Hollywood, MD – Thank your administrative staff today! Administrative Professionals Day highlights the important role of administrative professionals in all sectors of the modern economy worldwide. This week is also Administrative Professionals week, so you have today through Friday to thank them for their service and dedication to a normally thankless job.
Many businesses would be lost without their administrative professionals, including secretaries, administrative assistants, receptionists, county-employed accountants and other administrative support professionals.
Administrative Professionals Day and Administrative Professionals Week are widely observed in many workplaces in the United States and other countries around the world, according to this website.
While not a public holiday in the United States, it is observed by many employers and supervisors by arranging events to show their appreciation of the work carried out by administrative professionals. Typically administrative professionals are given cards, lunches and sometimes pay increases.
There is some criticism in recognizing administrative staff today.
Some feel that the observed holiday is condescending to administrative professionals by separating the work they do from the rest of the office, and some feel the holiday highlights that the assistants are seen only as support staff to others in the office, despite the opposite goal by the creators of the holiday.
The holiday also creates confusion over who is recognized as an administrative professional, especially since the role has evolved and diversified since the 50s, with other official titles often requiring more ‘administrative’ duties than the ‘secretaries.’ This forces everyone in the office to evaluate how they stack up on Administrative Professionals Day.
Some people consider today as another “Hallmark” holiday, placing it in the same category as Mothers Day, Fathers Day and Valentine’s Day. They take an anti-consumerist stance and accuse the flower, card, and candy industries of inventing the holiday for convenient sales between Easter and Mothers Day. The typical gifts of flowers and cards also unintentionally mark the holiday and the administrative role as a gendered one, since these are typically feminine gifts.
I think that it is important to celebrate the dedication and work that administrative staff produce. Thank them for their service with kinds words (And maybe a lunch!), but continue to recognize them as valuable employees and people even after this week. Treat them the way you would want to be treated if you were in their role.
History of Administrative Professionals Day:
According to Wikipedia, there was a shortage of skilled administrative personnel in the United States during World War II due to Depression-era birth-rate decline and booming post-war business.
Founded in 1942, the National Secretaries Association was formed to recognize the contributions of administrative personnel to the economy, by supporting their personal development and helping attract workers to the administrative field.
The official period of celebration was first proclaimed by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Charles W. Sawyer as “National Secretaries Week”, which was held June 1–7 in 1952 with Wednesday, June 4 designated as National Secretaries Day. The first Secretaries Day was sponsored by the National Secretaries Association with the support of corporate groups.
In 1955, the observance date of National Secretaries Week was moved to the last full week of April, with Wednesday now designated as Administrative Professionals Day.
The name was changed to Professional Secretaries Week in 1981 and became Administrative Professionals Week in 2000 to encompass the expanding responsibilities and wide-ranging job titles of administrative support staff in the modern economy.
Administrative Professionals Day is also celebrated around the world, with Hong Kong, Malaysia, Ireland and Australia. New Zealand also celebrates their administrative staff in late April. South Africa celebrates in September.
Mark your calendar for Boss’s Day on October 16.
What are your thoughts on Administrative Professionals Day? Do you celebrate or not recognize your administrative staff for their work?
Jacqui Atkielski can be contacted at j.atkielski@thebaynet.com.