All organizations need timely and effective clerical and administrative support to operate efficiently. Coordinating this support is the responsibility of clerical supervisors and managers. They can be found in nearly every sector of the economy, working in positions as varied as office manager, customer services supervisor, or chief telephone operator. Although some functions may vary considerably, many duties are common to all.
Supervisors perform administrative tasks to ensure that their staffs can work efficiently. For example, equipment and machinery used in their departments must be in good working order. If the computer system goes down or a photocopier malfunctions, they must try to correct the problem or alert repair personnel. They also request new equipment or supplies for their department when necessary.
Planning and supervising the work of their staff is another key function of this job. To do this effectively, the supervisor must know the strengths and weaknesses of each member of the staff as well as the required level of quality and time allotted to each job. They must make allowances for unexpected absences and other disruptions and adjust assignments or perform the work themselves if the situation requires it.
After allocating work assignments and issuing deadlines, clerical supervisors oversee the work to ensure that it is proceeding on schedule and meets established quality standards. This may involve reviewing each person's work on a computer, as in the case of accounting clerks, or, in the case of cashiers, listening to how they deal with customers. When supervising long-term projects, the supervisor may establish regular meetings with staff members to discuss their progress.
Another part of a clerical supervisor's job is to conduct performance evaluations. If a worker has done a good job, the supervisor records it in the employee's personnel file and may recommend a promotion or other award. Alternatively, if a worker is performing poorly, the supervisor discusses the problem with the employee to determine the cause and help the worker improve his or her performance. This might entail sending the employee to a training course or arranging personal counseling. If the situation does not improve, the supervisor may recommend a transfer, demotion, or dismissal.
Clerical supervisors and managers generally interview and evaluate prospective clerical employees. Some may be actively involved in recruiting new workers by performing functions like making presentations at high schools and business colleges. When new workers arrive on the job, supervisors greet them and provide orientation to acquaint them with the organization and its operating routines.
Supervisors also help train new employees in organization and office procedures. They may teach them to use the telephone system and to operate office equipment. Because much clerical work is computerized, they must also teach new employees to use the organization's computer system. When new office equipment or updated computer software is introduced, supervisors retrain experienced employees to use it efficiently. They may also arrange for special outside training for their employees if necessary.
Clerical supervisors often act as liaisons between the clerical staff and the professional, technical, and managerial staff. This may involve implementing new company policies or restructuring the workflow in their departments. They must also keep their superiors informed of their progress and abreast of any potential problems. Oftentimes this communication takes the form of research projects and progress reports. Because they have access to information like their department's performance records, they may compile and present this data for use in planning or designing new policies.
Clerical supervisors may be called upon to resolve interpersonal conflicts among the staff. In organizations covered by union contracts, supervisors must know the provisions of labor-management agreements and run their departments accordingly. They may meet with union representatives to discuss work problems or grievances.
Clerical supervisors are found in nearly every sector of the economy.
Clerical supervisors and managers are employed in a wide variety of work settings, but most work in offices that are clean, well-lit, and generally comfortable.
Most work a standard 40-hour week. Because some organizations operate around the clock, however, clerical supervisors may have to work nights, weekends, and holidays. In some cases, supervisors rotate among the three shifts. In others, shifts are assigned on the basis of seniority.
Clerical supervisors and managers held about 1,267,000 jobs in 1992. Although jobs for clerical supervisors are found in practically every industry, the largest number are found in organizations with a large clerical work force such as government agencies, retail establishments, wholesalers, business service firms, banks, and insurance companies. Due to the need in most organizations for continuity of supervision, few clerical supervisors and managers work on a temporary or part-time basis.
Most people entering this occupation transfer from other occupations within the organization, very often from the ranks of those they subsequently supervise. To be promoted to a supervisory position, clerical or administrative support workers must prove that they are capable of handling additional responsibilities. When evaluating candidates, superiors look for strong teamwork skills, determination, loyalty, poise, and confidence. They also look for more specific supervisory attributes, such as the ability to organize and coordinate work efficiently, set priorities, and motivate others. Increasingly, supervisors need a broad base of office skills coupled with personal flexibility to adapt to changes in organizational structure and move among departments when necessary.
In addition, supervisors must pay close attention to detail in order to identify and correct errors made by subordinates. Good working knowledge of the organization's computer system is also an advantage. Many employers require some postsecondary training. An associate degree is sufficient in many cases, but some organizations prefer candidates to hold bachelor's degrees.
A clerk with potential supervisory abilities may be given occasional supervisory assignments. To prepare for full-time supervisory duties, he or she may attend in-house training or take courses in time management, personal relations, or other management skills at a local community college or vocational school.
Some clerical supervisors are hired from outside the organization for positions with more managerial duties. These positions may serve as entry-level training for potential higher level managers. New college graduates may rotate through departments of an organization at this level to learn the work of the entire organization.
Employment of clerical supervisors and managers is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2005. Although growth in the demand for clerical supervisors will generate many job openings, most openings will result from the need to replace experienced supervisors who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force. Because the occupation is so large, replacement needs will create a large number of job openings.
Employment of clerical supervisors is tied somewhat to the demand for clerical workers. More clerical work will be generated as organizations and the economy grow, especially the business and service sectors. As the amount of clerical work to be done continues to increase, more managers will be needed to coordinate this rising volume of work. As office automation causes employment in some clerical occupations to slow or even decline, supervisors may have smaller staffs and perform more professional tasks. In other areas, fewer supervisors may be needed.
Median annual earnings of full-time clerical supervisors were about $28,000 in 1992; the middle 50 percent earned between $21,100 and $39,400 a year. Ten percent earned less than $16,200, and 10 percent more than $51,300. As is the case in most fields, large employers tend to pay higher salaries than small ones. In addition, employers in major metropolitan areas tend to pay higher salaries than those in rural areas.
Depending on their employer, clerical supervisors may receive a variety of benefits. These may include health and life insurance, paid vacations, tuition assistance, and a pension plan. Some clerical supervisors in the private sector may receive additional compensation in the form of bonuses and stock options.
Clerical supervisors and managers must understand and sometimes perform the work of people whom they oversee, including accounting clerks, cashiers, bank tellers, and telephone operators. Their supervisory and administrative duties are similar to those of other managers.
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Reprinted with Permission of U. S. Department of Labor