Press Releases

• Administrative professionals free up an average of 101 minutes a day for their managers
• 100 per cent of executives report their assistant is important to their success
• 3 in 4 managers (75 per cent) feel administrative professionals' responsibilities have increased in the past five years
• 64 per cent of executives say support staff have a better career-growth track than five years ago

TORONTO, April 11, 2018 /CNW/ - A good assistant is worth his or her weight in gold, suggests a new survey from staffing firm OfficeTeam. Senior managers said their administrative professional's efforts save them an average of 101 minutes a day. That's more than eight hours — the equivalent of a full work day — each week!  

In addition, all respondents reported their administrative professional is important to their success at work. Of those supervisors, nearly two-thirds (64 per cent) stated their assistant's contributions are very valuable.

OfficeTeam is releasing these findings in advance of Administrative Professionals Day (April 25) as a reminder of why the achievements of office support staff should be acknowledged.

View an infographic about the administrative role's impact and growth.

"Today's office support staff play a vital role in helping their teams navigate increasingly complex and quickly evolving business demands," said Koula Vasilopoulos, a district director for OfficeTeam. "Whether organizing company celebrations, or providing guidance to new hires, administrative professionals deserve to be recognized for their dedication to establishing an efficient, productive and positive work environment."

The Changing Administrative Role
These days, support staff are taking on more than standard administrative tasks. Three in four senior managers (75 per cent) said office support workers' responsibilities have increased in the past five years. In addition, 64 per cent feel administrative professionals have a more promising career-growth track than five years ago.

Ways Administrative Workers Have Surpassed Expectations
It's not uncommon for support staff to help on things outside their traditional job descriptions. Senior managers provided these examples of administrative professionals going above and beyond:

• "Analyzed data and identified potential clients for the company"
• "Trained fellow employees on technology tools"
• "Helped screen resumes, post jobs and organize interviews"
• "Mentored new employees"
• "Worked with the HR team to set candidate compensation packages and send offer letters"
• "Gave birthday cards and flowers to each team member"
• "Worked on the employee recognition program, veterans initiative and candidate recruitment"
• "Chased a delivery van to retrieve a missing package"

Administrative professionals have transferable skills that can benefit various company departments. Executives surveyed identified finance and HR as among the top areas office support workers are most likely to transition into.

For ideas on giving thanks to staff during Administrative Professionals Week (April 22-28) and year-round, download 20 Easy Recognition Tips to Help Employees Work Happy.

About the Research
The survey was developed by OfficeTeam and conducted by an independent research firm. It includes responses from more than 600 senior managers at companies with 20 or more employees in Canada and the United States.

About OfficeTeam
OfficeTeam, a Robert Half company, is the nation's leading staffing service specializing in the temporary placement of highly skilled office and administrative support professionals. The company has 300 locations worldwide. For additional information, visit roberthalf.ca/officeteam and follow @RobertHalf_CAN on Twitter for career and management advice.

SOURCE OfficeTeam