a big project, break it into smaller parts with individual deadlines. Set target dates for each task until the whole project is completed. Ex. To prepare for a big conference on June 10, the small tasks of the projects could be (1) make meeting room reservations – deadline – May 10; send notices of meeting – deadline – May 15; confirm menus – deadline – May 30; Confirm attendance at meeting – deadline – June 5. By the date of the meeting on June 10, you will have completed all the similar tasks involved. This is called the Swiss Cheese Method.
Messages
If you work in an office where take messages for more than one principal or executive, have as many little trays as persons you are taking messages for. Label these trays with their names, place their messages in their trays, and when they pass you desk, they can pick up their messages from their trays. You can use hooks and tack in their messages to their corresponding hooks beside your desk or in front of your desk. If their messages are important, you can give them personally. It is not efficient to stand and deliver the messages to each one as you get them personally. Mail
Sort mail. If you work for several executives, first sort them by addressee. Then sort them accordingly to importance. Telegrams and faxes first, then client letters, then internal memos, next bills, and lastly personal mail including magazines. Put the mail in individual folders, labeled with their names, with the rush or important mail on top and the others under the other in the order as mentioned above. You may have mail pickup stations in front of your desk or put the mail on the corresponding executives’ desk, if time permits.
If you work for only one executive, you may pull out the files corresponding to each letter, for easy reference. You may also make notations on the margins of the incoming mail if you know the answer that the boss could give in his reply.
To do Lists
Almost everyone has a to-do list. Available in the market today are books called “organizers”. Inside are calendars are appointment schedules, list of names, addresses, and phone numbers, and daily to-do lists. Everyone who has used these to-do lists know they work. You can save time and energy by writing down the things you have to remember to do. You can make you own to-do list in the evening or early in the morning, or both. Be sure to indicate the priority (A, B, or C). Do the A’s first and carefully question the necessity of the C’s.
Chronological files.
This file contains an up-to-date record of work that has been completed. Currently completed work is filed on the top. Copies of memos, reports, and other correspondence are filed in the chronological file, to be referred to when needed. Only copies of correspondence, and not originals, should be filed in this reading file. The purpose of this file is easy to access current work without having to go to the filing cabinet. This can be sorted and thrown away each month.
Office Safety and Health.
Many business firms have safety programs. Fire drills and earthquake drill are held periodically, perhaps once or twice a year. Also negative effects of modern technology, such as cancer-causing emissions of computer CRT monitors have been discovered. Eye, neck, shoulder, and back strain, and stress have been known to be by-products of today’s electronic office. Research has shown that most of these are very minor. Equipment and furniture manufacturers are modifying conventional designs to accommodate the new technologies and ergonomic needs of the worker.
The following checklist can be used to rate an office’s safety: 1. Are all desks and file drawers tightly closed?
2. Are all pencils kept in a drawer or a pencil holder? 3. Are electrical outlets out of the general pathway? 4. Are all wall sockets properly secured?
5. Are all computers and typewriters turned off at the end of the day?
6. If smokers are in the office, are proper ashtrays available and kept out of the way of desk of papers and trash cans?
7. Are workers careful with coffeepots and other electrical items?
8. Do all employees know where the fire exits are and the safety procedures to follow in case of fire?
9. Are fire drills held regularly in the company? 10. Is the furniture in the office “fireproof”?
Student Activities
1. Talk to your family members, relatives, or friends who are working. With a checklist of time management and work planning techniques that you have learned in this chapter, ask them which technique they are using. If they have found some to be effective, which ones? If they have other techniques which they use and are not on your list, ask them what they are and have them explain each one. Report your findings to the class.
2. If you were the executive assistant/secretary in the office, decide which your priorities are in the cases below and how you would go about your day’s work.
You cam to work today, and you find following instructions on your desk: (1) Confirm my meeting with Mr. Reyes in Davao for next week, June 15, at 9:00 a.m. Also reserve the Davao Insular Hotel, Meeting Room 1. (2) Finish the report we started yesterday. I have to edit it today. (3) Order flowers from the Flower Shop for my wife. It is her birthday tomorrow, June 8. (4) Call the travel Agency. Reserve a flight to Davao for Friday, June 14. Also reserve a room at Davao Insular Hotel.
Number each task 1 to 4 –1 representing the first task and 4 representing the last task you will do. If it involves telephone conversations, write your conversation with the other person.