Office Support Skills Everyone Should Develop

There is a lot that employees of any kind, in any industry, can learn from office support team members. Office managers, administrative assistants, receptionists, and the like make countless contributions to their employers. They often serve as the backbone of a business, and make the first mark on anyone who walks through the doors.

The skills they have honed and sharpened can prove useful in any workplace situation. To show just how valuable their talents are, we’ve created a list of skills every office support staff member has that you should work to develop.

Technological Prowess

Technology is everywhere. We simply cannot avoid it. And if we don’t work to understand the tech tools at our disposal, we will surely be left behind.

Specifically, platforms like Microsoft Office command our attention. Knowledge of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint can make your job simpler in almost every aspect. From setting up formulas and formats in Excel, to branding your PowerPoint slides, Office is a great tool in any working arsenal.

Support professionals often need a working knowledge of database management. As records are increasingly being stored online, it’s important that employees can access and update the database in which this information is stored.

Organization

There is a lot on an office support staff member’s plate. In order to get everything done, they need to have excellent organizational skills.

Managing calendars, prioritizing tasks, and managing time so that nothing falls behind are just a few examples of organizational skills. This is clearly valuable to any employee, as time management and prioritizing can be the difference between making a deadline and missing it.

Communication

Written and verbal communication make a good employee. If you don’t know how to communicate with your teammates effectively, misunderstandings will happen. And that could start a chain reaction through the team, and maybe even the organization.

But people with good communication skills, who can be clear and succinct while being pleasant and enjoyable to work with, can help an organization excel. When everyone is on the same page, things naturally move more efficiently.

Resourcefulness

Office support is often on the front lines, dealing with problems as they arise. There’s little time to hesitate or ask for step-by-step instructions when looking for a solve. Therefore, these professionals must often figure things out for themselves.

Maintaining control of the situations and using the available tools around you can be invaluable to your team. You’ll rarely be waiting on someone else’s help if you can be resourceful and find creative solutions to your challenges.

You can find more efficient processes with this skill, maybe even earning more money and positively contributing to your company’s bottom line.

Proactiveness

If office support sat back and waited for things to happen (good or bad), there’d be chaos in the business. They anticipate the needs of their colleagues and the other people who walk through the doors of the organization, and therefore can keep things running smoothly.

If you can also do this, you may be able to solve problems before they arise. You can also take full advantage of opportunities as they present themselves, or even in advance.

Getting tasks done without being instructed or assigned to do so also makes a great impression on your coworkers. It’ll make you an asset to your team, and maybe even help your career trajectory.

Emotional Intelligence

Office support staff members are often the face of the workspace. They are the first person visitors see, and the person who employees interact with at the start of the day. Therefore, they need to be tuned in to people. They need to be empathetic, perceptive, and warm. Sometimes, they also need to be strong an firm.

Knowing which approach with work for your needs, on which people, and how to be genuine in these interactions is extremely important. We’ve written about emotional intelligence before, and why it’s so valuable to employees of all kinds. Supporting your staff, direct reports, or even your boss in this way is important to the office ecosystem. It can even help you to make business decisions, as trusting your gut can have great payoffs.

If you’d like more career guidance, you can browse the rest of our professional advice. When you’re ready to take the next step in your career, reach out to one of our expert recruitment consultants or peruse our job listings.