Secretarial and Office Administration

Level III
MODUL TITLE: Apply Secretarial Work Procedures
MODULE CODE: LSA SOA3 01 1221
This module includes the following Learning
Outcomes:

LO1: Perform Duties and Responsibility of Secretary

LO2: Personal Qualities of Secretary
LO3: Perform Team Work
LO4 Manage Stress
 LO1: Perform Duties and Responsibility of Secretary

1.1 Answering And Directing Office Phone Calls Are Applied And Used
Secretarial & Office Administration skills are essential in many roles in most companies yet
finding suitably trained employees is a real recruitment problem for many organisations.
City & Guilds qualifications provide students with the opportunity to prepare for these
career opportunities by studying a number of single subjects which carry internationally
recognised certificates from City & Guilds. The Certificates are fully accredited and give
students the opportunity to further their studies.

What is a secretary?

A secretary is an administrative professional who plays an integral role in business and other
organizational environments. Secretaries are typically the individuals who maintain and organize
office tasks, implement procedures and carry out additional administrative duties, depending on
the nature of their employment. For instance, the administrative tasks a secretary is responsible
for can differ between industries such as law, private company sectors and government entities.
However, a secretary may be responsible for several common duties that can include:

 Working in a receptionist capacity to greet clients, customers and visitors

 Answering and directing phone calls

 Organizing documents and paperwork and maintaining a filing system

 Assisting supervisors and staff with company projects and tasks

While these responsibilities are oftentimes required of secretarial work, the essential duties a
secretary may perform in their job can include more administrative tasks, depending on where
they work.

Secretary duties and responsibilities

A secretary's duties can vary depending on where they work, and sometimes secretaries exceed
their job requirements.
1. Answering and directing phone calls
2. Organizing and distributing messages
3. Maintaining company schedules
4. Organizing documents and files
5. Greeting business clients and guests
6. Documenting financial information
7. Maintaining and ordering office supplies
8. Scheduling meetings and conferences
9. Assisting executives with project tasks
10. Supervising staff and new employees
11. Coordinating with other organizations
 12. Implementing administrative procedures

