CHAPTER TEN
Organization and methods (o &m)
O&M refers to the systematic attempt on the part of an enterprise to improve and maintain office at a high level of efficiency.
It is through O&M that office operations and procedures are continuously improved. Work simplification is possible and better communication and economy are achieved
Objectives of O&M
- Eliminate waste of time, human energy, space, equipment, stores and stationery
- Improvement in output and quality of work
- Improvement in office services
- Making the staff efficiency conscious
Functions of organization and methods
- Defining precisely objectives of different functions and operations
- Drawing up a plan of work indicating the general and specific purposes of the tasks involved, nature of the information to be procured and the sources of information to be tapped
- Making a thorough examination of the existing procedures
- Making detailed study of the sources of information
- Examination of all relevant facts gathered in the course of investigation and study and suggesting new or modified procedures if found necessary
- Once the suggestions of the O&M department are accepted helping the administration and staff in implementing the suggestions
Outline the principles which guide O&M
- All unnecessary operations should be eliminated
- all operations which can, with advantages, be combined should be so combined
- all operations should be in their correct sequence to avoid back tracking
- all necessary operations should be as simple as possible
- the shorter the office work cycle the higher will be the overall productivity
- the work flow should not only be fast but also have an even tempo
What are steps in conducting O&M assignment
O&M functions should be a continuous process, but sometimes the O&M officer may be asked by higher management or a particular department manager to conduct a survey and make recommendations for improvement
In a particular area of operation
In conducting the assignment the O &M officer and the team will have to take the following steps
- Determine the objective
- Planning the assignment
- Preparatory meeting
- Collecting the facts
- Analyzing the facts
- Submitting proposals for change
- Helping in the implementation
What are the advantages and disadvantages of O&M?
Advantages
- Improves general efficiency of the office
- Reduces the clerical and paper work and ultimately reduces wastage
- Out down since unnecessary steps requiring clerical labor and documents are eliminated
Disadvantages
- It tends to have an adverse effect on staff morale
- Work simplification is carried out theoretically which could not be workable when put in practice
- It requires constant training on staff, so as to enable staff to cope with the introduced systems
