A day at the office...


National Office Professional of the Year 2008, Jana van Heerden, tells us what her typical working day is like


7 07:00: 08:00: 08:15: 09:00: 09:30: 12:00: 12 issue 2 • careersuccess I start my day a full hour before my manager and


the rest of the team arrives at the office. This gives me some “me time” to get all my ducks in a row, check what urgent things need to be done and whether any important e-mails came in since I left the office the previous day. If there is time, I also read the online paper, just to know what’s happening in the world. This allows me to join the conversation should someone be talking about current events!


By this time my manager has arrived and I’m


done with organising my day, leaving me free to receive urgent new tasks from him. Since he also uses this first hour at the office to sort out his day, he usually doesn’t have any immediate and urgent new tasks at this time.


I keep a To-do list of the all the things that I need


to do. While my manager is busy getting his day sorted, and the atmosphere is still very calm, I start going through my list.


I start


with the most important and urgent things, marked with a red cross. Those marked with a green cross can wait until later the day, or even later this week.


Around this time my manager has caught up with


all his e-mails and things he had to do, so I quickly drop in at his office. I give him feedback of all the things I had to do, and I discuss new matters at hand. He also has a list of new things he wants me to attend to, causing a few more babies to be added to my to-do list.


A time usually reserved for meetings where the


whole team gets together. Our team consists of about 45 members, some based in Pretoria and others in Port Elizabeth. I make sure there is a laptop, projector and video conferencing facilities in the venue so that all team members can take part in the meeting from the two remote areas. We discuss finances, health and safety matters, quality issues, HR matters and project related issues (if any). We also wish staff happy birthday for those who celebrate their birthday in that specific month. This meeting takes two and a half hours, taking a lot of time out of my day.


Back in the office, I quickly need to check


telephone messages and if there have been any urgent incoming e-mails during my time away from the desk. Gosh, this meeting really took a lot of time out of my day!


Luckily I took the minutes on my


laptop, so it only needs some fine tuning before I can send it out later this afternoon


.12:30: My manager informed he wants to go visit the


PE team, so I have to quickly arrange an air ticket, transport and accommodation to PE for him for next week. Luckily we have an on- site travel agent. I quickly need to sort this out before I do anything else. Because its such sort notice, prices might be a little high, so I cannot afford to wait any longer…


13:00: I realise that some of the kitchen groceries are


running low, so I quickly took stock of everything and ended up taking much longer than I anticipated. I had to order milk, sugar, coffee, tea, rooibos, filter coffee, cremora, Handy Andy, dishwashing liquid, Jik, dish cloths etc,. While I was at it, I decided that I might as well check the stationery. I wanted to take lunch by now. . .


13:45: 14:15: 14:45: Finally I’m on lunch. Only for a short while


though, as I have some SHEQ matters (safety, health, environment and quality matters) to attend to. You see, I’m the designated SHEQ facilitator in our office too.


group of close to 30 keeps me busy, busy, busy…


The phones are ringing non-stop. Supporting a Always someone


needing something or assistance with something. But hey, that’s what I’m here for!


I only manage to get to SHEQ matters now:


quickly need to do my monthly SHE inspection (it takes some time, but I HAVE to do it). I get out the book and start with the walk. We have five OHSAS – The Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series registered labs that I need to check.


15:30: My day ends. Earlier than most of the others here


at work, or rather, earlier than most that I know of. BUT, I don’t know anyone that clock in as early as I do. Tomorrow I’ll be back in the office at 07:00 again. Tomorrow will be a completely different day. Filled with compiling quality operating procedures, reviewing our unit’s quality manual, attending quality and health & safety meetings, Routing of contracts and invoices. Arrange meetings and functions, arrange in-house training for new staff members. I must say - I am a busy lady!


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