What Do Office Machine Operators Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Office Machine Operators operate one or more of a variety of office machines, such as photocopying, photographic, and duplicating machines, or other office machines. They also read job orders to determine the type of work to be done, the quantities to be produced, and the materials needed.

Other tasks include:

• Deliver completed work.
• Place original copies in feed trays, feed originals into feed rolls, or position originals on tables beneath camera lenses.
• Sort, assemble, and proof completed work.
• Operate office machines such as high speed business photocopiers, readers, scanners, addressing machines, stencil-cutting machines, microfilm readers or printers, folding and inserting machines, bursters, and binder machines.
• Complete records of production, including work volumes and outputs, materials used, and any backlogs.
• Compute prices for services and receive payment, or provide supervisors with billing information.

We asked Office Machine Operators how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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66% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 48% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Office Machine Operators read job orders to determine the type of work to be done, the quantities to be produced, and the materials needed. They monitor machine operation, and make adjustments as necessary to ensure proper operation.

A typical day for an Office Machine Operator will also include:

• File and store completed documents.
• Load machines with materials such as blank paper or film.
• Maintain stock of supplies, and requisition any needed items.
• Clean machines, perform minor repairs, and report major repair needs.
• Clean and file master copies or plates.

We asked some Office Machine Operators a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	89% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	55% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	69% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	60% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	35% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	32% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Office Machine Operators also move heat units and clamping frames over screen beds to form Braille impressions on pages, raising frames to release individual copies. They may also cut copies apart and write identifying information, such as page numbers or titles, on copies.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Office Machine Operators Clean machines, perform minor repairs, and report major repair needs. They might also Complete records of production, including work volumes and outputs, materials used, and any backlogs.

In addition, they Clean and file master copies or plates.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Compute prices for services and receive payment, or provide supervisors with billing information.

To some Office Machine Operators, it is also their responsibility to Set up and adjust machines, regulating factors such as speed, ink flow, focus, and number of copies.

Working life

Standard 40 hour work week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as an Office Machine Operator, you can expect to work 40 hour work week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..

They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes439071.htm