por Among the main functions of a secretary They highlight managing the agenda, serving the public and handling confidential information. It is the person who is in charge of carrying out administrative assistance tasks in an office.
This position can be held by a man or a woman, although the most common is that it is a woman who holds it. They are usually in charge of the confidential matters of people with a certain hierarchy within the company, such as directors, managers, presidents, among others. This makes them the right hand of the executive for whom they work.
If the company is small, the greatest workload of the secretary is related to basic office tasks.
Some countries around the world dedicate a special day of the year to thank and celebrate their work. For example, in Colombia, Peru and Mexico the secretary’s day is April 26, while in Venezuela it is September 30.
Main functions of a secretary
The job of a secretary is to support and collaborate with her boss so that she can fully fulfill her role within the organization, without delays or distractions.
Although the nature of the company affects the type of work that is required of a secretary, it could be said that its main functions are:
1- Agenda management
It is the secretary’s responsibility to keep the agenda of the person for whom she works up to date. She there she must reflect all her work commitments and, on occasions, her personal ones.
You must also keep a record of the data of all the people and institutions with which your employer must interact.
A secretary’s agenda often serves as the operational log of the executive for whom she works.
2- Attention to the public
Customer service is one of the most fundamental tasks that the secretary must perform. She must answer calls and record the reason for them, as well as all the data that allows her employer to effectively follow up on the matter.
He is also the person who receives visitors in the office. For this reason, it is important that the secretary maintain an image consistent with the corporate image of the workplace.
His role there is not only to greet and make the visitors friendly while waiting, but also to give the first instructions and guidelines on the organizational culture and internal processes of the company.
3- Document management
In addition to being the person who receives and handles her boss’s correspondence, a secretary writes, reads, responds, and files most of her employer’s letters, notices, memos, and emails.
To this end, it is convenient for you to handle certain applications of software that allow you to prepare such documents with greater agility and speed.
The specificity of these competencies will depend on the type of work that is required in the area in which they work.
The secretary manages her boss’s contact database and files written correspondence, as well as meeting minutes and other documents of interest within the office.
It is the secretary who normally takes note of the matters discussed in important meetings.
4- Management of sensitive information (internal and external)
Among the functions that distinguish a good secretary is the proper and efficient handling of all extremely important information for the operation of the company or institution in which she works.
For example, you must have control of legal documents that may be required by government agencies at any time.
You can also have access to information from the environment or from any of the actors related to the company. This information must be managed in a discreet, efficient and timely manner.
5- Organization of the office
The secretary must operate and maintain the office equipment and furniture in operation: telephones, photocopiers, printers, projectors, furniture, filing cabinets, among others.
He is the one who keeps control of the inventory of office supplies and equipment. It also keeps physical and electronic filing systems in order, so that information is readily available when needed.
The secretary must have her workspace clean and organized, since it is usually one of the first things that people from outside the company see when they enter its facilities.
6- Preparation of presentations
Normally an executive must present his reports in the form of presentations that summarize and prioritize the information. For this task he usually asks his secretary for help.
The person who is in the secretariat must ensure that the information that appears there correctly reflects the data that his boss wishes to share.
You should also be careful that it is a presentation free of spelling errors and that it is consistent with the graphic identity of the company.
7- Administrative surveillance
It is also the responsibility of a secretary to be aware that the necessary policies and procedures are followed to take care of the assets of the company or institution in which she works.
According to the hierarchical level of her boss, the secretary can validate the accuracy of the data that reflects the detail of the budgetary operations.
A secretary must deal with management control and the correct administration of resources within the office.
8- Organization of trips
If the boss needs to travel a lot for work reasons, the secretary will have the function of organizing everything related to travel. From the acquisition of train or plane tickets, the accommodation reservation or the hiring of a driver or local guide.
9- Communication with other departments
In many cases, the secretary is in charge of distributing or receiving information from other departments before it goes through her boss. With this, she avoids an overload of work for her superior, since she can synthesize the most important needs and those that require the most urgency.
the virtual secretary
With the rise of online jobs, the figure of secretaries arises on-line or virtual assistants.
These secretaries do most of the tasks described above but remotely. In these cases, the secretaries charge their services by the hour or by the project.