1. Answering and directing phone calls

Secretaries may be responsible for answering office phone lines and directing each call to the
appropriate individual. Oftentimes, secretaries are the individuals that handle solicitation calls,
client calls and taking messages. For instance, a legal secretary may regularly take calls from
clients regarding casework or other information, and they need to be able to direct each client
call to the appropriate attorney, as well as taking and distributing other messages and
correspondences. A secretary may also need to have expertise in differentiating between urgent
and less important communication.
2. Organizing and distributing messages
Another essential task secretaries may commonly perform is organizing and distributing
memos, notes, messages and other written communications. Additionally, secretaries may have
exceptional communication and analytical skills to take on communication tasks like these. For
example, an executive secretary who works for a CEO of a large technology corporation might
be expected to organize and disseminate various messages or memos to bring only the most
urgent communications to their CEO. An urgent message might relate to a change in a client's
contract, and the executive secretary needs to be capable of quick and efficient communication
as they pass messages along.
3. Maintaining company schedules
Secretaries are also commonly in charge of maintaining the schedules and agendas of
professionals in their companies. For instance, a secretary for a large marketing firm might
organize team schedules for each of the company's departments as well as the executives'
agendas by setting appointments with clients, vendors and shareholders. Secretaries may also
be the individuals that keep staff on track with reminders and alerts for upcoming conferences
or meetings.
4. Organizing documents and files
Keeping documents, records and files organized is another important task that secretaries can
be expected to perform. For instance, a medical secretary may commonly take charge of
maintaining a filing system for patient medical records, expense reports for medical supplies
and medications, procedural documentation and other important documents. Oftentimes, a
company's documents, files and other records are stored within a computer database, and
secretaries may frequently be expected to have the technical skills necessary to use these types
of filing systems.
5. Greeting business clients and guests
Secretaries may also take on receptionist duties in addition to their administrative
responsibilities. For example, an executive assistant may act as a receptionist to greet clients
who arrive for conferences or meetings and might be the individual who helps visitors get
settled, brings refreshments, takes notes during meetings with clients, and generally works to
maintain the professionalism and overall brand image of their company when greeting and
directing visitors.
6. Documenting financial information
Another highly essential task that secretaries may take on is the documentation of expenses,
earnings and other financial information. For instance, a secretary at a sales corporation might
be responsible for documenting the revenue and sales numbers from the sales team's reports as
well as the company's expenses and costs of operation. The secretary might then use
spreadsheet software to organize financial data into specific financial reports for the company's
CEO to analyze and approve.
7. Maintaining and ordering office supplies
Secretaries may also be the individuals responsible for keeping inventory records and
maintaining office supplies. The secretary may also be responsible for putting in orders for
supplies that are running out. For example, an office administrator might make a monthly
spreadsheet to keep a running record of the number of supplies like copy paper, toner, pens,
filing folders and other supplies to keep track of which supplies are needed and which supplies
are sufficiently stocked.
8. Organizing and conducting meetings
Along with scheduling meetings and conferences, secretaries may also take on the
responsibility of organizing and conducting meetings. For instance, an executive secretary for a
CEO of a retail corporation might organize a meeting with clothing designers, fashion brands
or other professionals in the industry. Then, the secretary may conduct the meeting by
discussing the important points of the conference and taking notes for the CEO and other
decision-makers at the company. Secretaries can be a vital team member in performing these
types of tasks, as executives, directors and other high-level professionals may sometimes be
unavailable in similar circumstances.
9. Assisting executives with project tasks
Sometimes a secretary can be invaluable in assisting their supervisors with completing small
tasks as part of larger projects. For example, a secretary for a lead marketing director might
assist by organizing reports, printing documents or preparing a presentation. Because of the
range in tasks a secretary might perform, this type of professional must possess a wide range of
soft and hard skills to succeed in the role.
10. Supervising staff and new employees
Secretaries might also be the mentors who work with staff when implementing procedures and
when training new employees. Because of their knowledge and experience with their
companies, many secretaries help lead staff and new hires in developing their skills, following
company protocol and learning about the overall company environment. As an example, a legal
secretary might take on mentoring a newly hired paralegal and show them how to use the firm's
computer and filing systems, how to organize casework and documents according to policy and
the methods staff uses to complete tasks and handle clients.
11. Coordinating with other organizations
Secretaries also work to coordinate and form relationships with other businesses and
organizations. For instance, a secretary for an engineering firm might be the liaison that
connects with contractors, designers and other engineering organizations to set up conferences,
purchase resources or form business partnerships.
12. Implementing administrative procedures
Secretaries might also play a role in developing and implementing company policies and
various administrative procedures. For example, a medical secretary may develop a procedure
for documenting patient treatment plans that includes following a set of steps to document
medical information in a database. The secretary might then implement this new procedure by
training nurses and staff on how to carry out the directives of the policy.
Because secretaries can take on a variety of different tasks and responsibilities, it can be
crucial for secretaries to possess a wide range of skills like administrative skills,
communication skills, customer service skills, technical skills, analytical and problem-solving
skills. Secretaries may also rely on leadership skills to organize and direct office staff and
procedures.
1.2 Office Documents And Files Are Properly Organized And Distributed
Whether you are managing your papers physically or digitally, you must organize your
filing system so as to get the desired file on time. This will not only help you save your
time but will also help you keep the hassles of arduous searching process at bay!
Using a document management tool will allow you to store the documents in digital
format. This way, you can protect your document from being damaged and from getting
stolen. With the search option, you can easily retrieve your expected files and share your
files very easily with your teammates.

LO2: Personal Qualities of Secretary

2.1. According To Organizational Requirements Personal Qualities Of Secretary Is
Determined
A good secretary has various qualities - both hard and soft skills that help them succeed in a role.
These qualities can be learned and developed with a little bit of dedication. These are just a few
of them:
 Organisational skills: a strong ability to be organised, keep a clear head and keep track
of everything from deadlines to essential files.

 Professional communication skills: clear and friendly communication, along with a

personable phone manner.

 Initiative and drive: the ability to take the initiative, work independently and seek out
new opportunities.

 IT literacy: knowledge of software such as Microsoft Office Suite, Outlook, Adobe

Programs and typing skills is required. Plus, knowing about other software that could
help with the day-to-day work.

 Honesty and discretion: A secretary often handles expenses, petty cash and other
sensitive topics; it’s important that employers can trust a secretary fully.

