12 - Office and staff: don't take chances

Summary

There is one overriding principle for the selection of your office staff: a few thinking people. Do not fall to the temptations of status display and hire people you don't need; and don't try to save money by hiring cheap labor. You will be better off paying good people overtime than employing helpers who need all the help they can get.

The ideal person for the office of a smaller meeting would be a secretary who has organizational talents, writes flawless English, is familiar with scientific terminology, is a good proof-reader, is experienced in the use of computers; and, above all, is reliable. Unfortunately, they don't always make them that way.

For a larger meeting, you may split the work between an assistant and a person mainly involved in typing. The job of the assistant includes the mailing of announcements and various types of forms, book- and budget-keeping, monitoring the timely submission of payments and scientific material (e.g., abstracts, questionnaires), and answering routine letters and e-mail. Ultimately, the assistant will also be in charge of the registration desk, even if it is staffed by employees of a professional service, or of a society (see below). The typist will handle most of the typing, from letters to forms, abstracts, manuscripts, etc. Familiarity with word processing is essential, particularly since the typist will have to update and correct continuously a list of addresses that can be transferred to mailing labels. The respective roles of the assistant and typist must be clearly understood from the beginning, and one of them must be replaced instantly if they cannot cooperate.