Is it Time to End Secretary's Day?

Lauren Krause
Posted by in Administrative & Clerical Services •


Secretaries Day, now updated to Administrative Professionals Day, falls during the last week of April every year around the world. This day gives bosses, managers and executives a chance to honor and recognize administrative assistants for their dedication to the job. So, what's wrong with recognizing administrative professionals with a special day? Turns out, it might be causing some unfavorable tension among your staff.

Secretaries Day honors various administrative professionals, assistants, receptionists and other support workers by encouraging their employers to shower them with flowers, gifts, lunches and other tangible rewards. Support personnel have tough jobs trying to keep offices together, arranging meetings, taking phone calls and dealing with angry people on a regular basis. A special day that honors that seems like the least companies could do.

In recent years, however, Secretaries Day has come under fire as being demeaning and patronizing. This is because the "holiday" separates the administrative staff from the rest of the employees. There is no IT Day, Mailroom Day, Temps Day or Accountants Day. The most similar observance is Boss's Day in mid-October.

While the point of Administrative Professionals Day is to recognize the contributions of those employees in the field, all the extra flowers, gifts and lunches just exacerbate a stigma. Employees may mean well by thanking an administrative assistant on the holiday, but the assistants should be recognized and respected every day.

Instead of paying special attention to them on just one day out of the year, administrative staff should not be marginalized at all. The boss should make coffee for the office manager — not the other way around — to show appreciation regularly.

Additionally, some employees may feel left out or slightly depreciated when the day ultimately rolls around. Sure, Stacy the receptionist gets flowers, but shouldn't Jack in the copy room get a free lunch? Rachel the executive assistant gets a massage gift certificate, but what about Mike the intern? Then there are also those who are simply left out or overlooked altogether.

Administrative assistants deserve to be treated with respect year-round. Their jobs should be taken seriously because they are vital members of the team rather than "just the secretaries." Some companies treat the holiday as a huge festival. A community college in Connecticut in 2013 hosted a daylong celebration for administrative personnel. The college hosted speakers, catered food and provided professional development opportunities for administrative personnel. Other companies followed the college's example.

The holiday becomes a two-edged sword for managers who do not want to offend their assistants by making a big deal out of the holiday but do not want to completely ignore the important members of their team who run the office. Instead of marginalizing assistants, bosses should consistently give them raises, respect and rewards based on their performance like they do with everyone else.

Administrative professionals perform vital functions for companies large and small. Although a holiday devoted to these employees may seem like a genuine show of appreciation, it may turn into a larger issue that shows how much these workers are truly undervalued.


Photo courtesy of Bart Everson at Flickr.com

 
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  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Eva thank you for your comment, I, too, have been in your position and it's no fun. I had 8 managers/supervisors to take care of and YES they expected all of that and more. They didn't care that it was 6pm and I had been at work for 12 hours already; after all, it's overtime! I took it for awhile - only because I was new at the company. But then I had enough and let them know how it was going to be! On Secretary's Day I was taken out to lunch, got flowers and candy and a few other nice bonuses like a massage and a gift card from one of the local shops. I was thrilled to be recognized - finally. After I moved on, I always remembered to say thank you to the Admin - all during the year and on Secretary's Day. I truly do not believe there should be a Secretary's Day and I think that the word "secretary" should be removed from any job title since it always seems to have a negative connotation.

  • Eva M.
    Eva M. •

    Years ago I was the administration support for a department of around 10. For their birthdays I was expected to bake the cake, and pick up a card for all to sign. Being the lowest paid employee and had the longest commute with bumper to bumper traffic. All at my own expense. For secretaries day I was given a box of chocolates every year, and as soon as it was discovered, and still unopened people swarmed to my desk helping themselves to MY small token for a gift of chocolates. AND it was expected of me to share, if I don't the entire department would shun me for weeks. Most jobs didn't recognize the day at all. Other jobs I was taken to lunch by the managers and a couple of other clowns. And it always ended up the managers talked about work and their interests. In my opinion I think they did that is because they will get a free meal at the department's expense. I am glad I am no longer in the administration.

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