 Time-management skills: Working on several projects means a lot of multitasking. This

requires the ability to manage your own time and ensure that you can deliver on
timelines.
  Being a team player: better if you have a flair for championing a teamwork ethic and
fostering teamwork within a team.

 Remaining calm under pressure: an ability to cope with stress, deadlines and
multitasking, often dealing with several stakeholders at once.

 Professionalism: a skill needed for dealing with internal and external stakeholders.

 Project management skills: skilled at managing all the moving parts of any given
project.

Besides these soft skills, most employers expect a secretary to be educated to at least
matriculation level, followed by secretarial training. Typing speed is an important skill for
many employers.
If you can touch-type, your speed will improve the more typing you do – you’ll need to be able
to type anywhere from 55 to 80 words per minute, and faster is always better.

Personal qualities may relate to:

 Dress
 Makeup And Hair Style
 Neatness And Cleanness
 Facial Expression
 Health
 Poise
 Posture
 Voice And Speech
2.2 Office Communication Behaviours In Working Area Are Properly Identified

Words are only a small portion of how we communicate with one another. Yet the value of other
forms of communication is often overlooked. Learn more about four different types of
communication, and how using them effectively can improve performance, morale, teamwork
and success in your business.

Communication Types and How to Improve Each One

1. Verbal (In-Person) Communication. Whenever possible, use face-to-face

communication in the workplace to eliminate many of the misunderstandings that can occur.
Speaking directly with someone in person allows both of you to see and hear the bigger
picture. As you or your team member speak, you can see each other’s facial expressions and
body language. The emphasis on focusing on one another and the conversation promotes a
feeling of value and credibility. You may think it will take longer for you to leave your office
and walk to the other end of the building to speak face-to-face with someone. But having one
 quick conversation rather than a multitude of emails can actually make it more efficient in
the end.
2. Body Language & Facial Expressions. As mentioned above, your body language and facial
expressions play a vital role in how effective or ineffective you are at communicating with
staff members. Eye contact makes people feel acknowledged as they talk and listen. A
relaxed stance with your arms by your sides encourages employees to feel comfortable in a
meeting. If you rehearse what you’re going to say before a meeting, do so in front of a full-
length mirror so you can see if what your body language says matches up with your words.
Employees will receive your words more positively if your facial expressions and body
language don’t put them on edge or the defensive.
3. Phone Conversations. Use of the phone is a common part of most every business day. Some
people enjoy talking to team members by phone. Others dislike it so much that they put it off
until the last minute. If the staff you lead is remote and spread out throughout the state,
country or world, the phone will be a vital communication tool. You can positively impact
the effectiveness of your phone communication by doing three simple things. Smile while
you talk (in an appropriate conversation, of course); it sounds silly, but it gives your voice a
friendlier tone. Take notes before the conversation and use them to ensure you cover all
points. Finally, speak clearly and slowly so your words are understood.
4. Written Communication. Emails, memos and notes are common forms of written
communication. Of all four communication styles, this is the one that can lead to the most
misunderstandings. People often read between the lines or feel that there are implied
messages or emotions in written forms of communication. In a workplace situation, this
should and can be avoided. Before you send an email to your employees, distribute a memo
or post an important notice on the staff bulletin board, have an objective pair of eyes read it
first. A business coach or mentor can look over your written communication and and provide
constructive criticism and helpful suggestions.

Communication between you and your team will always be a work in progress. The tips in this
blog post can assist you in becoming more mindful about your written communication while
providing you with strategies for improvement. If communication between you and your staff
has been problematic, you can zone in on the trouble spots and learn how to change them by
working with a business trainer or coach.

Communication Behaviour May Relate To:

 Cooperativeness
 Tact
 Social Attitude
 Courteous
 Manner
 Common Sense
 Thrust Worthiness
 Loyalty
2.3 According To Organizational Requirements Resource Efficiency On The Jobs Are
Applied
Efficiency On The Job May Include:
 Initiative
 Mental Alertness And Memory
 Punctuality
 Dependability
 Production Ability
2.4 The Office Work Etiquettes Are Performed
Secretaries are important staff members in any organization. To be successful, a secretary in
today's workplace must have good manners and possess the right skills and understanding of
the company's policies and procedures. The scope and content of the secretary's duties
depend on the rank of the boss. A chief executive's secretary, for example, would have
wider responsibilities than one who works for the head of a department. Correct business
etiquette is essential for secretaries at every level, especially those who are in contact with
clients and other important outsiders.

