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National 4Administration & IT
Administrative PracticesOutcome 1
Support Notes
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CONTENTS
Outcome 1: The Role of Administration
The learner will:Provide an overview of administration in the workplace.
1.1 Outline the main qualities and skills required of an administrative assistant
1.2 Outline the key features of customer care
1.3 Outline the key employee responsibilities in terms of health and safety
1.4 Outline the key employee responsibilities in terms of the security of people, property and information
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Outcome 1
The Role of Administration
1.1 Outline the main qualities and skills required of an administrative assistant.
In this unit you will learn:
the purpose of a job advert, job description and person specification
to create a simple job advert, job description and person specification for an Administrative Assistant
to identify the tasks, skills and qualities of an Administrative Assistant
What is Administration and why is it so important?
Let’s use an example to illustrate this. Think about a school show that you have been to see or even took part in. The audience, (customers) only sees the final show, which is what happens on stage. They don’t see all the work that has taken place behind the scenes in order for the show to be successful. The Administration team in a business work behind the scenes doing really important work to support their colleagues and keep their customers happy. Every business relies on a good Administration team to help things run smoothly.
The Administration team is responsible for gathering, recording, protecting, updating and communicating information to other departments to help them complete their day to day tasks.
Job Description
Details relating to a specific job are usually found in a job description. A job description sets out some background to the post, the duties associated with the post, the post holder’s responsibilities and who their line manager is.
The information contained in the job description will be used to complete the job advertisement, but will give more details and will usually include a complete list of duties.
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Here is an example of a job description for a junior administrative assistant:
JOB DESCRIPTION
Title: Junior Administration Assistant
Purpose: Provide Administrative Support
Duties: Word processing documentsMaintaining customer and supplier databasesDealing with mailReceptionFiling paper and electronic documentsReprographics – photocopying, binding, scanningDealing with telephone and e-mail enquiries
Responsible to: Administration Manager
Conditions of service:Pay: £13,000
Hours of Work: Full-time
Holiday Entitlement 4 weeks
Person Specification
From the job description, the organisation can prepare a person specification. The roles and responsibilities detailed in the job description will highlight the skills, qualifications, experience and personal qualities required from a suitable candidate.
Each component of the person specification is usually classed as essential (a must-have skill or quality) or desirable (having this skill or quality would be an advantage, but it’s not vital). It allows a profile of the ideal person to be prepared and used to assist in the selection process.
Here is an example of a person specification for a junior administrative assistant:
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential Desirable
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Skills,Knowledgeand Abilities
Ability to accurately key in data
Ability to create and edit word-processed documents
Ability to create and edit spreadsheets
Confident at using e-mail and Internet
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including good telephone manner
Ability to create and edit databases
Knowledge of prioritising workloads in order to meet deadlines
Ability to learn new ICT skills quickly
Ability to file accurately
Ability to deal with visitors to theorganisation
Qualifications
NQV Level 2,NC Office Admin or equivalent
National 5 Englishand Mathematics
Experience Previous administrativeexperience at a junior level
Personal Qualities
Reliable and dependable
Flexible and always willing to learn new things
Willing to accept responsibility
Able to get on well with others
Able to multi-task
Both the job description and person specification will be used to create the job advertisement. The job advertisement provides possible candidates with all the necessary information relating to the job. This will help candidates decide whether or not they are suitable for the job and whether they should apply for the job.
Here is an example of a Job Advert for an Administrative Assistant:
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Administration Assistant
£13,000
Ref: 2914/ADMIN AST
Working as part of the busy administration team, your main duties will include administrative support in the form of preparing WP documents, maintaining customer and supplier databases, dealing with mail, filing and covering reception.
The following can be identified from the above Job Advert:
Tasks Skills Qualities Preparing word
processed documents
Maintaining customer and supplier databases
Dealing with mail Filing Covering
Reception Answering the
telephone Reprographics Answering e-mail
enquiries
Up-to-date Word, Excel, Access and e-mail skills
Good communicator
Good organiser
Be able to work unsupervised and as part of a team
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Working as part of the busy administration team, your main duties will include administrative support in the form of preparing WP documents, maintaining customer and supplier databases, dealing with mail, filing and covering reception.
1.2 Outline the Features of Good Customer Care
In this unit you will learn:
the key features of good customer care the benefits of good customer care
Simply stated, customer service is about gaining new customers and retaining existing customers . In today’s competitive environment it is important for organisations to deliver a good-quality product and do it in a way that exceeds the customer’s expectations.
This means that organisations must provide good communication , effectively deal with enquiries , efficiently deal with complaints and offer excellent after sales service .
Research shows that keeping a current customer is much easier and cheaper than attracting a new one. Good customer service aims to increase customer satisfaction and therefore increase customer loyalty.
After-sales service must be included as if anything goes wrong or customers need help then they want their queries answered or goods fixed/replaced (if appropriate) immediately.
Customer Care
“Customer Care is all about putting the customer first, anticipating the customer’s needs and problems, establishing relationships and tailoring services to meet specific needs.”
Providing good customer care is vital in the success of any business and therefore most organisations have their own Customer Care Strategy. This explains to customers what level of service they can expect to get from the organisation.
