Step 1
Nowadays if you work in an office you probably work on a computer most of the day. As a matter of fact, a great number of activities that used to be performed with different devices can now all be done with a computer. For example: writing, sending, and filing letters or reports, issuing invoices, noting andlooking up one’s appointments or expiry dates in the electronic diary, using a calculator.
But of course, this does not mean that you can do without general paperwork entirely. Official documents must be printed on paper and often stamped so you still need to keep paper files and arrange them in a filing cabinet. It is often a good idea to keep an in-tray on your desk for in-coming letters or orders and a notice board with all important notices that may, from time to time, be circulated in the office.
Oggigiorno se lavori in un ufficio probabilmente lavori con un computer quasi tutti i giorni. Di fatto, un gran numero di attività che una volta erano svolte con strumentidifferenti possono oggi essere eseguite tutte con un computer. Per esempio: la scrittura, l'invio e l'archiviazione di lettere o rapporti, l'emissione di fatture, prendere appunti e controllare gli appuntamenti di qualcuno o le date di scadenza nell'agenda elettronica, usando un calcolatore. Ma naturalmente, questo non significa che si possa completamente fare a meno del lavoro d'ufficio su carta. I documenti ufficiali devono essere stampati su carta e spesso timbrati; perciò c'è ancora bisogno di tenere archivi cartacei e metterli in un armadietto. E' spesso una buona idea tenere un contenitore della posta in arrivosulla scrivania per le lettere o per gli ordini in arrivo ed una bacheca con tutti gli appunti importanti che possono, di volta in volta, essere fatti circolare in ufficio.
Step 2
Another activity that probably takes up a lot of your time is talking on the phone. You may have tocall customers or suppliers or even ring your colleague at his extension, if you need urgentinformation. Another possibility now is to have conference calls with several people at the same time, all of whom are in different countries. This can be an excellent way of saving time and money, though in most cases people still prefer to meet face to face.
In the UK you don’t usually have a proper lunch break, like you still do in other European countries. People tend to have a sandwich or a light lunch without even leaving the office. Most offices have hot drink and snack dispensers or kettles so you can have coffee or tea breaks during the day. Office hours in the UK are usually from 9 o’clock in the morning to 5 o’clock in the afternoon.
