Office Services professionals are integral in the workplace, playing key roles in keeping business running smoothly and efficiently. Building a high-performing office team is critical to propelling your business forward.
Beyond working as front office staff, administrative or executive assistants, customer service representatives, or bookkeeping, payroll, and accounting clerks, Office Services professionals are imperative to maintaining productivity and ensuring continued administrative and operational success.
Why Office Services Roles Matter More Than Most Organizations Realize
Contrary to the common misconception that Office Services staff simply support the workplace is the reality that these professionals are the operational backbone of the workforce. Here’s why:
- Highly skilled administrative professionals bring up to a 25% productivity increase to their teams, according to the Journal of Management Studies.
- 91% of customers are likely to recommend a brand or company as a result of a convenient customer service experience, according to the Achieving Customer Amazement Study.
- 83% of customers trust a company or brand more if they provide an excellent customer service experience, according to the Achieving Customer Amazement Study.
If Office Services roles are so important, how can hiring managers invest in building high-performing office teams?
Build a High-Performing Office Team
Hiring for skills and experience is often non-negotiable, but much more goes into developing a high-performing office team. High-performing teams don’t just happen; it takes intention and investment to develop professionals to their full potential. Build an effective Office Services team with these strategies.
Emphasize Clarity to Drive Job Satisfaction
Clarity fuels efficiency. Defining roles equips employees to succeed with an understanding of their responsibilities, expectations, and how to contribute to the organization most effectively.
Research from Effectory shows positive work outcomes for employees with high role clarity. Job satisfaction is also positively influenced, with 75% of employees reporting higher job satisfaction and being significantly more passionate about their job.
Courtesy of Effectory.com
Ignite Accountability for Team Success
Accountability creates expectations for outputs and interpersonal behavior and holds everyone equally responsible for meeting those expectations. Work is often behind the scenes in office roles, which makes it easy for performance to become invisible until mistakes arise. Bring team performance to the forefront with:
- Measurable metrics tied to outcomes
- Standardized and documented operating procedures
- Visible workflows and deadlines
- Regular one-on-ones or team check-ins focused on priorities and roadblocks
Support Psychological Safety Even When It’s Inconvenient
The nature of Office Services jobs often means workers are the first to experience process inefficiencies. For your office team to perform at its best, feedback must flow up and down and team members must feel comfortable raising issues without fear. Psychological safety makes it possible for the team to share honest feedback or flag inefficiencies without fear of repercussions. When psychological safety isn’t present, communication breaks down and problems compound.
Soft Skills Are the Difference Between a Good and Great Hire
According to an Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey, hiring for soft skills is essential to building a successful team. Hiring managers deem these as essential or very important:
- Dependability – 90% U.S., 86% Canada
- Communication skills – 89% U.S., 84% Canada
- Willingness to learn – 88% U.S., 87% Canada
- Problem-solving skills – 85% U.S., 77% Canada
- Adaptability – 85% U.S., 82% Canada
- Critical thinking – 84% U.S., 71% Canada
- Initiative – 84% U.S., 75% Canada
Administrative professionals are notoriously proactive. They anticipate needs and act accordingly. Emotional intelligence benefits these professionals as they interact with leadership, clients, and their peers. Cross-cultural communication is critical for diverse teams.
Soft skills enhance individual contributions and shape the overall effectiveness of the team, but not every Office Services professional needs every one of these soft skills. Leaders must differentiate between must-have and nice-to-have soft skills when hiring for their team.
Build Your Team to Succeed
By assessing which qualities are essential for each role, leaders can ensure their hiring, training, and reskilling decisions drive lasting success.
Prioritizing the right mix of soft skills and experience, and fostering a workplace culture that thrives on collaboration, is essential for building a resilient and high-performing Office Services team. Strategic assessment by leadership and ongoing support empower Office Services professionals to deliver exceptional results and drive meaningful change.
About Express Employment Professionals
Express was named the #1 Largest Office/Clerical Staffing Firm in the U.S. by Staffing Industry Analysts in 2025, and helped 64,000 job seekers find Office Services jobs in 2024.
If you’re hiring for Office Services roles, contact the office nearest you to learn more about finding your next hire. With more than 870 locations in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, Express wants to help you with hiring. Learn more at ExpressPros.com.
The Job Insights survey was conducted online within the United States and Canada by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express among job seekers in the U.S. (n=1,002) and Canada (n=506) Dec. 1–15, 2022. For complete survey methodology, please contact Communications@ExpressPros.com.
Last Updated on February 9, 2026
