Priory Secretarial Services

If it’s been said once it has been said a thousand times – admin is a cost you cut at your peril.

I’ve lost count of the number of meetings I’ve sat in where someone has flagged a niggle that is making an organisation or department seem inefficient and disorganised. Invariably, the missing element at the root of the niggle is admin. Technology allowed the world to ditch typing pools and teams of departmental secretaries a long time ago, but maybe it’s time to re-evaluate the cost of trimming admin to the bone.

Too often I see staff spending their well-paid time on tasks a more junior person would once have done cheaply. That’s fine if it doesn’t impact what those staff members are truly employed to do. But all too often I see people either under unnecessary pressure and logging on at evenings and weekends to get their work done, or simply letting the admin slip, or both. And the upshot is mistakes and inefficiencies, an inability to find information promptly, inconsistent customer service, poor handovers when people leave, tasks falling over when people go off sick.

On the other hand, in cash strapped times organisations are unlikely to be able to stomach employing more staff and it’s a jobseeker’s market out there at the moment. It’s worth remembering that good administrators may find themselves unable to work full time for a range of reasons, so flexible arrangements like part time and job share positions are good options to consider. Agency staff during peak periods is another way to go – there are some great workers out there but you may not get the same person every time, which means they can’t hit the ground running.

Or you can retain the services of a fabulous virtual assistant, not only benefitting from all they bring but also accessing a vast network of skills through their contacts. I join my fellow VAs in looking forward to hearing from you.