Report: Principles of Administration in Tesco's Business Environment

This report provides a comprehensive overview of the principles of administration, using Tesco as a case study. It delves into the legal requirements for office facilities, typical services provided, and the establishment of effective office management procedures. The report further explores managing office resources, monitoring work flows, and providing support and welfare facilities. It also covers legal obligations for health and safety, accident and emergency procedures, and individual responsibilities. The report examines the purpose, legal implications, and accuracy of meeting minutes, along with note-taking techniques. Furthermore, it discusses different types of meetings, the roles of the chair and other participants, and facilitation techniques. The report also addresses workload management, work allocation, quality management, and techniques for identifying improvements. Lastly, it covers the characteristics, planning, and resource management of various events, providing information for delegates before, during, and after an event.

Principle of Administration

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
1.1 Legal requirements relating to the management of office facilities......................................3
1.2 Typical services provided by an office facility.....................................................................3
1.3 How to establish office management procedures..................................................................3
1.4 How to manage office resources...........................................................................................3
1.5 Techniques to monitor and manage work flows...................................................................4
1.6 Typical support and welfare facilities for office workers.....................................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
2.1 Legal obligations of the employer for health and safety in the workplace...........................4
2.2 Individual’s responsibilities for health and safety in the workplace.....................................4
2.3 Accident and emergency procedures....................................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................5
3.1 The purpose of meeting minutes...........................................................................................5
3.2 The legal implications of meeting minutes...........................................................................5
3.3 Importance of accuracy in minute taking..............................................................................5
3.4 What should and should not be included in different types of meeting minutes..................6
3.5 How to take notes during meetings.......................................................................................6
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................6
4.1 Features and purpose of different types of formal and informal meeting.............................6
4.2 Role and responsibilities of the chair....................................................................................7
4.3 Role of others in a meeting...................................................................................................7
4.4 Techniques to facilitate a meeting........................................................................................7
4.5 Information requirements of a meeting before, during and after a meeting.........................7
TASK 5............................................................................................................................................8
5.1 Use of targets and budgets to manage workloads.................................................................8
5.2 How to allocate work to individual team members..............................................................8
5.3 Quality management techniques to manage the performance...............................................8
5.4 Techniques used to identify the need for improvements in team outputs and standards......9
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TASK 6............................................................................................................................................9
6.1 Characteristics, requirements and purposes of different types of events..............................9
6.2 Types of information and information sources needed to organise an event........................9
6.3 How to plan an event.............................................................................................................9
6.4 How to identify the right resources from an event plan......................................................10
6.5 Types of information needed by delegates before, during and after an event....................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12
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INTRODUCTION
Principal of administers are govern to mange various activities in public and private
business organisation (Box, 2015). This project report is based on Tesco which is British
multinational grocery and general merchandiser retailer. This project report provide various
principal that related to legal, employees welfare, roles and responsibility of workforce in the
organisation.
TASK 1
1.1 Legal requirements relating to the management of office facilities
The legal requirements related to managing an office facility will depend on the size and
type of organisation. However, all organisations should issue a contract of employment to its
employees. Contracts aren’t necessarily legally binding, however employers should clearly state
which parts are/aren’t. In some organisations, it will be a legal requirement to possess a license
to operate. This applies to organisations selling alcohol, hiring a skip or installing CCTV systems
etc.
1.2 Typical services provided by an office facility
There are many aspects to being an administrator, and so it is easy to continually expand
on skills already gained and move into different, more specific areas of admin, for example
accountancy, marketing or human resources. Working in admin doesn’t limit skills to a particular
industry as admin is needed in all businesses.
1.3 How to establish office management procedures
It is important to have set procedures in an organisation in view of absence etc.
Procedures are needed for tasks that are complex, lengthy, have serious consequences if not
completed correctly or have to follow strict guidelines. An office manager has the responsibility
of ensuring all staff have clear job descriptions and that these are updated whenever a system or
procedure changes, or when new tasks are introduced (Caironi and et. al. 2014).
1.4 How to manage office resources
Managing resources is the process of making sure resources are used in the most efficient
way. Office resources include materials, staff, information and equipment. Managing resources
includes making sure an organisation has enough physical resources, but not an overabundance,
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and making sure employees are given tasks and duties that will keep them occupied throughout
the day. Using resources efficiently helps reduce costs to the organisation, as well as reducing
energy costs (De Vries and Nemec, 2013).
