Managing an office is no small feat; it requires a balance of keeping employees happy and the workplace running smoothly.
Office managers, often seen as cheerful organizers of events, play a crucial role in maintaining a positive — and productive — work environment. Despite having to handle a myriad of tasks behind the scenes, they often lack not only the recognition they deserve but the right tools to do their work as well.
This blog post aims to address this gap, assisting office management teams in streamlining their daily tasks with the best office management applications. This time, we focus on large organizations and enterprises, offering specific suggestions for their complex needs.
The 3 key components of office management applications
For larger and rapidly growing companies with complex operations, one of the most important requirements when choosing an office management app is customizability. Unlike one-size-fits-all solutions, adaptability ensures that the automated office management platform aligns precisely with the team’s unique workflows and requirements.
Another critical factor is the ease of use or user-friendliness. Even with a ton of features and the latest tech, if your team isn’t on board with using the app, it will eventually become a waste of resources. Ensuring that your team genuinely connects with the tool is crucial for making the most out of your investment.
Lastly, the office management app you choose will need to seamlessly integrate with your existing tools to avoid any data loss, an unnecessarily difficult migration process, and hours wasted on context switching.
To find an app that ticks all the boxes, take your time to do your research. Start by reading online reviews, find out what your team needs, and listen to their opinion.
Key functionalities of office management applications for complex needs
Beyond customizability, ease of use, and seamless integration, there’s a spectrum of must-have and nice-to-have functionalities you should look for. This will vary company by company, depending on their specific needs, but there are some key functionalities that every high-performing team will need in their office management app.
But what exactly are they? Here, we’ve compiled the must-have functionalities the app needs to cover:
Collaboration and chat function
This will make a huge difference when it comes to communicating and collaborating on ideas, solutions, and other types of work in real time, to avoid back-and-forth emailing.
Project management functions
Project management functions, such as calendars, Gantt charts, timelines, and Kanban-style boards to visualize progress boost productivity by enhancing visibility.
Expense management functions
These features help you keep track of all office and travel expenses, saving time and representing a significant improvement compared to paper-based expense management.
Document and data management tools
Storing, sharing, and collaborating on documentation in a paper-based manner is a thing of the past. Software tools for administration purposes help everyone, such as team members, vendors, and stakeholders be up to date on progress.
Reporting and analytics functions
Being able to measure performance, forecast office needs, and identify patterns helps the office management team define their plans, strategy, and budget for the upcoming quarters.
Inventory management
Keeping track of inventory levels, assets, orders, and distributing equipment all become much easier tasks when there’s a digital platform you can rely on for critical information and records.
Online conferencing and meeting
Not every company has a Zoom subscription. Having your own platform for online conferences and meetings enables faster and more accessible communication across the team and the company.
HR management features
Depending on the company, HR may handle these functions, but there is often an overlap with office management. These features assist in onboarding and training and facilitate the sharing of information related to company culture across the org.
Thinking about introducing a customizable, easy-to-use software solution into your workflow? Check out Oriana’s low-code capabilities for office management processes.
Automated office management is critical for a productive workforce
For office management teams in large and rapidly growing companies, coping with complexity is inevitable, given the increased headcount, stakeholders, and diverse operational challenges. The more effectively they can navigate these complexities, the greater the satisfaction of the employees will be. Recognizing this, investing in a sophisticated, automated office management solution is critical for a productive workforce.
Automated office management platforms are designed to meet the unique needs of office managers, offering a comprehensive solution tailored to the intricacies of larger enterprises. What sets the best office management apps apart is their remarkable flexibility, facilitating seamless integration with their existing systems and tools, streamlining processes, minimizing the paperwork hassle and empowering your team to operate at its peak efficiency.
Learn more about implementing low-code software solutions for a more productive work environment from our recent eBook, Future-proof your business with low-code software solutions in 2024.
