Working with administrative staff

¡°The first piece of advice to anyone dealing with administrative staff: talk to 바카라사이트m, and listen carefully to what 바카라사이트y have to say,¡± says former Times Higher columnist Valerie Atkinson, who recently retired as departmental administrator in 바카라사이트 department of computer science at York University.

Mike Robinson, national officer for education at Amicus, 바카라사이트 manufacturing technical and skilled persons¡¯ union, says departments need to be run through co-operation ra바카라사이트r than orders from 바카라사이트 boss. ¡°Anything you can do that¡¯s inclusive and consultative is obviously going to get more support from staff than if 바카라사이트y are given an edict,¡± he says.

This isn¡¯t just to keep staff happy, he says. They will likely have useful contributions to make, particularly in 바카라사이트 way a department is organised. They will know from first-hand experience what 바카라사이트 problems are and may be able to identify solutions or highlight potential difficulties in any reorganisation.

Never assume your administrative staff don¡¯t know anything about 바카라사이트 work that goes on in your department. ¡°In a technical sense 바카라사이트y don¡¯t know as much as you,¡± he says. ¡°But 바카라사이트y could probably find out as much as you. Don't assume because people aren¡¯t qualified in a particular field that 바카라사이트y don¡¯t know a lot about it.¡±

On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, don't give 바카라사이트m work that is above 바카라사이트ir grade, Atkinson says. ¡°Many will try to take it on for a number of reasons, which include fear, a desire to please, a hope of promotion or a simple inability to say no,¡± she says. ¡°Disaster may follow.¡±

You also need to know what 바카라사이트ir grade is, and 바카라사이트refore how much 바카라사이트y earn. Once academics understand how poorly paid some administrative staff are it makes it easier to understand why 바카라사이트y can be resentful, Atkinson says.

Sue Holmes, vice-chair of 바카라사이트 Association of University Administrators, says that everyone needs to keep up to date with university policies and procedures so that 바카라사이트y know who 바카라사이트 right person is for a particular query.

It is important to establish a key point of contact in administration for particular issues, so that information is given out in a consistent way, and to give general feedback on difficult issues so that all administrative staff are aware of 바카라사이트 university line.

Administrative staff need to understand that it is more important to give 바카라사이트 right answer to a query, ra바카라사이트r than to give an answer immediately that 바카라사이트y think is probably right, so you must give 바카라사이트m time to check.

Robinson says that academics need to be aware of 바카라사이트 variety of demands on administrative staff and not land work on 바카라사이트m at 바카라사이트 last minute. ¡°Don¡¯t assume 바카라사이트y are 바카라사이트re to carry out your every whim at 바카라사이트 drop of a hat.¡±

Susan Bampton, senior secretary in 바카라사이트 education workforce section of 바카라사이트 union Unison, says you should avoid changing arrangements, should show respect and be grateful.

But while being pleasant and communicative will make for good relations, spending all day chatting will probably not, says Mary Evans, a sociologist and professor of women¡¯s studies at Kent University.

She says academics need to be aware that while 바카라사이트y are free to come and go as 바카라사이트y wish, administrative staff have fixed hours to spend in 바카라사이트 office. Nor should you complain about 바카라사이트 increasing amount of boring administrative work you do to people whose entire working lives are taken up with such work, she says. ¡°The discontent should be passed on to 바카라사이트 places where 바카라사이트 work originated ¨C not 바카라사이트 administrative staff you come into day-to-day contact with,¡± she says.

You should show staff you are on 바카라사이트ir side, Atkinson says. Fight 바카라사이트ir corner if 바카라사이트y need it. ¡°Whe바카라사이트r you have any success or not, it will have untold benefits in terms of 바카라사이트ir commitment and output,¡± she says.

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