Today, we found out about a day in the life of Sam, an experienced office administrator who is no stranger to office support jobs in London.
What do you do for a living?
I’m an office administrator working in Canary Wharf for a large multinational. My job involves all aspects of admin support for one fee-earning department of the business. I help out in whatever ways are needed, including answering the phone, greeting visitors, managing emails, filing, and ordering supplies. I also do some project-based work according to what’s needed. At the moment, I’m helping to organise and write some new procedures for the department.
Our office is largely open plan, so there are a lot of informal chats where I discover how I can help my team.
What is your morning routine like?
I’m an early bird! I wake at 5.30am, make lunch for the kids and myself, do some laundry, and have a cuppa in peace before I get them up. I drop them at out-of-school club then catch the DLR to work. I’m usually at my desk by about 8am.
I use the time when I’m first in the office to review my tasks for that day. I consider what’s most important and think about what I’ll have time for. I need to be flexible in case something unexpected comes up, but generally I’m a creature of routine!
Most of the morning is spent directly at my desk, fielding phone calls and replying to emails. It’s also the time when I contact recruitment agencies in London if we’ve got temping requirements.
What time is lunch?
I usually take my lunch around 12.30 pm, but sometimes I need to cover reception. If this is the case, then I adjust my lunch break accordingly. I’ve usually made myself a packed lunch. If the weather’s nice, I’ll head outside to eat it and get some fresh air.
Where will we find you after lunch?
Immediately after lunch, you’ll find me back at my desk catching up on any emails that have come through whilst I was away from my desk. However, every afternoon at about 2pm, I hit the afternoon slump. I’ve learned how to still be productive through this, and that’s by saving up any practical tasks for then! So if you can’t find me at my desk mid-afternoon it’s because I’m filing, photocopying, or running an errand!
Time for tea?
Yes, we take it in turns doing the coffee run for everyone in my immediate area. Some days we seem to drink a LOT of coffee! If it’s someone’s birthday, we’ll bring in home-baked treats to enjoy too.
What time do you clock off?
I work compressed hours, working a five-day week over four days. This means I tend to be at the office a bit later than most. However, I don’t mind. It’s a good time to catch up with my boss, who is usually manic during the main part of the day. We use this time to discuss upcoming things. It’s also a good time to focus on project work without the continual ringing of my phone!
What’s the best part of your working day?
I’m really fortunate to work with a fun and friendly team. The work I do isn’t always the most exciting, but the people who I work with really make work an enjoyable place to be. I’m glad to be able to call many of my colleagues my friends.
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