Administrative Professionals Week® , Professional Secretaries Week

[susans]

Ok this is from those who DO the job.. you!!!  What are your real thoughts on Administrative Professionals Week® , Professional Secretaries Week.   Do you think it is good to celebarate it or do you think it shouldn't be a recognized day, or are you in the why should admins/PA get a day and not, others such has "electronical engineers day".. or editors day?

I will give you my view first.  I think it is a well deserved day for a job that many times goes under appreciated.  I have had managers in the past that recognized the day but some that didn't as well.  The ones who did tend to recognize and apprecate the work throughout the year.   I like to think maybe this day lets the managers of the world out there think about thier support staff and just how much they do and contribute to the success of business world.

[queenbean]

I don't believe this is widely recognised outside of the US, I certainly don't think it has much of a following in the UK (although I'm sure I'm about to be proved wrong!)

This is probably a controversial opinion, so I'll stand by for the backlash, but I don't agree with celebrating the day at all.  I don't believe that creating a day makes the slightest difference (much as I think National No Smoking Day and the like is a complete waste of time - it just makes me want to go out and have a cigarette for badness!).  Yes, there are times when I feel I deserve greater recognition for the work that I do, but it's down to me to make that happen and I would prefer to gain that recognition on my own merits, not just because it's professional secretaries day or week.  I consider myself to be a professional - not a professional PA or secretary, just a professional - and as such I don't see why I should have a special day while my professional marketing, sales or finance colleagues don't.

I just think it's a rather pointless exercise.

QB

[misslynn]

I'm split on it. I'm taking vacation this week so my boss asked what he's supposed to do about sending me flowers on Admin Day. Now, I know it's not actually him sending the flowers, he has his wife do it.  Having his wife send me flowers doesn't make me feel more appreciated. However, what woman doesn't like getting flowers?

I teased all my guys to remember to call me on Wednesday but truth be told, it really doesn't mean that much to me because they're good about recognizing me all year long.

[spitfire78]

I always feel very uncomfortable that week (and for years took my vacation that week just to be away).  I don't like being "in the spotlight" - other people around here work just as hard but don't have a special time set aside for them.

I feel it is more important for my boss to appreciate me throughout the year than on one special day/week.  A simple (and heartfelt) "thank you" on multiple occasions throughout the year mean more to me than a lunch or balloons or flowers.

[ozbound]

I have mixed feelings about it myself. I did used to enjoy getting flowers, gifts, taken to lunch etc. on Admin's day. I don't think they really do that where I work now--at least not in our office. There are a lot of different support staff roles and I think sometimes it's hard to know who to recognize and who not to (i.e., the receptionist counts as "admin" but do the shipping clerks? How about the accounting staff?) This is probably not the only place where you might have somebody feel left-out because their role didn't fall under the "admin" definition?
Our bosses recognize staff more by department or even treating the whole company--maybe the shipping manager will buy all of us lunch or the whole plant will be treated to a BBQ for going so many days without an accident.

[k12144]

I would think it would be embarrassing to have a fuss made over me!

Granted, I think it's hard to appreciate a lot of admin folks simply because isn't the mark of a good assistant like the mark of a good housekeeper--you're not supposed to notice when it's done right and you only notice when they're not doing a good job?  I mean, the idea is to keep everything running so smoothly that people hardly notice you're there, right?  In that sense, I think it's a nice idea to recognize people like that, but...still.

[gee4]

Well as I said in a recent posting, there is a local PA seminar being held tomorrow which I attended 2 years ago.  I sent the details to our CEO and he's agreed for his PA and myself to attend.  However, he had never heard of it before and I think this is the problem.  Companies are so keen on manager's away days and team building for their staff but they tend to either forget or become side-tracked about their admin staff.  It's sad I know that you have to educate your boss/company when you provide a support service for them.  No doubt we shall have to report back on tomorrow's events and I know for a fact that our CEO's PA will already feel it was a waste of time - picky or what?

[officeguru]

What I get a kick out of... watching others try to coordinate to have the admins recognized.  *That* is when it really drives home for others what we do on a regular basis.

Do you (as an Admin) recognize other admins you work with?

[msmarieh]

The original purpose of APW was twofold - to recognize the contributions of a group that largely went unrecognized during the week AND to help others recognize the path of an administrative professional as a viable career option. To that end, it is no different than National Engineers Week, for instance.

I am very active in IAAP (the sponsor of the observance) and I usually chair the APW event in our chapter. I do this so that other admins get an opportunity to get out, get some goodies and receive some back pats.

For myself personally, I couldn't care less if my boss recognizes the day or not. I am far more concerned with how he treats me the other 364 days of the year, particularly as it relates to my professional development and training.

Marie

[spitfire78]

I used to work in an office with another admin.  Two of the bossies would decide to take both of us out to lunch, but they would have us make the reservations!  And a few times we even drove to the restaurant.   I did that for a few years, and then I said "no way".  I figured if they really wanted to take us out to lunch, then they should do it all - reservations and transportation.  Now that I think about it, that's about the time that they stopped doing it every year and just thought about every 2 or 3 years!

[Atlanta Z3]

I'm in a new office this year and the bosses gave me flowers which is nice, but I tend to think this is a hallmark holiday.  I like to be recognized for a job well done - yes there is boss's day, but do other professions have a recognized day.  What about ditch diggers - when is their day, or your garbage truck driver.  See my point?
On the flip side I have bosses who show their appreciation and say thank you.  I respect them and give them my best effort.

[kellinm]

I hate to sound so bitter on such a beautiful spring day but I find Admin Professionals day to be rather patronizing.  I'm with the previous poster's comments - I consider myself a professional.  I am part of the group, I play an equal role here and wouldn't not expect nor want anyone to give me an extra pat on the back.  I work hard to be seen as smart, productive, thoughtful, etc. and my job is to help them do theirs more efficiently.  I'm the obstical remover.  If I do a good job, pay me a fairly, show it in a bonus, just as you would any other employee.

Oddly enough, as I was typing this, my manager just handed me a gift certificate to a great restaurant in my town.  Who am I to say no?

[kid]

Abolish it!  It still to this day is nothing more than a stereotype gesture of making us happy and appreciated by showering us with unhealthy sweets, cheap lunches, flowers that I do not like, and fake praises.

Just as bad is when other so called higher level secretaries weigh in trying to look  important and give lower level secretaries little gifts and well wishes.

This whole concept needs to go!!

[itsme_calista]

It's not something I think my boss is even aware of.  I certainly didn't tell him and don't think it's pushed as much here in the UK.  I'm not that bothered about it.  My boss does appreciate me and does show it, both verbally and with bonus payments   and it's at the right time!  Not because someone says he should.

I'm all for having the awareness week, but concentrating on pushing forward the importance of CPD, career training etc.  The times I see people who can use a pc but know very little else about the complexities of an admin job and quite simply don't have the other skills required!

[pnknlvr]

I like it because it's one of the few times I am recognized. But I think I'd rather have a lot of smaller verbal "thank yous" throughout the year and then give me a bigger increase in salary. Admins are the heart of most companies, yet we're often paid the least of any position. I don't see how CEOs can make millions, yet their assistants make less than $60K. Maybe I'm just in the wrong industry!