In order that employees provide good customer care, they may be issued
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with and have to follow the procedures outlined in a Code of Practice which provides clear advice to employees.
Key features of good customer care
1. Answering customer calls quickly and politely2. Respond to emails and letters quickly3. Show flexibility when dealing with customer enquires or complaints4. Record complaints carefully and ensure they are dealt with in the
correct manner and within an acceptable time5. Listen to the customer carefully6. Always be friendly and helpful7. If you cannot help the customer then pass them to someone that
can
Impact of good customer care
Customer care is a crucial element of business success - every contact a business has with customers is an opportunity to improve its reputation and increase the likelihood of further sales. Good service is always doing the right thing in the right way - sales and profitability depends on keeping customers happy. Thus customer care is important because it:
builds loyalty improves profits leads to customer satisfaction.
a very satisfied customer will tell other people personal recommendation is cheaper than advertising customers returning leads to increased sales and profit
Good customer care leads to customer retention.
What will affect how satisfied a customer is?:
how well the product/service matches customer needs the value for money offered efficiency and reliability in fulfilling orders professionalism, friendliness and expertise of organisation's
employees how well the customers are kept informed after-sales service provided
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Impact of poor customer care
Poor customer service may include the following:
poor communication lack of opportunity for customer feedback not listening to customer feedback lack of suitable staff training bad impression of organisation created by poor presentation absence of a clear complaints procedure.
one dissatisfied customer will tell other people losing customers means falling sales and therefore profits it can be hard work and can mean expensive advertising to try and
regain the customers lost.
A business cannot function without customers. If the customer is not satisfied with the organisation’s product or service, he/she will take their business elsewhere!
OUTCOME 1.3 HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE
In this unit you will learn:
the health and safety issues which can occur within the workplace what an employee must do to observe health and safety rules in
accordance with current legislation dpotential hazards in the office and measures to ensure safe
practice how to complete an accident report form
Potential Hazards
Potential hazards in offices are numerous. Major injuries may be caused by:
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slipping on wet/slippery surfaces, falling over objects, falling from a height, for example a ladder, carrying a heavy object the wrong way
The diagram below shows some potential safety hazards in an office:
1) Trailing cables can cause people to trip2) Objects in the middle of the floor can cause people to fall over them3) Cabinet drawers left open means people may walk into them4) Objects stored at a height may cause people to fall over if they don’t use a ladder to access them
To work safely, employees should:
remember to close filing cabinet drawers when finished keep filing cabinets away from doors and passage ways never swing on their chair never stand on chairs to reach high objects keep food and drink away from computer equipment not overload sockets not have cables trailing across the floor always keep fire exits clear be trained in how to lift heavy objects not attempt to fix faulty equipment themselves
Health & Safety Legislation
In order to maintain a safe working environment, there are a number of health and safety laws that exist and both employers and employees must
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follow these rules.
The health and safety of employees is protected by the following pieces of legislation:
1) The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HASAWA)
2) The Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act 1963
3) The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981
4) The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992
5) The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR)
1) Health and Safety at Work Act 19741) Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
Employer Responsibilities:
To make sure that the work place is safe To provide a safe entrance and exit from work To ensure that equipment is safe and properly
maintained To control dust, fumes and noise levels To provide protective clothing and equipment where necessary To provide first aid facilities To keep records of accidents
Employee Responsibilities:
To take care of their own health and safety
To take care of other people’s health and safety
To work with the employer to maintain health and
safety, for example attending training courses
2) Office, Shops and Railway Premises Act 19632) Office, Shops and Railway Premises Act 1963
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LIGHTING There must be sufficient natural light or artificial lighting
TEMPERATURE Minimum temperature of 60oF
VENTILATION Windows that can be opened or fans/air conditioning units
SPACE/STORAGE There must be adequate space for each person and storage space for outdoor clothing, eg cloakroom
TOILET FACILITIES There must be toilets, which are kept clean, with hot and cold water. Soap and towels must also be available
DRINKING WATER Either from an outside water mains or water coolers
FIRST AID First aid box must be provided, trained first aiders must be available
PREMISES Floors, corridors etc must be kept clean, level, unbroken and kept clear
FIRE Fire extinguishers must be available, fire exits clearly identified, regular fire drills, and evacuation procedures should be displayed
3) The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 19813) The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981
Employers MUST:
ensure that there is a person trained to take charge of first aid arrangementsensure that a first aid box is available and that it is suitably stockedensure that a record is kept of all accidentsinform employees about first aid arrangements eg poster detailing first aiders etc
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4) The4) The Health andHealth and SafetySafety (Display (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992
What are the main health issues when using visual display units?
Problem What should be done?