Whether you are starting your first internship or have many years of professional
experience under your belt, how you present yourself to others in the workplace matters.
Setting a professional tone is crucial to building new relationships and ensuring you
have a positive, successful experience in the workplace.
Make a Good First Impression
People often form impressions about others within seconds of meeting them, so it’s
important to ensure you present yourself as a professional. Be aware of your body
language and how others may perceive it. A good rule of thumb is to stand straight,
maintain eye contact, and smile! Make sure you know the workplace dress code and
office policies ahead of time. Arrive on-time and be prepared for important meetings.
Avoid Gossip
How you treat people says a lot about you. Don’t make value judgments on people’s
importance in the workplace or speak negatively about your coworkers, even if you find
yourself frustrated over a certain situation. Be thoughtful about how you interact with
your supervisor(s), peers, and subordinates as well.
Communication is Key
Communication is an important part of workplace etiquette. It’s sometimes not what you
say, but how you say it that counts so be mindful of how you communicate with your
colleagues in meetings and one-on-one conversations. In regards to email, be sure your
correspondence inside and outside of your workplace is written clearly and free of
spelling errors. Remember, email is a permanent record of any conversation so never put
anything in writing that you would say to someone’s face.
Understand your Work Environment
 The values, policies, and procedures of a workplace can be difficult to discern at first. If
you are in a larger organization with a structured human resource division, you may
have access to an HR Manager or in-house trainings to keep you informed of your
organization’s expectations. In a smaller workplace setting, some of that knowledge may
come from observing others and asking questions of your colleagues when needed.
Lastly, observing the atmosphere and actions of others can help you understand what’s
appropriate and what’s not, and how to best navigate the workplace while maintaining
your professionalism.
As the global market grows, the need to understand multiple international standards of
business etiquette is also growing. If you take a job or internship in another country, be
to research the proper etiquette, culture and customs for both that country and the
organization you plan to work for.
Be Personable Yet Professional
Sharing information about your personal life is your choice, but be cautious when it
comes to what you share; some colleagues may be more open than others and might
choose to keep their personal life private as well. Similarly, you may want to limit
personal calls, emails, and other non-work related tasks to after work hours. Within your
workspace, it’s okay to add personal touches but remember that your colleagues will see
the space and consider it a reflection of your professional self. Lastly, getting to know
your colleagues is a good thing but always be respectful of others’ space. If you need to
discuss something with them, don’t just walk in; knock or make your presence known,
and always offer to schedule a meeting for later in the day if they are busy in the
moment

LO3: Perform Team Work

. 3.1 For Improvement and Innovation Activities and Opportunities Are De-Briefed And
Reflected

Why is innovation important?

Innovation is good for business. It helps organizations achieve commercial success by providing
new and better products and services. These are often delivered at lower costs. Doing things
differently can also help to create better, more productive workplaces and make staff feel more
involved and happier at work. Clients also benefit from improved products and efficiencies and
better prices. Innovative organizations outperform others. They can respond faster and better to
changing environments, grasp opportunities and develop necessary partnerships to generate and
act on ideas.
Areas where improvements can take place
In the business world, innovative ideas generally come under one of nine categories, each of
which is described below. Processes and procedures Improving processes and procedures
involves developing more efficient and beneficial ways to carry out tasks and duties. It may
involve changing the order you do things in, or reducing the number of steps it takes to achieve a
particular result – anything that helps you make the best use of your time at work and ease
workload pressure. For example, you may have been instructed to process email requests for
information about a service or product in the order you received them. You find that some
requests are handled quickly and easily, while others take a long time and require a great deal of
research. You come up with an idea to handle the easy ones straight away and leave the more
difficult ones until later on in the day. This way you can respond to most inquiries quickly and
efficiently, and in the afternoon you can deal with the others in a more leisurely manner. Work
practices Work practices are the way your organization does its business; that is, its policies and
general methods of operation. This can include the way teams are made up and change over time.
Sometimes teams need to change because they are not working as effectively as they could. An
example is a bank deciding that it wants to attract more customers. There are two other banks in
the same suburb. At a staff meeting, a worker suggests changing the opening hours so that
customers can access their bank earlier than the other banks. Changes in the physical
environment the physical environment may need to be changed if people are not able to work to
their best ability; for example, if the layout is inappropriate, something is unhealthy or unsafe, or
something is not pleasant for staff or clients. For example, an increase in staff in an office means
that some workers are placed in an area not previously used by people; this area is not well
ventilated and becomes very hot in the afternoons. New air-conditioning and vents could be
installed and blinds placed in front of the windows to make this area safer and more comfortable
for staff. Storage or maintenance procedures Organizations need to review and update their
storage and maintenance procedures regularly and build in ways to deal with future growth. Staff
need to know what needs to be stored and where, and how to dispose of anything not required.
Maintenance schedules for a wide range of equipment need to be developed, coasted and adhered
to. An example involves a spa and pool company with several large outlets. Each outlet has the
current range of stock and some also have old stock at discounted prices. At a planning day, staff
agree to move several of the outlets to smaller sites, have less stock on site and set up an online
shop to sell old stock and where customers can select and design spas and pools based on their
bathroom or garden measurements.

