There are many moving parts that make a business succeed, from projections and revenue to marketing and social media.

But the people behind these initiatives and numbers matter even more—they are the lifeblood of every objective achieved.

One indispensable team member who doesn’t always get their just due for their contributions, though, is administrative professionals (APs). With the spotlight shining on these workers during Administrative Professionals Month, it’s an ideal time to dig deep into all they bring to the corporate world.

The evolution of the position

Thanks largely to television and marketing, most of us have a notion of the employees previously called secretaries for most of the twentieth century: dutiful, superefficient assistants who spend each workday typing away, filing papers, greeting people, and answering calls. Up until around the 1930s, the position was actually largely taken up by men—however, World War II and the postwar economic boom soon necessitated more workers, and women took advantage of the opportunity to fill the role.

Shortly after, the criticalness of the job was highlighted by two factors: the founding of the National Secretaries Association in 1942 and the federal government declaring the first National Secretaries Day and Week a decade later. As a new millennium dawned, these honors were renamed Administrative Professionals Day and Administrative Professionals Week, respectively, signifying an increased awareness of these workers’ significant corporate status and function.

It’s also important to note that the actual titles under the umbrella of “administrative professional” may vary depending on responsibilities, department, and seniority. According to the American Society of Administrative Professionals’ (ASAP) 2024 State of the Profession report, there are over five hundred, with the most common being executive assistant; other frequent ones include administrative assistant, senior administrative assistant, senior executive assistant, and administrative coordinator.

Business linchpins

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics states that there are approximately 18.5 million APs, and their responsibilities generally include organizational communication, management support, and task administration—but that doesn’t tell the whole story. Per ASAP’s report, surveyed APs selected an average of twenty-two duties as part of their job functions, from purchasing office products to disseminating internal information to coordinating schedules and events. In other words, they do anything and everything necessary so that the people they support can focus on leading their respective teams and meeting their corporate goals.

And who, exactly, do they support? Much like any other profession, APs can be found at every level of an organization, though most work at the highest levels and thus have more and greater responsibilities; according to ASAP, 70 percent are the trusted assistant for a VP or higher and 50 percent for a director or above. However, it’s not always a mere one-to-one work relationship. Over half of the APs surveyed reported supporting two to nine people, with the average being five to six. Perhaps it’s no surprise, then, that those in these positions tend to skew older (over two-thirds are at least forty-five) and experienced (almost half have twenty or more years of experience)—yet another indicator of their professionalism and reliability as the glue that strengthens an organization.

Ways to support APs

With these team members’ significance being so evident, it is simply good business to not only show your appreciation for them but also encourage their career growth. Concerning the former, you should, at the very least, do something special for their annual dedicated day/week. But also go further with frequent gestures throughout the year to consistently demonstrate how vital they are to you and your business. For example, seek their opinions and insights in various areas, and openly communicate with them about their workloads to ensure that they feel comfortable with their responsibilities.

As for their development, sit down with them to determine the best way to support their goals. Organizations such as ASAP offer both training and certifications that can help APs in your organization stay up to date with their vocation and maximize their skills and potential, which will be a boon for them (on average, an additional $4,000 to $6,000 a year in salary) and your business. ASAP’s 2024 survey indicates that APs have already gained an average of “six to seven new technical or power skills in the past year to keep up with the changing demands of the profession.” In short, your administrators—and your company—can either keep up or get left behind. As a bonus, offering to send them to conferences and other events can be personally and professionally fulfilling, allowing them to become more ingrained in their peer community.

It’s clear that administrative professionals are vital, yet often unsung, heroes of their organizations. Appreciating and fostering those in yours, not only this month but all year long, can only benefit them and contribute to your company’s overall success.

TAKE ACTION:
Brainstorm how you can advocate for administrative professionals within your organization.