There is an unsung hero in your business. No, it’s not your top salesperson, and no, it’s not your bookkeeper or accountant. You know who it is.
It’s your administrative professional.
It is your admin who keeps things on track, it’s your admin who makes sure things don’t fall through the cracks, and it is probably even your admin who makes the best joke.
According to the 4th annual Staples Administrative Professional Day’s Survey, not only are administrative assistants doing more, and more varied, work than ever, but they are also maybe, just maybe, the best person in the office. Consider these fascinating statistics from the Staples survey.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS WERE SAID TO HAVE BETTER SENSES OF HUMOR THAN THEIR BOSSES
- As compared to their bosses, admins were rated as better creative problem solvers (57% to 43%)
- Admins were also considered to be more tech savvy
But here is where the survey gets really interesting:
- Administrative professionals were said to have better senses of humor than their bosses, and
- They were even described as being “better team players.”
It is a good thing that admins are so easy going because, also according to the survey, they are taking on more duties than ever. More than half the admins report supporting more staff than the previous year, following a trend found in the past three Staples surveys. The survey also showed budget and payroll, human resources, and helping out on social media, were the top three additional activities admins take on above and beyond their normal responsibilities.
It is no wonder then that according to Mike Edwards, the Staples Executive Vice President of Merchandising, “The Staples survey highlights how admins are the backbone of businesses.”
Given that, the question then becomes – what are you going to do for your Admin this Administrative Professionals Day
Let me suggest two things:
1. Join in on the Staples Administrative Professionals Tweetchat Wednesday, 1 pm eastern. #Celebrate Admins. On Wednesday, I am going to be participating in a fun tweetchat, chock full of great guests, fun surprises, and fantastic giveaways.
Join me (@SteveStrauss), entrepreneur @Brian Moran, author and spokesperson @AudreyMcClellan, Erika Paige Handley (@E_paige) and Alex Kattan (@SettlerofKattan), assistants to Patti Stanger of Bravo’s The Millionaire Matchmaker, Bryan Gibbs (@TheBryanGibbs), assistant to Susan Sarandon, Lindsey Holder (@SavvyAssistants) and New York Celebrity Assistants (@NYCelebAssts) along with our pals @Staples to celebrate Administrative Professionals’ Day.
Time: 1 pm Eastern, Wednesday
Hashtag: #CelebrateAdmins to join the conversation and enter to win great prizes, including amazing tech items and office products.
2. Get you admin a great present. Administrative Professionals Day is the perfect time for bosses to show their appreciation. Staples offers the right gift for every admin on their list whether it’s in-store, on staples.com or staples.ca or through mobile, including:
- A Staples® Arc customizable leather notebook system
- A Keurig® coffee brewer
- A stylish, ergonomic Staples® Professional Series Chair that will keep them comfortable all day
- Desk accessories that inspire from the Style at Staples collection of must-have brands including Cynthia Rowley, Paperchase, Poppin and Moleskine
- Eco-friendly office products to help them stay organized
- A powerful, Staples® Space-Saver 10-Sheet Cross-Cut Shredder, that’s hassle-free and compact to fit under the desk
- A Staples gift card, so they can choose their perfect product themselves
Administrative assistants – where would we be without them? (Not where we are, that’s for sure!)
Steve Strauss is a senior small business columnist at USA TODAY and author of 15 books, including The Small Business Bible.