3.2. Feedback Is Gathered and Used From Within And Outside The Team To Generate
Discussion And Debate

You will not be practicing innovation all on your own. Sharing your ideas with others and
getting their input is essential if you are going to be an effective innovator. It is important to
include all viewpoints right from the start. If you work in a team, another team member may
have already thought of an idea and be trying it out. Someone who has been in the organisation
for a long time may know why a particular process has been in operation and can help you
understand the situation better. Perhaps someone who has moved to a different area, or someone
whose work is dependent on yours, can also provide input. Other people can be of great
assistance to you as allies, supporters, information suppliers and promoters. They can help you
think more creatively, challenge your beliefs, provide valuable input and detail budgetary or
resource constraints.
In order to remain competitive and viable, organisations need to keep pace with change and the
globalised marketplace. This involves research into best practice and other business models, as
well as active engagement with other businesses in order to develop new ideas and to become
more innovative. The need to be innovative is not restricted to commercial enterprises. Bodies
such as government agencies, universities and welfare organisations are responsible for
supplying high-quality and relevant goods and services as much as corporations and private
companies are. Amalgamations and collaborations are occurring more than ever and affect a
wide range of organisations, clients and competitors.

3.3. Executives with Project Tasks Are Assisted

How to support your team at work
There are many ways in which you can support your team at work, no matter what your role in
that team is. For example, for managers, you may feel a greater degree of responsibility for those
reporting into you. Yet even if you’re not in a management role, you can know how to support
your team, and even your team leader, in the workplace.
Below, we’ve outlined ten ways you can do exactly that. These are just a few ideas you can try,
and some relate to self-improvement, while others are more focused on helping your co-workers:
1) Communicate regularly
Open and honest communication is the foundation of a successful team. This is true whether it’s
face-to-face or virtually, as it helps us build the interpersonal skills necessary for effective
teamwork. Sharing ideas, points of view, information, and expertise helps to keep everyone
informed and in the loop.
For managers and leaders, this means clearly communicating what needs to be done, what the
latest successes are, and which areas need focus and attention. Communication is also about
giving and receiving feedback, brainstorming ideas, and listening to one another.
For those not in a management role, communication is still vital. Touching base with those
around you, whether senior, junior, or on the same level as you, helps establish connections.
Doing so can help to build relationships, and means everyone gets a chance to express
themselves and their ideas.

2) Check-in regularly
A laissez-faire approach to teamwork isn’t always the best solution. It can be tempting to just let
people get on with their daily tasks and only check in with others when a crisis hits. Although
micromanagement isn’t fun for anyone, regular catch-ups can be beneficial. Progress meetings
for projects, as well as personal development, can help to keep everyone on the same page.
It’s a two-way process as well – leaders should make sure their team has access to regular and
scheduled support and feedback, and everyone should take an active role in their own
development.
You should also mentally check in with yourself every now and then. Trying to tune in to
yourself and your feelings can make it easier to express your needs and your ideas when the time
comes. Practices like mindfulness can be particularly helpful in identifying and assessing your
inner feelings and experiences.
3.4 The Different Ways Contributed To a Team Are Identified

The success of the team is for the large part, dependent on the contribution of each team
member.

