Future Dates
Administrative Professionals Week
2014: April 20-26
2015: April 19-25
2016: April 24-30
2017: April 23-29
Administrative Professionals Day
2014: April 23
2015: April 22
2016: April 27
2017: April 26
APW Blog Updates
Administrative Professionals Week
Honoring the office professionals who make offices work
Modern business is a storm. Modern office professionals bring order. They take the swirl of international commerce and give it cohesion. Every April for 61 years, the International Association of Administrative Professionals has been asking businesses around the world to show gratitude for the people who get the job done in their office. Please join us by committing in some significant way to mark Administrative Professionals Week April 20-26 and Administrative Professionals Day on Wednesday, April 23, 2014. We’re honoring the office professionals who make offices work.
About Administrative Professionals Week
Since 1952, the International Association of Administrative Professionals has honored office workers by sponsoring Administrative Professionals Week. Today, it is one of the largest workplace observances outside of employee birthdays and major holidays.
Today, there are more than 4.1 million secretaries and administrative assistants working in the United States, according to U.S. Department of Labor statistics, and 8.9 million people working in various administrative support roles. More than 475,000 administrative professionals are employed in Canada. Millions more administrative professionals work in offices all over the world.
Administrative Professionals Week FAQ
Administrative Professionals Day/Week was originally organized in 1952 as "National Secretaries Week" by the National Secretaries Association (now known as the International Association of Administrative Professionals) in conjunction with public relations executive Harry Klemfuss and a consortium of office product manufacturers. It was established as an effort to recognize secretaries for their contributions in the workplace, and to attract people to secretarial/administrative careers.
The association successfully campaigned U.S. Secretary of Commerce Charles Sawyer to proclaim the first National Secretaries Week on June 1-7, 1952. He designated Wednesday, June 4, as National Secretaries Day. Sawyer, Barrett and Woodbridge participated in ceremonies held in Washington, D.C.
The idea began with Mary Barrett, president of the National Secretaries Association, now called IAAP, and C. King Woodbridge, president of Dictaphone Corporation. They served on a council addressing a national shortage of skilled office workers. Together with Harry Klemfuss, public relations account executive at Young & Rubicam, they originated the idea for a National Secretaries Week.
IAAP created National Secretaries Week (now Administrative Professionals Week) with two objectives in mind: to recognize "the secretary, upon whose skills, loyalty, and efficiency the functions of business and government offices depend," and to call attention "through favorable publicity, to the tremendous potential of the secretarial career."
Administrative Professionals Week is always held annually during the last full week in April. Administrative Professionals Day is always held the Wednesday of that week.
Many people who contribute to the workplace in a variety of settings. IAAP defines administrative professionals as “individuals who are responsible for administrative tasks and coordination of information in support of an office-related environment and who are dedicated to furthering their personal and professional growth in their chosen profession.”
Research shows that many workers around the world still hold the “secretary” job title; however, many alternative titles have become more popular, such as administrative assistant, office coordinator, administrative specialist, executive assistant, and office manager.
According to IAAP members, administrative support personnel prefer observances that recognize and provide opportunities for learning and growth. Employers can facilitate professional development for admins by supporting:
- Tuition reimbursement to attend college classes and work toward a degree.
- Membership and participation in professional organizations.
- Reimbursement for online training programs in technology, administrative, and management skills.
- Registration for appropriate conferences, seminars, and continuing education workshops.
- Attainment of professional certification. IAAP’s Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) or Certified Professional Secretary (CPS) programs are widely recognized standards of excellence.
- Supporting IAAP chapter events. Events can be accessed from the link at the left.
- Additional gift suggestions include business-related items, such as personalized business cards, desktop name-plate, gift certificate, ergonomically correct accessories, computer hardware/software upgrade, or monetary bonus for exemplary performance.