Departments in an office/organization and their functions

Kind of Offices in an Organization

There are generally two kinds of offices in an organization. These are general office and departmental office.

1. General Office: This office deals with all the activities in the day to day running of the organization.  The Administrative Manager is the head of this office.  His responsibility is to coordinate the various activities of other offices.  He controls the office workers, employs and deploys them to the department where their services are needed.
2. Departmental Office: Departmental offices are set up as supporting unit to assist the department in performing their day to day clerical activities.  In each departmental office, there are departmental heads that controls the works of the subordinate.

EVALUATION

1. How many kinds of offices are there in an organization?
2. Explain the duties of each of these offices.

Meaning of Department

A department is one of the divisions or parts of a big or small organization.

Various Departments and their Duties in an Organization

The following are the departments and their functions:

1. Administrative Department: This department is the main department or the nerve-centre of the organization. The head of this department is called the administrator or the administrative manager.
2. Account Department: This department keeps accounting records. All monetary matters are referred to it.   It prepares and pays salaries to all employees. The head of this department is called the Accounting Manager or the chief accountant. In schools, they are called bursars.
3. Personnel Department: This department is concerned with all matters about staff welfare, training, recruitment, evaluation, termination, promotion and retirement. It is usually headed by a person trained in Personnel Administration or Business Management called Personnel Manager or Human resources manager.
4. Purchasing Department: This department is in charge of buying of all materials and equipment needed in the organization such as stationery, office furniture, equipment and all other essential goods needed for effective operation of business. The head of the purchasing department is called Purchasing Officer or Purchasing Manager.
5. Sales Department: This department is mainly responsible for selling the products of the organization. The head of Sales department is called the Sales Manager. This department has other sub-units or sections e.g. Advertising unit, Customer Service unit and after sales Services unit under it.

(i) Advertising Unit: This unit is responsible for all sales promotion and advertisement in both local and national news media e.g. Radio, Television, newspaper etc. The head of this department is called the Advertising Manager.

(ii) Customer Service Unit: It is responsible for handling customers’ complaints concerning defective goods and merchandize. The unit brings customers closer to the organization. The head of the unit is called Customer Service Manager.

6. Transport Department: This is a department is charge of procuring of new vehicles, disposing of the junk vehicles and maintenance of existence vehicles in the organization’s vehicles. The head of the department is called the Transport Manager.
7. Planning Department: The planning department is sometimes called the research and development department. This department is concerned with planning the business activities of the organization and research into areas that will improve its wealth. The head of the department is called Planning Manager.

EVALUATION

1. Who is the head of the Personnel Department?
2. Which of the offices is a supporting unit to the organization?
3. List five departments and their functions.