Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Workplace Assistant

🎯 Role Definition

The Workplace Assistant is the frontline ambassador for the workplace: managing reception and visitor experiences, coordinating meeting rooms and hybrid-work technology, overseeing facility services (cleaning, maintenance, signage, mail and deliveries), and partnering with HR, IT and vendors to ensure a safe, efficient, and engaging office environment. This role balances operational tasks (supplies, access control, invoice processing) with people-centered responsibilities (employee queries, event support, onboarding support) and contributes to continuous improvement of workplace services, space utilization, and workplace policies.

Core keywords: workplace assistant, office coordinator, facilities support, workplace operations, meeting room scheduling, hybrid workplace, employee experience, vendor management, office services, space planning.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Receptionist / Front Desk Representative
Administrative Assistant / Office Administrator
Facilities Coordinator / Mailroom Clerk

Advancement To:

Workplace Manager / Office Manager
Facilities Manager / Head of Workplace Experience
Office Operations Manager / Workplace Operations Lead

Lateral Moves:

HR Coordinator (onboarding & employee experience focus)
Events & Office Programs Coordinator
IT Service Desk or Asset Management Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Serve as the primary front-desk and workplace contact: greet employees and visitors professionally, manage visitor check-in (badges, NDAs, escorts), answer general workplace queries, and maintain a positive employee and guest experience.
Schedule, prepare, and support meetings and events: manage meeting-room bookings, configure hybrid meeting technology (camera, mic, displays), set up furniture and A/V, and ensure post-meeting room reset and cleanliness.
Manage workplace services vendors and contractors: contract, schedule, supervise, and evaluate cleaning, catering, security, maintenance, mailroom, and building services to ensure SLA compliance and cost-effective delivery.
Oversee mail, courier and deliveries: sort and distribute inbound mail/packages, coordinate outbound shipments, maintain shipping logs, manage courier accounts, and troubleshoot delivery exceptions.
Maintain office supply inventory and procurement: track stock levels, place purchase orders, negotiate pricing with suppliers, and manage invoicing and receipt reconciliation for workplace-related spend.
Administer access control and physical security: manage badge provisioning and deactivation, coordinate key access, liaise with building security, and maintain contractor access schedules and visitor records.
Coordinate office moves, relocations and space set-ups: plan schedule for moves, arrange furniture installation, label workstations, coordinate with IT for device/setup, and update space plans and occupancy records.
Support employee onboarding and offboarding logistics: prepare workstations, coordinate IT and security access, arrange welcome kits and orientation logistics, and ensure exit checklists are completed (badge turn-in, asset return).
Monitor and report on facility condition and maintenance needs: perform routine walkthroughs, create and track maintenance tickets, escalate critical issues, and follow up to resolution.
Maintain workplace health & safety and compliance: implement and communicate emergency procedures, coordinate fire & safety drills, perform basic risk inspections, and ensure compliance with local workplace regulations.
Track and report workplace metrics and KPIs: maintain room utilization reports, support occupancy tracking, compile vendor performance metrics, and present regular summaries to Workplace/Operations leadership.
Process invoices and support budget tracking: review workplace vendor invoices, code and submit for approval, reconcile monthly statements, and support budget forecasting for workplace services.
Manage workplace technology and systems: administer room booking systems (e.g., Condeco, Robin, EMS), digital signage, visitor management tools (e.g., Envoy), and escalate IT incidents as needed.
Maintain assets and equipment inventory: log office furniture, A/V equipment, and fixed assets, perform basic asset tagging and audits, and coordinate repairs or replacements.
Support sustainability and green-office initiatives: implement recycling programs, monitor energy-saving efforts, coordinate with vendors on sustainable procurement, and report on environmental metrics.
Coordinate pantry and kitchen services: ensure kitchen/pantry cleanliness, manage coffee and catering supplies, monitor appliances and replenish consumables.
Liaise with building management and landlords: raise building-level issues (HVAC, elevators, utilities), coordinate access for contractors, and participate in building governance meetings as required.
