Administration & secretarial · Short course
Office Administration
Organising the information, routines and support activities that keep an office working.
The programme
Programme overview
Expanded indicative outline. The subject areas are described below; proposed activities and final delivery requirements are confirmed with Ratomac before booking.
Organising the information, routines and support activities that keep an office working.
The programme brings together office systems, coordination, communication and administrative improvement. The expanded outline below shows how these areas can be explored through explanation, discussion and the preparation of relevant work products.
A proposed workshop runs through the programme: An office loses time through duplicate requests, diary conflicts and inconsistent information handling. Participants would examine the situation in stages, use the information provided and explain the basis of their decisions. The workshop is fictional and can be adapted when the final training plan is agreed.
Who should attend
Is this programme for you?
This outline is relevant to the following roles. Suitability and any formal entry requirements should be checked for the selected programme.
- Office administrators, coordinators and support staff.
- Individuals preparing to take on responsibilities in this area.
- Teams seeking a shared approach to the work described in the programme.
Purpose of the learning
Intended learning outcomes
- Map recurring administrative processes and responsibilities.
- Create a coordination plan for diaries, meetings and requests.
- Draft a clear response to a fictional internal-service query.
- Propose a practical improvement to reduce avoidable follow-up.
- Combine the module outputs into a reasoned response to the programme’s workplace scenario.
5 learning blocks
Detailed programme outline
01Office systems
This part of the programme examines office systems, with attention to routines, records and workflow. The practical task connects the subject to the programme’s workplace scenario and gives participants a specific output to discuss.
Topics to explore
- Routines.
- Records.
- Workflow.
- Applied work: map recurring administrative processes and responsibilities.
Illustrative practical exercise
Map recurring administrative processes and responsibilities. Explain the information used, identify any assumptions and take part in a review of the proposed approach.
02Coordination
This part of the programme examines coordination, with attention to diaries, meetings and information requests. The practical task connects the subject to the programme’s workplace scenario and gives participants a specific output to discuss.
Topics to explore
- Diaries.
- Meetings.
- Information requests.
- Applied work: create a coordination plan for diaries, meetings and requests.
Illustrative practical exercise
Create a coordination plan for diaries, meetings and requests. Explain the information used, identify any assumptions and take part in a review of the proposed approach.
03Communication
This part of the programme examines communication, with attention to internal service and professional correspondence. The practical task connects the subject to the programme’s workplace scenario and gives participants a specific output to discuss.
Topics to explore
- Internal service.
- Professional correspondence.
- Applied work: draft a clear response to a fictional internal-service query.
Illustrative practical exercise
Draft a clear response to a fictional internal-service query. Explain the information used, identify any assumptions and take part in a review of the proposed approach.
04Administrative improvement
This part of the programme examines administrative improvement, with attention to priorities and dependable follow-through. The practical task connects the subject to the programme’s workplace scenario and gives participants a specific output to discuss.
Topics to explore
- Priorities.
- Dependable follow-through.
- Applied work: propose a practical improvement to reduce avoidable follow-up.
Illustrative practical exercise
Propose a practical improvement to reduce avoidable follow-up. Explain the information used, identify any assumptions and take part in a review of the proposed approach.
05Integrated workplace workshop
An office loses time through duplicate requests, diary conflicts and inconsistent information handling. The final workshop connects the earlier work rather than treating each topic as an isolated activity.
Topics to explore
- Bring together the outputs from the earlier modules into one coherent response to the scenario.
- Check that the recommendation addresses the original problem and is supported by the information available.
- Identify responsibilities, dependencies and matters that require specialist input or further evidence.
- Present the proposed response and revise it after questions from the facilitator and other participants.
Illustrative practical exercise
Prepare a concise presentation for the fictional organisation. Include the proposed response, the evidence supporting it and the decisions still required. Finish with a reflection on which aspects could be relevant to your own work.
From discussion to application
How the programme could be delivered
The proposed learning approach combines facilitator-led explanation, discussion of the subject areas and guided work on the fictional scenario. Each module produces a practical output that can be reviewed and improved.
Participants can work individually or in small groups to compare interpretations, explain their decisions and identify missing information. Feedback focuses on the connection between the task, the evidence used and the proposed response.
The final workshop brings the module outputs together. Ratomac will confirm the delivery format, learning resources, entry requirements and any formal assessment or certification arrangements for the selected programme.
Discuss your requirements
Dates, duration & arrangements
Contact Ratomac to agree the final programme, duration and delivery format. Include your preferred timing, location and whether the enquiry is for yourself or a team.
Discuss this programme ↗Indicative outline for discussion. The final syllabus is agreed with Ratomac before booking. The expanded learning activities and workplace scenario are original proposals for discussion with Ratomac.