What to Look for When Hiring an Office Manager

An office manager is an essential part of keeping your business running smoothly. While many entrepreneurs start off trying to fill this role themselves, eventually as your company grows it becomes clear that additional help is necessary. All parts of your business flow through the office manager, so making a smart hiring choice for this role is essential. Part problem solver and part guidance counselor, your office manager will need to wear many hats in order to be successful. When you’re ready to add an office manager to your team, here’s what you should know:

Find someone who takes pride in the business

An office manager will need to be involved in nearly all aspects of the business. They will play an essential role in keeping the company moving forward. Therefore, your office manager should have a true sense of pride about the company. When an office manager believes in their company and values the work they do, they’re more effective in their job. This mindset trickles down to the other employees in your organization.

Seek out someone with strong communication skills

Office managers need to communicate successfully with a number of different types of people, including vendors, upper-level management, and new hires. From getting the printer fixed to sending out a memo about a promotion, the right office manager can do it all. They will be able to work with all kinds of people in a respectful and clear manner. Additionally, they should have strong written and verbal communication skills, as well as plenty of patience.

An office manager needs to have an understanding about how various aspects of the business work

Even if the office manager doesn’t technically work in the sales, accounting, or HR departments, this individual should have a general understanding of what it takes to keep these parts of the business running. An office manager’s decisions can have a direct impact on these departments, so an appreciation for what their co-workers rely on to be successful in their jobs is important.

Office managers also have a significant impact on the morale of the business. Hire someone who appreciates this and takes this responsibility seriously. You want to find an office manager who is constantly looking for ways to bring employees closer together, creating a sense of unity at work. Truly talented office managers are constantly organizing company softball games, happy hours, or potluck lunches in order to boost camaraderie at work, which increases productivity and employee happiness.

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