MSU Human Resources - Taking Charge of the Front Desk
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Faculty & Staff Development / Training > Development Opportunities for Support Staff

Taking Charge of the Front Desk

 

Objective

 

This six-module series provides a practical learning opportunity for employees in front-desk positions. Sessions focus on practical information and skill building in the areas of: self-directed leadership, positive attitude reinforcement, front desk communication skills, handling multiple tasks, physical and emotional safety, and customer focus.

 

Target Audience

What Participants Will Learn

Individual Session Descriptions

Participation and Certificate of Completion

Investment

Application

 

Target Audience

 

Employees in front desk, front office, or first contact positions wishing to enhance their professional skills.  

 

What Participants Will Learn

 

By completing the Taking Charge of the Front Desk series participants will be able to:

  • Develop and refine their front desk professional skills,
  • Enhance their professional image to fit specific work environments,
  • Understand the importance of attitude,
  • Communicate with "substance and style",
  • Create techniques to enhance pride and build enthusiasm,
  • Meet the demands of others,
  • Manage time effectively,
  • Identify techniques that ensure physical and emotional safety, and
  • Apply leadership skills in the workplace.

Individual Session Descriptions

 

Module I: Enhancing Your Professional Life

  •   Skill development, enhancement and refinement
  •  Your professional image - Does it really matter?
  •   Self-esteem for every front-desk professional
  •   Look from the outside in

Module II:  Attitude Adjustment - There are those days…

  •   Strategies that foster an environment for getting the job done
  •  How to deal with negativity in others
  •  What to do when you are having a "dirt day"
  •  Looking from the inside out

 Module III:  What You Say and How You Say It Makes a Difference

  • Being assertive without being seen as a bully or unreasonable
  • Establishing a professional communication foundation
  • How to ask for and get what you want

 Module IV:  Leadership Skills for the Front-Desk Pro 

  •    Five essential skills and core competencies
  •    Identifying your leadership skills
  •    Implementing your leadership skills in your front-desk role
  •    Knowing when to follow and when to lead 

Module V:  Managing Multiple Tasks 

  •  Understanding the value of people and tasks
  •  "And you want it when???" - Beyond multi-tasking
  •  Establishing a stress-free Front-Desk Zone

Module VI:  Are You Safe: Paranoia or Reality 

  •   Skill-building for physical safety
  •   Becoming a great observer and knowing when to act
  •   Monitoring and safeguarding your emotions and intellect

Participation and Certificate of Completion

 

A Certificate of Successful Completion will be awarded to participants who

attend all six modules. Participants will also receive a letter for their

personnel file indicating successful completion of the series.

 

Investment

 

In   The total investment for this program is $660 charged in two equal amounts over two academic years.   The investment for this program may be covered by an individual participant’s educational assistance benefit or department payment.

 

Application 

 

Employees interested in participating in this series should first discuss their interest with their supervisors; then complete the Front Desk Application and send it to Human Resource Development (10 Nisbet, fax 517-432-2979).  Once accepted into the program, participants will automatically be enrolled in all sessions.

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