Fancy Ha Vinga Machine On Your
p. 79 · Read in the full issue
Knee!
There will be no secretaries as we know them today in the pro gressive office of the 1980 s.
Routine typing and clerical chores now performed by sec retaries will have been taken over by a new technology.
Throughout the world, and in the Islands, millions of jobs in the secretarial area will disap pear or be upgraded to adminis trative assistant functions.
This is only one of many poss ible changes of the increasing use of electronics and virtually space-age design in the modern office.
Though the pace of change will vary, companies will find ways of doing business much dif ferent in the future.
Undoubtedly, staff utilisation
and even the number of office workers needed will change.
Despite increasing govern mental demands through regulation and reporting re quirements, a company's staff
required to provide administrat
ive support will be one-third to one-quarter the numbers needed today.
In some organisations, it will be difficult to draw a traditional hierarchical chart of organis-
ation. Decision-making will continue to evolve towards a more collective and participative group responsibility, within all areas of the organisation.
Considerable organisation
and human resources develop ment skills will be required to help people cope with stresses of change.
Administrative functions will be placed into management ser vices units.
These will include: • Human resources develop ment manpower planning, recruiting, selection, career pathing, counselling training, wage and salary negotiation and administration; • facilities, equipment and supplies purchasing and pro curement, such as space plan ning, contract negotiation and inventory management; • information and communi cations, such as corporate sec retariats, management infor mation systems, central records, telex, switchboard and mailroom etc.
The need for clerical, steno graphic and secretarial talent will most definitely dwindle.