Different Ways That Different People May Contribute May Relate To Individual Strengths
around May Include:
 Creating Positive Energy Within The Team
 Fundamental Literacy Strengths (E.G. Particularly Strong In Visual Literacy, Written Or
Spoken Communication)
 Generating Ideas
 Networks Or Spheres Of Influence
 Particular Ways Of Thinking
 Powers Of Persuasion
 Problem-Solving Capacities
 Specific Technical Skills Or Knowledge

3.5. Ground Rules Are Jointly Established For How The Team Will Operated

There are many more ways you can contribute to great team success. Take these nine ideas as a
starting point - as a checklist of things you can do, regardless of the role you play. Taking action
on these ideas will help you feel more confident and successful in your role on the project team,
and will help the project's goals be reached much more successfully.

Teamwork is important for temporary and permanent teams. Establishing some principles for
your team to follow via ground rules is a good way to ensure every member of your team
understands what is expected of them and the team. The more you understand the concept of
ground rules, the more effectively you can apply them to your team or department.
In this article, we define ground rules, explore why they're important and share some ground rule
examples you can use to get yours ready for your team.
What are ground rules for teams?
Ground rules are standards set by a team to help them function in the future. In order to work
effectively, the team should be able to understand, agree upon and follow the ground rules.
Ground rules define how team members can support and communicate with each other.
Some businesses may refer to ground rules as "team norms" because they establish normal
behavior for a team. Team members use these rules to standardize how various work procedures
function in the workplace, including work allocation, accountability, communication methods
and others.
Team rules determine how team meetings proceed and what kind of general conduct the team
abides by. Not only do ground rules moderate the team's workplace behavior, but they ensure
that any debate within a team remains controlled. Teams may create ground rules within their
first few meetings and add or revise rules as needed.

Why is it important to set team ground rules?

Team ground rules are important because they present a code of conduct to every team member
and leader, creating a unified and moderated workplace. Because a team may more easily agree
to rules that they've set themselves, the entire team creates the ground rules.
Work facilitators may establish ground rules at the beginning of a workshop to ensure everyone
has a fair and positive experience. Departments and organizations may also use ground rules to
increase unity, agreement and productivity.

Ground Rules May Relate To:

 Boundaries Or Lack Of Boundaries For Team Activities And Ideas
 Confidentiality
 Copyright, Moral Rights Or Intellectual Property
 Regularity Of Communication
 Key Roles And Responsibilities
 Time Lines
 Ways Of Communicating

LO4: Manage Stress

4.1. Potential areas of stress are analyzed and understood, personal awareness of stresses
developed

Stress is a fact of life, wherever you are and whatever you are doing. You cannot avoid stress,
but you can learn to manage it so it doesn’t manage you.
Stress is the way human beings react both physically and mentally to changes, events, and
situations in their lives. People experience stress in different ways and for different reasons
Stress can cause complex changes in the body’s chemical processes and this may affect the way
people think, feel and behave. There are many different symptoms of stressful circumstances
and no two individuals will react in the same way. Exhibiting any symptoms below may not be
anything unusual but being aware of the repercussions of any of these symptoms is important
from a management and individual perspective. The following list is by no means exclusive.
1. Withdrawal
 Increase in absenteeism; especially frequent short absences that could be down to
lowered resistance to minor illnesses
 Increase in staff turnover
 Poor timekeeping (arriving late, leaving early, long lunch breaks)
 Change in working relationships, quieter, not interacting with other colleagues
2. Poor work performance
 Less output
 Loss of creativity
  Making more mistakes
 Poor decision making
 Increased occurrence of accidents
3. Staff attitude and behavior
 Mood swings
 Tension and irritability
 Poor concentration and judgment
 Inability to switch off
 Repetition of arguments in meeting
 Refusal to listen to advice and suggestions
 Loss of motivation or commitment or becoming withdrawn
 Staff working long hours but with decreasing effectiveness
 Increase in disciplinary issues
 absence from work
 conflict
 fatigue
 lack of self-esteem and confidence
 poor work performance
 sickness

4.2. An effective understanding of a range of stress management techniques are developed

It may seem that there’s nothing you can do about stress. The bills won’t stop coming, there will
never be more hours in the day, and your career and family responsibilities will always be
demanding. But you have more control than you might think. In fact, the simple realization that
you’re in control of your life is the foundation of stress management. Managing stress is all
about taking charge: of your thoughts, emotions, schedule, and the way you deal with problems.

