Celebrating Administrative Professionals Day

Administrative Professionals Day was first established in 1952 by U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Charles Sawyer. It was originally named National Secretaries Day and is now known as Administrative Professionals Day. This day was established as a chance to recognize the hardworking individuals who keep office operations running smoothly day in and day out. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there are more than 3 million Secretaries and Administrative Assistants in the workforce today.

In order for any company to run efficiently and effectively, it is essential to have organized, detail-oriented professionals at the heart of operations. According to SHRM, the first half of 2020 initiated the largest increase in work-from-home clerical and administrative roles. With so many remote and hybrid roles being transformed and developed across today’s workforce, Administrative Professionals Day and Administrative Professionals Week are great reminders that showing gratitude towards support staff is more essential than ever.

Administrative, clerical, and call center roles are the backbone of operations and vital to your organization. Here are 5 ways to show gratitude for Administrative Professionals:

1. Say thank you: let your administrative staff know specifically how their work has supported you or your team by publicly acknowledging their work. Commend their achievements with a written thank you or video. Team members can record a short video of themselves expressing gratitude and appreciation for their administrative team members and can then be compiled into a video montage and shared during a team meeting.
2. Show appreciation: while there are many gift options to choose from, some of the most personal gifts to send include a bouquet of flowers or a small plant to spread some cheer to your team members’ office workspace or of home office, a gift card to their favorite restaurant, some sweet treats, or a book by their favorite author.
3. Hold a lunch celebration: whether your team is in-office or working remotely, you can set aside time to share gratitude over a delicious meal. Find a local favorite or celebrate remotely with a gift certificate to a food delivery service like DoorDash or GrubHub.
4. Encourage development: Offer professional development opportunities for administrative professionals. As with many professionals, individuals in administrative roles are skilled and eager to learn more. Establishing a way for these team members to continue their professional development is a tangible way to show appreciation.
5. Give company awards: nominate employees for internal accolades and send them a certificate of appreciation they can display or share on social media networks. Send out a company-wide email recognizing their accomplishments for an added touch of appreciation.

Administrative Professionals Day is a chance to share gratitude and invigorate motivation in the workplace by sharing positive encounters and the individual successes of those who are vital to office operations. Behind every great success is a team of people who make it happen. As today’s workforce continues to increase in complexity, a simple thank you still goes a long way.

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