IAAP research used in following article from Florida Today (Brevard County FL, circulation 297,800)

Direct link:
http://www.floridatoday.com/!NEWSROOM/moneystoryB0420ADMIN.htm


Firms thank workers differently on holiday

Administrative Professionals Day Wednesday

BY DONNA BALANCIA
FLORIDA TODAY

Bonnie Romero said the duties of administrative professionals have changed during the years -- and so should their image.

"We don't just answer phones and take dictation any more," said Romero, an administrative assistant in the Government Communications Systems Division at Harris Corp.

Romero said, instead of receiving flowers or lunch with the boss Wednesday on Administrative Professionals Day, she prefers to do something that helps her improve her networking and career skills. She is on the planning committee that set up seminars at Harris Corp. designed to enhance job performance for the 230 "admins" at Harris Corp.

"My boss and I have a unique relationship," Romero said. "I feel I'm appreciated every day. Whether he tells me verbally or by a note, it's the appreciation that's important."

The administrative assistant has undergone an extensive evolution as the office environment has changed. On Wednesday, across the nation, people will be celebrating what formerly was known as Professional Secretaries Day. But, as the duties of the job have changed, so has the name of the day.

Today, there is a range of job duties associated with positions held by the nation's about 4.1 million administrative professionals. They need to know different types of software, they have to know how to handle customers, and they need to know how to get the right information to the right people.

"There are so many challenges today," Romero said. "Administrative assistants today are involved in the all the processes. They're involved in salary planning, budgeting, scheduling meetings regularly, making sure bosses are at meetings on time and keeping calendars straight. There is a wide variety of duties. You have to multitask, and stop one thing and start another thing, and, basically, keep the schedule on track."

It will be the third annual administrative event at Harris, and it is expected 230 admins will attend the two half-day seminars.

The continually changing aspect of handling information creates the need for a new type of administrative assistant, said Rick Stroud, communications manager for the International Association of Administrative Professionals, which has more than 40,000 members across the country, including 850 in Florida.

"I think the No. 1 thing is computer skills," Stroud said. "You have to be a master of business software, and you really have to have the communication skills -- written, verbal and interpersonal communications skills."

With many companies cutting back on people, administrative assistants find they are having to multitask out of necessity. Often, their jobs have expanded to cover the duties of those whose positions may have been eliminated.

"It's no longer typing and filing," Stroud said. "It's more of an information-management type of position now. These admins are professionals who are often the hubs in an office. You're dealing with vendors, customers and other departments. You wear many hats in this role in business."

While the administrative-assistant position has evolved, so have the needs of the people in those positions.

"Personally, I don't really want flowers and to be taken out to lunch on appreciation day," Romero said. "In my view, we're a team, and, basically, I consider myself to be my boss's right hand."

When the name of the holiday changed two years ago from Professional Secretaries Day to Administrative Professionals Day, the gift business changed also, said Alex Johnsten, owner of Eau Gallie Florist.

"Yes, it's a good flower day, and we have a number of offices that will call, where we'll have multiple deliveries," he said. "The name change changed the gift market all the way across. I think what happened is it became confusing: Do you send flowers, or what?"

Johnsten said he and his co-owner wife, Alexis, have learned the past two years there are certain items that will sell on Administrative Professionals Day.

"It's a day where a lot of the smaller pieces are sold because they need to fit on a desk," he said. "Also, it's politically incorrect for a boss to send a huge arrangement of roses to an assistant, so typically, they're moderate pieces."

However, the gift business still is booming on Administrative Professionals Day.

"Administrative Professionals Day is pretty big with bosses," said Debby Graybeal, who, with her daughter, Shoshanna Walker, owns Indian River Soap Co. in Melbourne. "We have attorneys in town that have gigantic baskets made up for their assistants. And we've picked up on that business. Bosses want to pamper their assistants."

Graybeal said, although flowers and candy are nice, how one is appreciated varies from person to person.

"We've been in business seven years, and I can tell you people don't think soap is too personal," Graybeal said. "People pick out the basket and pick out what they want in it, like soaps and a matching candle. Let's face it, soap is something everybody uses."

Stroud said, with more diverse duties of the administrative assistant, the way the day is commemorated should reflect that diversity.

"The key thing is all secretaries are administrative professionals," Stroud said. "We started the change from the word 'secretary' to 'administrative professional' in 1998. Regardless of how it's celebrated, the main thing is to continually note the observance and make it more of an event of value."

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