Identify the sources of stress in your life

Stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in your life. This isn’t as easy as
it sounds. Your true sources of stress aren’t always obvious, and it’s all too easy to overlook your
own stress-inducing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Sure, you may know that you’re
constantly worried about work deadlines. But maybe it’s your procrastination, rather than the
actual job demands, that leads to deadline stress.
To identify your true sources of stress, look closely at your habits, attitude, and excuses:
 Do you explain away stress as temporary (“I just have a million things going on right
now”) even though you can’t remember the last time you took a breather?
 Do you define stress as an integral part of your work or home life (“Things are always
crazy around here”) or as a part of your personality (“I have a lot of nervous energy, that’s
all”).
 Do you blame your stress on other people or outside events, or view it as entirely normal
and unexceptional?
Until you accept responsibility for the role you play in creating or maintaining it, your stress
level will remain outside your control.
Stress management techniques may include:
 debriefing with peers and/or line manager
 relaxation methods
 specific training
 stretching and exercises
 taking break

Stress management refers to the wide spectrum of techniques and psychotherapies aimed at
controlling a person's levels of stress, especially chronic stress, usually for the purpose of
improving everyday functioning.
In this context, the term 'stress' refers only to a stress with significant negative consequences,
or distress.
Stress produces numerous physical and mental symptoms which vary according to each
individual's situational factors. These can include physical health decline as well as depression.
The process of stress management is named as one of the keys to a happy and successful life in
modern society. Although life provides numerous demands that can prove difficult to handle,
stress management provides a number of ways to manage anxiety and maintain overall well-
being.

Despite stress often being thought of as a subjective experience, levels of stress are readily
measurable, using various physiological tests, similar to those used in polygraphs.
Many practical stress management techniques are available, some for use by health
professionals and others, for self-help, which may help an individual reduce their levels of stress,
provide positive feelings of control over one's life and promote general well-being.

Evaluating the effectiveness of various stress management techniques can be difficult, as limited
research currently exists. Consequently, the amount and quality of evidence for the various
techniques varies widely. Some are accepted as effective treatments for use in psychotherapy,
whilst others with less evidence favoring them are considered alternative therapies. Many
professional organizations exist to promote and provide training in conventional or alternative
therapies.

There are several models of stress management, each with distinctive explanations of
mechanisms for controlling stress. Much more research is necessary to provide a better
understanding of which mechanisms actually operate and are effective in practice.

4.3. Appropriate time management tools and techniques are used

Prioritization is the essential skill that you need to make the very best use of your own efforts
and those of your team. It's also a skill that you need to create calmness and space in your life so
that you can focus your energy and attention on the things that really matter.

It's particularly important when time is limited and demands are seemingly unlimited. It helps
you to allocate your time where it's most-needed and most wisely spent, freeing you and your
team up from less important tasks that can be attended to later... or quietly dropped.

With good prioritization (and careful management of reprioritized tasks) you can bring order to
chaos, massively reduce stress, and move towards a successful conclusion. Without it, you'll
flounder around, drowning in competing demands.
Simple Prioritization

At a simple level, you can prioritize based on time constraints, on the potential profitability or
benefit of the task you're facing, or on the pressure you're under to complete a job:
 Prioritization based on project value or profitability is probably the most commonly-used
and rational basis for prioritization. Whether this is based on a subjective guess at value or
a sophisticated financial evaluation, it often gives the most efficient results.
 Time constraints are important where other people are depending on you to complete a
task, and particularly where this task is on the critical path of an important project. Here, a
small amount of your own effort can go a very long way.
 And it's a brave (and maybe foolish) person who resists his or her boss's pressure to
complete a task, when that pressure is reasonable and legitimate.

