Career Advice

How to make a useful handover in receptionist work

Added to the archive on 15 November 2026.

Make clear what is finished, what is outstanding and what needs a decision.

A handover for front desk is easier to use when it starts with what the next person needs to do. Write one line for completed work and one for outstanding actions. Use a visitor log if the team already works from it, and give a clear time for any promised follow-up.

Run a handover exercise

Imagine a visitor asks for an employee whose diary you cannot see. Work out the status at the moment your shift ends, then write the caller, callback number and reason for the call. Read your note as if you are the next person on duty. Check if it makes clear what to do next, what has already been checked and who can make a decision.