1.5 Techniques to monitor and manage work flows
Work flows are the processes in which tasks are completed, most processes include many
steps, exchanging and passing on information, and interactions between different people in
different departments. Workflow management is important as organisations need to be able to
understand and determine what tasks need to be executed, what order they need to be completed
in, who’s involved, what systems are being used and if the rules are being followed.
1.6 Typical support and welfare facilities for office workers
All workplaces should offer appropriate support facilities for its employees. This support
may include advice and guidance to anyone affected by a personal or work-related problem, by
helping them reach a positive solution.
It is a legal requirement to ensure there are suitable welfare facilities provided for
employees. These facilities must include; a toilet, somewhere to wash, rest and change if
necessary and a suitable seating area to eat and drink during breaks, where food will not get
contaminated.
TASK 2
2.1 Legal obligations of the employer for health and safety in the workplace
It is an employer's duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees and
other people who might be affected by their business. This means making sure that workers and
others are protected from anything that may cause harm, effectively controlling any risks to
injury or health that could arise in the workplace. Risk assessments should be carried out that
address all risks that might cause harm in your workplace (Hay, 2011).
2.2 Individual’s responsibilities for health and safety in the workplace
Employers have legal responsibilities to ensure a safe and healthy workplace. The most
important of these rights are:
 as far as possible, to have any risks to your health and safety properly controlled
 to be provided with any personal protective and safety equipment free of charge
 to have rest breaks during the working day
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 to have time off from work during the working week
 to have annual paid holiday
2.3 Accident and emergency procedures
An accident report form can be filled in by any member of staff, but must be completed
as soon as possible and given to the Business Manager (Isett and et. al. 2011). For minor
incidents, a log is recorded at Student Services with the name of the student, the time they came
to the medical room and the action carried out by the Student Services administrator. In the case
of a fire, two designated members of staff from each block makes sure the building is clear of all
staff, students and visitors.
TASK 3
3.1 The purpose of meeting minutes
Minutes can be written in two ways; agenda-based minutes or informal meeting minutes.
The format of the minutes will all depend on the type of meeting being held and the nature of the
organisation or group.
Agenda-based minutes are the traditional type of minutes. These minutes are taken at scheduled
meetings which are called to address a particular topic with an agenda.
3.2 The legal implications of meeting minutes
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, some minutes are legally required due to
the nature of the meeting; this is so information can be accessed by the public. This applies to
governmental bodies (both local and central), police authorities, health and education
departments etc. However, there are some exemptions where minutes are not required and cannot
be divulged to the public (Leithwood and et. al., 2012).
3.3 Importance of accuracy in minute taking
Taking Minutes forms an essential part of most meetings. Their purpose is firstly to
record Action Points, ie, what actions have been decided upon, who is responsible and what the
milestones and deadlines are. Secondly they record summaries of the discussions held at the
meeting. Taking minutes is a skilled job because the minute taker has to follow what can be
confusing and inarticulate debates and summarise accurately what was said.
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3.4 What should and should not be included in different types of meeting minutes
What's In
The minutes should include the title of the group that is meeting; the date, time, and
venue; the names of those in attendance (including staff) and the person recording the minutes;
and the agenda (Raadschelders, 2011).
What's Out
Since minutes are public documents that members may ask to review, be clear on what to
exclude. Avoid direct quotations; even without a name, the speaker may be identifiable.
3.5 How to take notes during meetings
Taking notes at a meeting is a completely different task than taking minutes at a meeting.
There are a number of ways to effectively take notes at a meeting.
 Comprehensive notes:
 Mind mapping:
 Noting on the agenda
 Technology helpers
TASK 4
4.1 Features and purpose of different types of formal and informal meeting
Organisations hold meetings for a number of reasons, and the type of meeting depends on
this. Meetings allow employees within an organisation to communicate, share information, and
improve their performance (Box, 2015). Usually, all meetings fall into one of four categories;
decision-making, informative, brainstorming and training, and all can be both formal and
informal. Meeting can be held face-to-face, over the phone, or via the Internet e.g. a conference
call.
An informative meeting is usually the most formal as it requires the most planning. It is
important these meetings aren’t boring, as people will quickly lose interest.
Decision-making meetings are usually held by staff within a particular department, with
senior managers leading it (staff/team meetings).