Provide high-quality employee support and escalation: respond to workplace service requests via helpdesk/ticketing, troubleshoot common issues, document resolutions, and escalate unresolved items to managers or third parties.
Maintain and publish workplace policies and guidelines: support the creation, communication and enforcement of workplace etiquette, hybrid-work policies, meeting-room etiquette, and shared-space guidelines.
Organize and support internal events and employee programs: coordinate logistics for town halls, team offsites, office celebrations and wellbeing activities that drive employee engagement.
Ensure accurate and secure record-keeping: maintain confidential records (visitor logs, access agreements), ensure compliance with data protection rules, and manage retention of workplace documentation.
Conduct regular audits and inspections: perform cleaning, safety, and compliance audits, prepare findings and action plans, and verify remediation.
Facilitate communication across teams: act as the operational liaison between HR, IT, Facilities, Procurement and Finance to resolve cross-functional workplace needs.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc workplace analytics and exploratory reports (space utilization, occupancy trends, cost per seat).
Contribute to the organization's workplace strategy, workplace experience roadmap, and hybrid work enablement initiatives.
Collaborate with business units to translate office needs into vendor requirements and service-level expectations.
Participate in sprint planning, continuous improvement initiatives, and weekly operations meetings with Workplace/Facilities teams.
Maintain and update the workplace knowledge base and FAQs for employees and new hires.
Assist in small-scale facilities projects (furniture replacement, signage refresh, workstation ergonomics assessments).
Provide backup reception/concierge coverage during peak times or special events.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Front-desk operations and visitor management systems (Envoy, Traction Guest, Proxyclick).
Meeting-room and desk booking platforms (Condeco, Robin, Teem, Skedda).
Basic facilities management knowledge (HVAC, building systems, preventative maintenance workflows).
Vendor and contract management (SLA monitoring, supplier onboarding, scope-of-work coordination).
Inventory and procurement systems (PO creation, vendor catalogs, purchase requisitions).
Office suite proficiency (Google Workspace, Microsoft Office: Outlook, Excel, Sheets for reporting).
Basic accounts payable/expense processing and invoice reconciliation.
Workplace ticketing and helpdesk tools (Zendesk, ServiceNow, Freshdesk) and ticket triage.
Asset tracking and inventory management (barcoding/tagging, audits).
Health & safety fundamentals and emergency preparedness (fire procedures, evacuation planning).
A/V and hybrid meeting technology setup knowledge (Zoom Rooms, Microsoft Teams Rooms, conferencing hardware).
Space planning basics and occupancy data analysis; familiarity with CAD or simple floor-plan tools is a plus.
Data reporting and KPI tracking for workplace metrics (utilization rates, cost per workstation).

Soft Skills

Exceptional customer service and hospitality orientation — friendly, patient, and responsive.
Strong verbal and written communication for interacting with employees, vendors, and leadership.
Highly organized with excellent time-management and multitasking capabilities.
Problem-solving mindset; able to triage issues quickly and escalate appropriately.
Attention to detail in procurement, scheduling, and compliance tasks.
Discretion and respect for confidential information.
Collaborative team player who can build relationships across HR, IT, Finance and external partners.
Adaptability in a fast-changing, hybrid workplace environment.
Conflict resolution and vendor negotiation skills.
Initiative and continuous improvement mentality — comfortable leading small projects and process changes.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent; vocational certification in office admin or facilities a plus.

Preferred Education:

Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Facilities Management, Hospitality Management, Project Management, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Facilities / Building Management
Business Administration / Office Management
Hospitality / Customer Service
Project Management / Operations

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

1–5 years in office administration, facilities, workplace services, or a frontline customer-service role.

Preferred:

2+ years supporting workplace operations in mid-sized to large, hybrid or multi-site organizations with exposure to vendor management, room-booking systems, or facilities coordination.