4.4 Techniques are developed to support the achievement of key performance indicators
(KPIs) and priorities

KPIs may include:

 call rates
 compliance with schedules (adherence)
 customer satisfaction results
 performance measures
 quality assurance ratings
 sales targets
 targets

A performance indicator or key performance indicator (KPI) is a type of performance

measurement. An organization may use KPIs to evaluate its success, or to evaluate the success
of a particular activity in which it is engaged. Sometimes success is defined in terms of making
progress toward strategic goals, but often success is simply the repeated, periodic achievement of
some levels of operational goal (e.g. zero defects, 10/10 customer satisfaction, etc.).
Accordingly, choosing the right KPIs relies upon a good understanding of what is important to
the organization. 'What is important' often depends on the department measuring the
performance - e.g. the KPIs useful to finance will be quite different from the KPIs assigned to
sales. Since there is a need to understand well what is important (to an organization), various
techniques to assess the present state of the business, and its key activities, are associated with
the selection of performance indicators. These assessments often lead to the identification of
potential improvements, so performance indicators are routinely associated with 'performance
improvement' initiatives.

Managers talk a lot about employee performance.

There's constant pressure to achieve performance targets, to reach higher performance levels, and
to ensure that people's work supports and furthers the organization's goals.
Performance management is the process used to manage this performance.

The key question asked is, "How well is an employee applying his or her current skills, and to
what extent is he or she achieving the outcomes desired?"
The answer has traditionally been found in the performance evaluation process, where managers
look for hard data to tell how well an employee has performed his or her duties.
What is often missing from this evaluation, however, is the part about making sure that the
employee is doing the right thing. After all, you may have a very hard-working and dedicated
team member, but if he or she is not working on things that advance the organization's purpose,
what is the point?

This is where key performance indicators come into play, and they apply both at the
organizational and individual levels. At an organizational level, a Key Performance
Indicator (KPI) is a quantifiable metric that reflects how well an organization is achieving its
stated goals and objectives.

For example, if your vision includes providing superior customer service, then a KPI may target
the number of customer support requests that remain unsatisfied by the end of a week. By
monitoring this, you can directly measure how well your organization is meeting its long-term
goal of providing outstanding customer service.

4.5. Stamina management strategies are adapted to maximize performance

Sources of fatigue may include:

 ergonomic factors
 excessive overtime
 external issues
 overload of information
 repetitive tasks and/or contacts
  shift rostering and hours of work

Fatigue, also referred to as tiredness, exhaustion, lethargy,and listlessness, describes a

physical and/or mental state of being tired and weak. Although physical and mental fatigue are
different, the two often exist together - if a person is physically exhausted for long enough, they
will also be mentally tired. When somebody experiences physical fatigue, it means they cannot
continue functioning at their normal levels of physical ability. Mental fatigue, however, is more
slanted towards feeling sleepy and being unable to concentrate properly.

Fatigue is a symptom, rather than a sign. A symptom is something the patient feels and
describes, such as headache or dizziness, while a sign is something the doctor can detect without
talking to the patient, such as a rash. Fatigue is a non-specific symptom, i.e. it may have several
possible causes.

Mental and physical fatigue

Physical fatigue - the person's muscles cannot do things as easily as they used to. Climbing
stairs or carrying laden supermarket bags may be much harder than before. Physical fatigue is
also known as muscle weakness, weakness, or lack of strength. Doctors usually carry out a
strength test as they go about diagnosing and trying to find out the causes of individual cases of
physical fatigue.

Psychological (mental) fatigue - concentrating on things has become harder. When symptoms
are severe the patient might not want to get out of bed in the morning, or perform his/her daily
activities. Mental fatigue often appears together with physical fatigue in patients, but not always.
People may feel sleepy, have a decreased level of consciousness, and in some cases show signs
similar to that of an intoxicated state. Mental fatigue may be life threatening, especially when the
sufferer has to perform some tasks, such as driving a vehicle or operating heavy machinery.
Fatigue among training doctors is a serious public health concern; both for the health of the
junior doctor and patients under their responsibility.

Fatigue is common
Fatigue can affect people at any age
Experts say that 10% of people globally at any one time are suffering from persistent tiredness.
Persistent tiredness affects females more than males. Primary care physicians (GPs, general
practitioners) in the USA and UK say they frequently see patients who come in complaining of
extreme tiredness or fatigue.
Performance management involves much more than just assigning ratings. It is a continuous
cycle that involves:
 Planning work in advance so that expectations and goals can be set;
 Monitoring progress and performance continually;
  Developing the employee's ability to perform through training and work assignments;
 Rating periodically to summarize performance and,
Rewarding good performance