The job of the office manager is to run the office. She has control over all daily operations and is responsible for making sure that the office makes a profit. This means the office manager must use mathematics on a daily basis.
First and foremost, the office manager is concerned about the bottom line, making money. The office would not exist if it did not make money. So, she does accounting every day. Accounting is almost all mathematics. This is all done by computers now, but it is still none the less mathematics because she has to be able to read and understand what the numbers mean.
Second, the office manager is ultimately responsible for double checking to make sure that the cash flow balances. Clerks take in money and then turn the money in to her. She must be able to use her accounting software to understand what how much money should be turned in by each person and to then verify that each person has turned in the correct amount. An office manager that is unable to verify that a companies employees are not stealing from the company would not be employed for very long.
Third, the office manager must be able to mathematically model the office. She needs to be able to know when variables such as increased patients require the office to hire new staff or if patients have decreased to the point that staff needs to be let go. This can be very complex because each new staff member increases the costs of running the office dramatically. It is unwise to increase staff if it will result in decreased profits. Staffing decisions must be made based on sound mathematical reasoning not on a whim.
Finall, the office manager must be able to judge the soundness of proofs. I know that you are thinking proofs are only in geometry, they aren't in every day life. Wrong!!! Companies approach the office manager every day trying to get them to purchase their services. This could range from office supplies, to drug companies, to outsourcing payroll. These salepeople try to prove that their services are the best for the office. The office manager must be able to logically look at their arguements and decide if their arguements make sense for the company. This is a huge job and would be impossible to do with out the use of mathematics.
So, as you can see, the office manager (the boss) relies on mathematics to keep the office running smoothly and profitabley.
Return to Mathematics in the Workplace