by Joyce M. George-Knight

Created on: July 17, 2010

Time is of utmost importance when working in an office. The most efficient use of time is noticed by the higher-ups because in the eyes of the boss time equals money. With job shortages and highly qualified unemployed individuals waiting for their opportunities to become employed, time management is especially important for the currently employed to retain their status. Let's review some steps that office workers can take to achieve some degree of job security.

• Organize desk space in an efficient manner and maintain an uncluttered work area. Make use of file holders to keep active files as accessible as possible. Those that are in a hold status can be filed in a file drawer in the most sensible way for your line of work. Your goal should be to have client information able to be located quickly by anybody in your absence. Keep telephone cords untangled and maintain current contacts stored in your phone. A blank pad of paper next to the telephone should be utilized for all calls. Immediately jot down the name of the caller, company, purpose of the call, and remember to get their telephone number. By repeating the person's name during the conversation or stating some other fact the person mentioned, the caller is impressed that you care enough to capture this information right off the bat. Any supervisor or boss hearing your conversation is sure to be impressed and proud to have you on their team.

• Before your day begins, check for any supplies that need to be replenished at your desk. Pens, sharpened pencils, pads of paper, letterhead, file folders, labels, envelopes and any other specific items that you use regularly.

• Keep repetitious steps to a minimum. For example, if you have envelopes to run through the postage machine, save all your outgoing mail in a tray and stamp all of them at the end of the day before the last mail pick-up. The same goes for photocopying. If it isn't for a client that is there waiting for papers, keep all your copying to be handled at once. This saves a tremendous amount of time that would otherwise have been wasted on pacing back and forth numerous times during the workday.

• Set up computer files in a manner that anybody can find client information in your absence. For instance, by client name. Under client's name, you might have folders for specific matters your office is handling. Each matter should have its own folder under the client's name. It's advisable to have a "contact" file with the pertinent information for each of that company's contact, which should include, name, address, telephone number, cell phone number, e-mail address and any other information that is important for your organization to conduct business with that company. If you have a photo that you can put with each name, all the better for anyone in your office, who seeks material when you are not available for assistance.

• Maintain a calendar, whether it is in hard copy or computerized format. Use it to note deadlines; reminders; future To Do items; meetings and appointments. Use of pop-up reminders will ensure you don't miss anything.

Some individuals erroneously believe that to look busy their desk must be cluttered. Wrong. If a boss questions the whereabouts of client information from a person, who maintains a clutter-free desk, they are impressed with the organization and efficiency that the person is able to demonstrate in response to their question.

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