The ultimate guide to administrative tasks and duties

Administrative assistants, office managers, and executive assistants hold very similar roles. Common duties found in administrative assistant job descriptions can also be found in those for most administrative support roles. These overlapping responsibilities can get confusing, even for experienced admins.

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering “What is administrative work exactly?”, or “What does admin work involve?”, this guide has everything you need to know. It helps aspiring administrative professionals understand their future roles and responsibilities while giving established admins a refresher on their duties.

What are administrative tasks?

Administrative tasks cover a very broad range of efforts in maintaining and organizing a business office—be it digital or physical.  

These tasks include phone, email, calendar management, internal communications, preparing reports, maintaining office equipment and office supplies, and some human resources functions. 

Administrative tasks, duties, and responsibilities by category

Administrative tasks are most often the responsibility of administrative assistants and office managers. As a support role for offices and/or senior managers and executives, there are multiple tasks and duties associated with the position.

We’ve broken down the core administrative assistant duties into categories to help you visualize the broad spectrum of administrative tasks.

Communication-related tasks

Communication skills are key for any administrative professional. Those in administrative roles need to be able to stay in contact with other employees, senior staff, and clients via email, phone, messenger apps, and face-to-face interactions.

Here are the most common communication skills established and aspiring administrative professionals need to successfully perform admin tasks:

• Answering phone calls and emails

• Greeting visitors, stakeholders, and clients

• Communicating with senior managers and other colleagues

• Answering customers’ questions

• Written communication such as compiling reports, memos, and other documents

• Developing and distributing day-to-day internal communications

• Using problem-solving skills to resolve office-related issues

• Working with a top corporate travel agency to handle the company's business trips

Scheduling tasks

Scheduling tasks form a large part of office administration duties. 

In addition to being responsible for their own schedules, everyone from administrative officers and executive assistants to receptionists are usually responsible for their managers’ schedules. That’s why time management skills are a must-have.

Here are the most common scheduling tasks those in an admin assistant role or similar may have:

• Scheduling appointments for managers, executives, and clients

• General calendar management

• Event coordination, including client lunches, professional development seminars, and office activities (parties, team-building activities, offsites, and more)

• Planning company all-hands meetings

• Booking appropriate conference and meeting rooms

• Creating travel itineraries and travel arrangements for managers

Organizational tasks

All types of administrative roles involve carrying out organizational tasks. Adapting to shifting and competing priorities with ease, and maintaining databases, filing systems, and emails is key to keeping any office running smoothly.

Here are the most common organizational skills and tasks associated with administrative jobs in office settings:

• Maintaining multiple calendars

• Setting appointments

• Filing various documents and maintaining databases

• Creating filing systems

• Updating spreadsheets and other data entry tasks

• Creating email templates

• Storing sensitive information correctly

Finance management and bookkeeping tasks

Bookkeeping tasks and other finance-related responsibilities often land on the desk of administrative positions, particularly within businesses that aren’t big enough to need a separate staff member or department to take care of these tasks.

Here are the most common bookkeeping and finance-related tasks that are among the job duties of administrative professionals:

• Recording and reconciling office expenses

• Managing employee expense processes

• Managing travel expense processes

• Using accounting and expense management tools

• Processing client/customer payments

• Compiling financial reports

• Managing reimbursement processes

• Creating invoices and billing clients

Miscellaneous administrative tasks

Here are other administrative tasks and clerical duties often found on an administrative assistant’s resume:

• Dictation, note-taking, and transcribing

• Supporting the company’s employer branding on social media pages

• Creating and maintaining office documentation

• Sorting and distributing mail

• Organizing health and safety and first aid training

• Setting up online conferences

• Updating employee handbooks and other relevant policy documents

• Helping schedule job interviews and exit interviews

• Organizing employee paperwork

• Maintaining and updating employees’ emergency contact information

It’s a lot to do in so little time! To succeed in administrative roles, you need to find tools and strategies that can help you streamline workflows, save time, and become more efficient.

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