Tamil Nadu HSE Second Year Office Management and Secretaryship flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Office management

The planning, organising, staffing, directing and controlling of office work so that information is collected, processed, stored and supplied efficiently to support the organisation.

Span of control

The number of subordinates who report directly to one superior; a wide span produces a flatter organisation with fewer levels of supervision.

Delegation

The assignment of a task and the authority needed to perform it by a superior to a subordinate; final responsibility for the task remains with the superior.

Line and staff organisation

A structure in which line managers have direct authority over subordinates while staff specialists advise and support them without commanding those subordinates.

Illumination (lux)

The intensity of light falling on a surface, measured in lux; general office lighting is about 300-500 lux and detailed work needs higher levels.

Glare

Excessive or wrongly directed light that causes eye strain and reduces visibility; it may be direct from a source or reflected from a shiny surface.

Noise (decibels)

Unwanted sound measured in decibels; continuous exposure above about 85 decibels can damage hearing, while lower levels reduce concentration and accuracy.

Open-plan layout

An office arrangement with a large undivided floor area and low partitions, giving easy supervision and flexibility but less privacy and more noise.

Cellular layout

An office arrangement of separate enclosed cabins for individuals or small groups, giving privacy and confidentiality but costing more and reducing supervision.

Ergonomics

The study of fitting work, equipment and furniture to the human body to reduce strain, fatigue and injury, especially in seated screen-based work.

Communication process

The sequence of sender, encoding, message, channel, receiver, decoding and feedback, with noise able to distort the message at any stage.

Grapevine

Informal communication that spreads through an organisation outside official channels; it is fast but often inaccurate and should not be relied on for decisions.

Memorandum

A brief internal written message with To, From, Date and Subject headings, used to record instructions, information or decisions within an organisation.

Filing

The systematic arrangement and storage of records so that any document can be located quickly and safely when it is needed.

Numerical filing

A filing method in which each file is given a number and an index links the number to the name, allowing unlimited expansion and greater confidentiality.

Retention schedule

A written plan stating how long each class of record must be kept before destruction or transfer to archives, based on legal and operational needs.

Office automation

The use of computers, networks and software to carry out routine clerical work such as typing, calculating, filing and reporting with less manual effort.

Backup

A duplicate copy of data kept on a separate medium or location so that information can be restored after failure, fire, theft or accidental deletion.

Company secretary

A statutory officer responsible for ensuring compliance with company law, maintaining statutory registers and supporting the board and its meetings.

Private secretary

A secretary who assists one individual such as an executive, handling correspondence, appointments, records and confidential matters on that person's behalf.

Statutory meeting

A meeting held once in the life of a public company limited by shares, within six months of commencement of business, to consider the statutory report.

Quorum

The minimum number of members whose presence is required for a meeting to transact business validly; without it the proceedings are invalid.

Special resolution

A resolution passed by a majority of at least three-fourths of the votes cast by members present and voting, with proper notice of the intention.

Ultra vires

An act beyond the objects stated in a company's memorandum of association; such an act is void and cannot be ratified even by unanimous consent of members.

Indoor management doctrine

The rule protecting outsiders who deal with a company in good faith, as they are entitled to assume that internal procedures have been properly followed.

Memorandum of association

The charter document of a company containing its name, registered office, objects, liability of members and capital clauses, and governing its activities.

Fire triangle

The three elements needed for combustion: fuel, oxygen and heat; removing any one of them prevents or extinguishes a fire.

Ergonomic hazard

A workplace condition such as poor posture, repetitive movement or badly adjusted furniture that can cause strain, pain or injury over time.

Employability skills

The personal and technical abilities that make a person suitable for employment, including communication, teamwork, problem solving, self-management, learning and technology.

Entrepreneurship

The process of identifying a business opportunity, arranging resources and bearing the risk of loss in order to create and run a venture for profit.

Break-even point

The level of sales at which total revenue equals total cost, so the business makes neither profit nor loss; sales above it produce profit.

Business plan

A written document describing a venture's product, market, competition, operations, finance and risks, used to guide the owner and attract finance.