Few roles have such a direct impact on the quality of life in an office as that of the office manager. Maintaining a happy and efficient workspace is no mean feat, and any hiccups from an office management point of view can have a large and immediate effect on a team. From organising and chairing office meetings, to heading up administrative practices, to ensuring good relations amongst team members, office managers will always have a number of plates spinning at the same time, making it hard to keep up.
Nevertheless, it’s crucial to stay on top of trends and changes in the work sphere. Nothing will damage the morale of an office more than the feeling of being behind the times, with outdated processes and a lack of progression. From new trends such as flexible working, to modern company perks, to the importance of design and work surroundings, there’s a lot going on and it can be hard for an office manager to keep on top of it all.
Luckily, there are a number of blogs out there to keep you in the know. Here’s our pick of the best.
Workplace Insight
As the UK’s most widely read publication dedicated to the design and management of workspaces, Workplace Insight is a good place to start in this list. It should be the go-to for office managers looking to keep up with the latest ideas and information pertaining to offices, and there are new posts daily – including features on everything from flexible working to facilities management, to ensure that you keep up-to-date with the times.
Great Place To Work
Great Place to Work is part of a global research company whose goal is to improve people’s working lives – which in the grand scheme of things, is one of the central elements in an office manager’s job. To do so, they share and build upon their extensive knowledge of organisational cultures to enlighten their readers and give unique insights into what makes a great workplace, focusing largely on the idea of building a culture of trust and engagement amongst teams.
Thrive Global
Pioneered by Arianna Huffington, former editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post, Thrive Global is a new, progressive website on a mission: to end the stress and burnout epidemic by offering companies and individuals sustainable solutions to enhance well-being, performance, and purpose. The blog is an excellent reminder of the importance of mental health and work/life balance, and articles are centred around accelerating the culture shift that allows people to be in control of their lives – an honourable culture to be introduced into any work team.
Gensler
Gensler are the genius architects who have designed offices such as Facebook HQ, adidas, and Etsy, so they certainly know what they’re talking about when it comes to workplace design. Their dedicated blog, GenslerOnWork, examines the modern workplace and how design can help both individuals and teams become more engaged and productive at work. Articles touch upon all topics, from environmental graphics and how they can inspire culture and creativity in the workplace to “A Day in the Life of an Agile Worker”.
Slack
As a company that have already made a huge impact on the day-to-day processes of many companies, Slack also have an excellent blog full of advice, stories, and hacks to improve work life and productivity. Granted, many of their blogs are linked to the use of Slack itself, but alongside these you’ll find interesting insights into pertinent topics such as creating a strong “office” culture for remote workers. Check it out!
Fast Company
Fast Company provide productivity tips and hacks, inspiring stories of success and failures, career advice, and a look inside the future of work. It is written for, by, and about the most progressive business leaders, thus inspiring readers to think beyond traditional boundaries, lead conversations, and create the future of business – what more could you wish for as an office manager?
Allwork
Allwork.Space is an online news publication that delivers a broad range of news, trends, tips and insights from the flexible workspace industry. Their articles span a wide variety of topics, but are particularly useful if you’re looking to keep a handle on the latest updates in the flexible workspace industry, both in terms of specific providers and in general trends. It’s also a useful blog if you want to keep track of the latest work tech you should know about, or the newest designs of the most popular offices.
Officelovin‘
If design is your bag, then check out sites like Officelovin’ and Dezeen. They feature the best offices from around the world, including the biggest names such as Spotify, Buzzfeed, Google, and SoundCloud, describing itself as the “premium resource for office design inspiration.” They also feature interviews with designers and insights into why certain companies have designed their offices that way – making it excellent for office goals and ideas for improving your own workplace design.
Looking for more ways to make your job run more smoothly? Every task comes with a tool that will help carry the load and make it easier to manage. We’ve curated a list of 9 tools for office managers that you can employ to make your life easier.
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