The importance of the office is as follows

No business concern can exist without an office. An office can be described as the nerve centre of the whole concern. The importance of the office is as follows:

Office as a Service Centre

1. Office renders valuable services to all other departments:

Often an office is referred to as the service department. The important services provided by the office include clerical and other services to other departments, divisions, sections etc. of the organization and they cannot operate without an office.

2. Office as an information centre or memory centre:

Office is the information centre of a business. In an organization, office is as important as the brain in the human body. As such office is the brain of the organization. It collects useful pieces of information from different sources, i.e. internal and external, and records them. It arranges and analyses them and makes them available to the management whenever needed. Thus office acts as an information centre or store house or memory centre. All kinds of information, past or present, are available in the office.

3. Office as an intermediary:

An office connects outsiders with different departments and vice versa. All the sales orders are received through the office. It connects the organization with the customers, suppliers, Government and general public. Public relations are a very important aspect of the Functions of modern office.

The importance of office in relation to customers is of great significance. Office acts as a channel that link the business organisation with its customers. Their enquiries, orders, complaints etc. are taken care of by the office. The office acts as the link between different government departments and the organisation.

Office is responsible for creating a good image for the organisation in the minds of the people; Danny Griswold describes public relations thus: “The management function which evaluates public attitudes, identifies the policies and procedures of an individual or an organisation with the public interest, and executes a programme of action to earn public understanding and acceptance.”

Thus the office conveys to the public the objectives, policies and programmes of the business. The suggestions and response of the public are gathered by the office and are conveyed to the management; thereby management reviews its plan and policies to meet the aspirations of the public in turn the public image of the business is enhanced.

4. Office as a co-coordinator:

Office aids management to bring about co-ordination. Central office co-ordinates the activities of departmental offices. The office provides the necessary data. The management brings about co-ordination. The processing of information in an office is as follows:

(a) Communication:

Office provides essential records and communication services. Communication of correspondence is done through the office. The central office receives letters from outside, records them and sends them to the concerned department for necessary action. So the office is the brain of a business organisation.

(b) Store of records:

Office keeps adequate and up-to-date records of the business institution. It is the source of information for conducting, directing and controlling the business activities. To the management the records are the tools to direct the activities of the business. As such, the office plays an important role in the efficient management of the business.

(c) Cost reduction:

Office assists all departments in achieving their objectives. Generally customers send their orders to be executed. Of course, there is an additional cost when these orders are handled by the office. But if the orders are not handled properly and effectively, it is possible that some of the customers may Stop further orders.

And this leads to reduction in the profit. A well organized office with its business policies and plans will surely add to the earning capacity of the business.

These are essential for the efficient co-ordination of production, distribution and financing of the services in the business organisation. It is the coordinating link between all the departments of the organization. For that it has to keep a good relation with every department.

5. Office as an administrative nerve centre:

An office is the heart of all business activities. From here information on purchase, sales, finance and communication gets circulated.

6. Office as control centre:

It is the medium for translating the policies into action. When the business grows, different departments come up with different jobs to be done. Each departmental head will have delegated power with which he takes actions and decisions. Each department will have its own office.

Each office is responsible for the task entrusted to it. Each department gives readymade information to the management which takes final decision on the basis of the information supplied by the offices. The management makes out plans and policies and directs business activities in profitable ways and each departmental office is responsible for the function entrusted to it.

A good office facilitates the management to chalk out plans and policies. Dicksee has correctly said, “The office is to a business what the mainspring is to the watch.” Prof. Donald Cousins says, the office of a successful business organisation must be the brain of the whole concern.”

No organisation worth its name can exist without an office. The office can rightly term as the nerve-centre or brain of a business organisation, for it exercises complete control over the organisation. It is its business to take policy decisions, drawing up plans and execute them competently.

It keeps a vigilant eye on the functioning of the organisation and detects even the slightest deviation and applies corrections wherever and whenever necessary.

It sets and resets procedures so that the organisation targets are fully met. Any failure of the organisation will be attributed to the incompetence or mismanagement of the office. An efficient office ensures unhampered growth and sustained prosperity.

The importance of the office to a business concern can be explained as, “The efficient management of a business enterprise depends on the effective performance of certain basic managerial functions, viz., planning, formulation of policies and executive decisions for the employees and workers, directing and guiding the workers, co-ordinating the activities of different departments, controlling business activities and evaluating the results.

To carry out these functions properly, the management needs accurate information and factual data, effective ways and means of executing the plans and policies, as well as of communicating the decisions and evaluating the results. The office provides the necessary information on the basis of which plans and policies may be formulated and results assessed.

It also provides different means of communication which help management in directing, guiding and co­ordinating the activities of the different departments, executives and employees. Again it is with the help of the factual information supplied by the office that the management maintains effective control over the business operations.

“According to Leffingwell,” a well-organised office makes it possible for management to plan its operations intelligently, to put its plans into effect surely, to follow their progress currently, to determine their effectiveness promptly, to apprise the results without delay, and to co-ordinate all the activities of the business.

Leffingwell and Robinson have summed up the importance of an office thus’ “A well organised office makes it possible for the management to plan its operations intelligently, to put its plans into effect surely, to follow their progress currently, to determine their effectiveness promptly, to appraise their result without delay and to co-ordinate all the activities of the business.”