Brainstorming meetings are opportunities for employees to share ideas. In these
meetings, the chair will take less of a leadership role, but will still have initial control over the
items discussed and the nature of the meeting.
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4.2 Role and responsibilities of the chair
The chair of the meeting has a number of the responsibilities; they are there to guide and
lead the meeting, making sure they remain impartial and seeking to avoid conflict between other
individuals in the meeting. The chair ensures the meeting is well-run, productive and engaging.
Prior to the meeting, the chair needs to plan all aspects; this includes determining the
purpose of the meeting, who needs to attend, where the meeting will be held, and whether
holding a meeting is appropriate (Caironi and et. al. 2014).
4.3 Role of others in a meeting
All meetings should have a secretary, part of their role is to aid in the preparation of the
meeting alongside the chairperson, this includes; booking a venue/equipment, checking health
and safety requirements, arranging refreshments, receiving apologies and managing the
attendance list. Some meetings also have a treasurer. They are responsible for overseeing and
presenting accounts of the organisation, and to advise on any financial matters.
All members of the meeting should arrive on time, or send apologies promptly if they cannot
attend (De Vries and Nemec, 2013).
4.4 Techniques to facilitate a meeting
Facilitating a meeting is about ensuring the meeting is efficient and inclusive. It is the
chair’s responsibility to ensure the meeting is effective, however all participants should try and
keep the meeting focussed and flowing. here are a few different styles a chair could use to
facilitate a meeting. Laissez-faire is a technique that can used by Chair member. In this type of
meeting, the chair adopts a very liberal style as they give little or no guidance and allow the
participants to discuss topics freely whilst using their own initiative. This technique is most
commonly used in brainstorming meetings, as the chair will suggest ideas/options and allow
participants to openly discuss them.
4.5 Information requirements of a meeting before, during and after a meeting
Before a meeting, the chairperson will prepare, this includes creating a list of people they
would like to attend the meeting and then choosing a venue/room suitable to accommodate the
maximum number of attendees, taking into account any catering and accommodation
requirements. It will also create and distribute an agenda.
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During the meeting, the chair or the allocated time-keeper, will keep a track of the time
spent on each item and aim to keep the meeting flowing at the correct speed.
Towards the end of the meeting, the chair should start to summarise the main points and
briefly review the action needed to be taken by individuals, as well as recalling the aim of the
meeting. After the meeting, the chair should provide each attendee with a copy of the minutes
and any other documentation used (Hay, 2011).
TASK 5
5.1 Use of targets and budgets to manage workloads
To ensure an organisation reaches its full potential, it is important to set targets and
budgets; this means employees have guidelines as to how and when they are to complete their
tasks. Managers should allocate tasks appropriately; looking at all aspects of their employee’s
personality and attitude to work, as well as their strengths and weaknesses.
Organisations use budgets to plan, monitor and control their spending in order to manage
financial resources effectively. Capital budgets are intended for investments in resources to last
more than a year, and are typically used to generate profit/income (Isett and et. al. 2011).
Operational budgets cover everyday spending which includes wages, utilities, supplies etc.
5.2 How to allocate work to individual team members
When allocating tasks, it is important for line managers/supervisors to communicate with
all team members as this clarifies details of the task as well as whose skills are better suited to
the task. This is why it is important each employee understands and can identify their own
strengths and what their responsibilities within the organisation are.
Tasks should be allocated and prioritised depending on their urgency and in relation to
other work within the department. Individuals all have different skill sets and it is important as a
manager to identify these when assigning tasks.
5.3 Quality management techniques to manage the performance
Quality management is used in all organisations and is the act of ensuring products and
services are consistent and maintained to a high standard, as well as how to achieve these aims.
Many models that can be used to improve performance are total quality management (TQM),
FADE and the Six Sigma approach. These quality management models are all very similar with
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subtle differences on ways to improve performance; however all can use the same techniques to
monitor performance.
5.4 Techniques used to identify the need for improvements in team outputs and standards
Good line managers will regularly monitor their team in order to see if targets have been
achieved and standards have been maintained. Some simple techniques include: observing
individuals in their everyday role, checking work product, setting targets and giving constructive
feedback. These targets should be SMART (Leithwood and et. al., 2012).
Key Performance Indicators are quantifiable measurements that can be used to measure
an employee’s performance.