Sore Eyes and Headaches Use anti-glare screens Adjust the brightness/contrast of the
monitor Ensure that employee has an eye test
– provide glasses if necessary Ensure employees are having regular
breaks
Sore back, neck and repetitive strain injury
Check the layout of the workstation – adjust if necessary
Check position of chair – adjust if necessary
Ensure wrist rests and footrests are available
Stress Check that employees are properly trained
Check the employees workload – it may need to be shared out or varied
Employers MUST:
Make sure that workstations and equipment meet minimum requirements, eg footrests, adjustable colour controls etc
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Make sure that employees have built in breaks or changes in activity
Train employees in health and safety, eg using equipment correctly
Check that equipment is safe
Provide eye test and glasses if needed for VDU work
Employees MUST:
Make full use of the VDU adjustments, for example colour and contrast
Avoid possible health hazards, for example use back/height adjustments on chairs
5) The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences5) The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR)Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR)
Employers must report certain injuries, accidents or incidents within 7-10 days to the Health and Safety Executive.
If an employee is injured the employer must send an Accident Report Form to the Health & Safety Executive within 10 days.
Employers must keep records of any reportable injury, disease or dangerous occurrence for 3 years after the incident. These records are kept in an Accident Report Book and include the following details:
Date, time and place of accident Personal details of those involved Description of the accident
What kind of injury, accident or incident must be reported?
Death or major injury
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If an employee cannot carry out their normal job for more than 3 days because of an incident
If a doctor has informed the employer that an employee is suffering from a work-related disease
If something happens which could have resulted in a reportable injury, although it did not
There is an example of an Accident Report Form on the next page:
ACCIDENT REPORT FORM
Name of injured party
Date, time and place of accident
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Brief description of incident
Details of injury sustained
First aid treatment given (if any)
Was the injured person taken to hospital/doctor
Yes/No**Delete as applicable
If yes give details
Name and position (or address) of person(s) who witnessed accident
Signed: ___________________________________
Date: __________________OUTCOME 1.4 SECURITY OF PEOPLE, PROPERTY AND INFORMATION
In this unit you will learn:
different types of identification and secure entry systems
organisational procedures to protect property organisational procedures to protect paper and electronic
information
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Why is security important in any business?
To protect and re-assure staff
To prevent theft of stock
To maintain confidentiality of information
SECURITY OF PEOPLE
Staff Entry and Movement
Ensure only authorised personnel have access to the premises by:
– Keypads/combination locks/entry-phone systems are used to gain entry
– Alarm systems
– CCTV installed throughout the building
– ID cards
– Electronic swipe cards to gain entry to the building
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– Keypads on doors
– Careful handling of keys
Visitor Entry and Movement
– To ensure that only genuine visitors enter the premises an organisation can use the following:
– Visitors report to reception
– Reception is at the main entrance
– Other entrances are kept to a minimum
– Visitor passes are issued and displayed
– Visitors are not left unsupervised
– Passes are returned to reception when leaving the building
There should always be a member of STAFF at the reception desk. When one receptionist is ABSENT or having their BREAK a RELIEF receptionist should take over
The receptionist must make sure that all RECORDS are completed FULLY and accurately by VISITORS
SECURITY OF INFORMATION
Organisations store different types of information. Hospitals will store patient details, schools will store pupil details, banks will store customer account details, and so on. Quite often, the information is confidential and it is important that the organisation is seen to take
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steps to keep this information secure. There are different methods to do this, and the information may be stored manually (on paper) or electronically (on computer).
Here are some of the procedures organisations may choose to use:
– Passwords – changed regularly and not obvious
– Read-only files – cannot be amended
– Virus screening software
– Lock rooms, filing cabinets and computers
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– Confidential documents should be discarded appropriately
Backing up procedures:
Another measure used to protect the security of information is to back-up all information held. Backing up information means saving a copy, as well as keeping the original copy. But why would an organisation want to back-up information?
In case of human error – information may be deleted by mistake Files become corrupted due to virus which means some or all the
information is lost Theft of equipment which means the information stored on it is lost Equipment malfunction which means you may not be able to access
the information stored on it
Organisations will have different back-up procedures but the basic policy should say:
When and how back-ups are takenWho is responsible for taking back-upsWhere back-ups are stored
The information that organisations have on individuals is protected by the following pieces of legislation:
1) Data Protection Act 1998:
If companies hold data about people then they have to follow the Data Protection Acts 1984 & 1998These Acts are to protect individuals whose information is held on a computer
8 DATA PRINCIPLES
1. Information must be obtained lawfully2. Data can only be held for specified and lawful purposes 3. Data must be adequate, relevant and not
excessive
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4. Personal data will be accurate and up-to-date 5. Data will not be kept longer than necessary6. Data must be processed in a way that protects individuals’ legal
rights.7. Data must not be transferred to countries outside the EU8. Personal data must be kept secure against loss, damage and
unauthorised and unlawful processing
2) Computer Misuse Act
Under this Act hacking and the introduction of viruses are criminal offences. The Act identifies three specific offences:
How to avoid
unauthorised access to computers:
Limit computer access to certain employeesAccess to computers be time limitedGaining access to rooms by swipe cards/keypadsIssue authorised users with passwords etc
SECURITY OF PROPERTY
Organisations will also put into place procedures to help keep property safe. Remember that computers, pen drives, external hard drives and so on may all contain confidential information. To keep this information safe, the property must also be kept secure.
General security measures include:
– Serial numbers of equipment
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– Ultra violet markers of equipment
– Cables
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