It's the Little Things: Taking Care of the Office
Every office is different, but there is one consistency in every workspace: the little things are IMPORTANT. The “little things” are all the tasks it takes to keep an office functioning day to day. These little things are the difference between a well oiled machine and a train that’s gone completely off the rails. Here are some tips on how to maintain smooth office operations.
Anticipate
Make sure your team’s needs are met, and anticipate what they’ll need. Is the office running low on dish soap or snacks? Is it time to order more printer paper? Being on top of this can make a world of difference. Anticipating how your team is feeling is also vital. Laurel often challenges our office to a game of Heads Up or Jenga if she senses that energy is low. It’s a great way to get everyone excited and energized for the day. Anticipate when it might be a good time for a team-building activity and organize it. Team happy hours, walks and lunches keep company morale high.
Organize
Plan out your duties for the day, week and month so that you know exactly when things need to be done. Write down your tasks so that they are easy to remember, and make room for them in your schedule. Leave notes for yourself so that you remember recurring tasks like watering plants, paying monthly invoices and coordinating meetings. This will prevent things from falling through the cracks. The more organized you are the easier it will be to take care of the little things without losing sight of the big things.
Be Clear
Be as clear as possible when communicating with clients, vendors and your team. Clear communication will make booking travel, reservations and appointments easier. If your office doesn’t have an executive assistant or operations manager, designate one person to do them all or delegate certain chores to the individuals who are best suited for the task. And create a spreadsheet to hold everyone accountable. Having someone in the office keep track of the small details and clearly communicating them to the team will make a world of difference.
Eryn Pendergast, Executive Assistant
Elevate My Brand