TASK 6
6.1 Characteristics, requirements and purposes of different types of events
All types of business events need to be planned and organised thoroughly. The planning
committee/organisers need to ensure they look at all aspects of the event in great detail, and
consider possible outcomes eg the worst case scenario (Raadschelders, 2011).
Characteristics - The event organiser needs to be skilled in communication and negotiation, as
well as managing staff and budgets; they also need to be creative and flexible. They need to be
knowledgeable about public relations and have good interpersonal skills.
Requirement - Organising events may also require innovation and knowledge about technology.
Types - Types of events include; seminars, conferences, promotional events, training/team
building events, advice/consolation sessions, award ceremonies, away days and corporate parties.
6.2 Types of information and information sources needed to organise an event
Event organisers need to know how many people will be attending the event as this will
making it easier when planning. Organisers will need to research different venues in the area and
look for the most suitable option; this is depending on the cost, the distance and the facilities they
can offer. The date, time and duration of the event will be decided by the event organiser, this
information may be important when booking a venue. Research may also need to be undertaken
regarding the catering of the event (Shafritz, Ott and Jang, 2015).
6.3 How to plan an event
Planning an event can be daunting and missteps can be critical. Here are major 10 steps
of planning any business or personal events:
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 Determining goals and objectives.
 Organize a team
 Set the date
 Brand your event
 Creating a master plan
 Determining administration process
 Identify and Establish partnerships & sponsors
 Make a publicity plan
 Budget it
 Determine evaluation process
6.4 How to identify the right resources from an event plan
When planning an event, it is important to know exactly the correct resources and
facilities you will need to carry out a successful event, these include accommodation, catering,
equipment and car parking (Vangen and Huxham, 2011). The easiest way to do this is to try and
accumulate a figure of how many will be attending, and ask them for any requirements they may
need, this information can then be transferred to the venue. Alternatively, a form could be
produced outlining to possible attendees they must state their requirements, eg what meal they
would like, before the event.
6.5 Types of information needed by delegates before, during and after an event
People attending the event will need to know a number of things before they arrive like :-
 where the venue is and date/time,
 how to arrive to the event and the dress code,
 approximate duration,
 whether there will be refreshments/meal
 cost of the event if any.
 They will also need to know the location of facilities, as well as the emergency
procedures for the venue (Wright and et. al., 2014).
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it can be concluded that there are various principles of
administration that is to be applied on every business organisation for proper management.
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Meeting, budgeting, planning and event organising etc. are the methods or ways through which
proper management can be undertaken by a business entities.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Box, R. C., 2015. Critical social theory in public administration. Routledge.
Caironi, P. and et. al. 2014. Albumin replacement in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock.
New England Journal of Medicine. 370(15). pp.1412-1421.
De Vries, M. and Nemec, J., 2013. Public sector reform: an overview of recent literature and
research on NPM and alternative paths. International Journal of Public Sector
Management. 26(1), pp.4-16.
Hay, C., 2011. Interpreting interpretivism interpreting interpretations: The new hermeneutics of
public administration. Public Administration. 89(1). pp.167-182.
Isett, K. R. and et. al. 2011. Networks in public administration scholarship: Understanding where
we are and where we need to go. Journal of Public Administration Research and
Theory. 21(suppl_1). pp.i157-i173.
Leithwood, K. A. and et. al., 2012. International handbook of educational leadership and
administration (Vol. 1). Springer Science & Business Media.
Raadschelders, J. C., 2011. Public administration: The interdisciplinary study of government.
Oxford University Press.
Shafritz, J. M., Ott, J. S. and Jang, Y. S., 2015. Classics of organization theory. Cengage
Learning.
Vangen, S. and Huxham, C., 2011. The tangled web: unraveling the principle of common goals
in collaborations. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory. 22(4),
pp.731-760.
Wright, D. W. and et. al., 2014. Very early administration of progesterone for acute traumatic
brain injury. New England Journal of Medicine. 371(26). pp.2457-2466.
Online
5 Ways to Improve Your Office Workflow. 2017. [Online]. Available
through:<https://www.business.com/articles/5-ways-to-improve-your-office-
workflow/>.
Box, 2015Caironi and et. al. 2014De Vries and Nemec, 2013Hay, 2011Isett and et. al.
2011Leithwood and et. al., 2012Raadschelders, 2011Shafritz, Ott and Jang,
2015Vangen and Huxham, 2011Wright and et. al., 2014
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