Pre-Administrative Professionals Day® / Professional Secretaries Day

[susans]

It is about one month away, Administrative Professionals Day® and Professional Secretaries Week, or Office Professionals Week, etc depending on your location...   Regardless of what the day is called, it is a day to recognize the valuable contributions of office support staff.  So before the day/week arrives, I would like to hear what you think about the day?

Do you like it, do you want to be recognized with a token gift, such as a lunch, a spa treatment, a seminar or networking event, or even a day off?

Do you think a simple "thank you" would suffice (though we should get those throughout the year!)

or

Do you hate the day?  Ok maybe hate is harsh, do you feel it is a day that would be better erased from your company's Hallmark calendar?

Do you have any stories from the past good or bad you would like to share?

[rondort]

I don't hate the day because it is nice to be appreciated, but wish it would be taken off the calendar at least for me.    I guess it is nice to be noticed for the good job we all do, but shouldn't we be noticed all year?   Why do we get a gift once a year, but the accounts don't?  Do we need National Accountants Day?  (they may have that I dunno!)  I wonder if companies or assistants that get that beautiful bouquet of flowers, the gift spa treatment,etc think of the office help that get .. maybe a pat on the back or nothing at all? For those assistants that do get something nice, now feel guilty and bad for those who don't.  It can bring up hard feelings.  Ok I am venting some pent up feelings on this day so will end this post with, I really wish if companies do "celebrate the day" they think of all the support staff regardless of title and "rank" in company.

[gee4]

Do you like it - yes

Do you want to be recognized with a token gift, such as a lunch, a spa treatment, a seminar or networking event, or even a day off - yes but very unlikely!  I attended a seminar last year but didn't even ask to attend this year.

Do you think a simple "thank you" would suffice (though we should get those throughout the year!) - yes but I think we deserve a little more than that.  Our directors and senior managers have at least 3 strategy away days in the year - one day for a PA is not a lot to ask, is it?

Do you hate the day? - not at all

Do you feel it is a day that would be better erased from your company's Hallmark calendar? - no!  Why should we be erased?  Last year when I asked to attend the seminar my CEO hadn't even heard of this!  Most bosses don't know this day exists.

Do you have any stories from the past good or bad you would like to share? - none

[spitfire78]

I'm always embarrassed when people make a big fuss over me.  For years, I worked for two really great bosses who treated me very well throughout the year, always said please and thank you.  They would consistently forget about secretaries day and then feel guilty afterward.  I always told them not to worry about it - they were good to me all year round and that is really what counts.  

I currently work for a boss who is one of the best bosses I've ever had.  Last year she gave me a plant, but I told her she really didn't have to give me anything.  I'm happy in my job, she treats me very well and is fabulous to work for - that's all I really want.  

For a story - years ago my co-worker and I were told that we were being taken out to lunch together by our respective bosses.  Well, when the time came, they were busy, so could we please make the reservations - and by the way, they were each bringing their wives, so reservations for 6.  OK - we took care of it like the good assistants we are.  The day came and off to lunch we go with the two bosses and their wives.  Here's how it went - the bosses sat and talked "shop" with each other and their wives sat and talked "kids" with each other.  The two of us sat there and looked at each other trying to keep from bursting out laughing.  We certainly didn't want to talk shop and neither of us had kids, so we were pretty much left out of both conversations.  It was the strangest luncheon I ever had!!!

[misslynn]

I had one year that my boss said he would pay for me and the admins in my office to go to lunch anywhere we wanted, we chose Cheesecase Factory.  We had just arrived, hadn't even ordered yet, when my boss called and needed me to take a conference call for him at the last minute.  I spent my Admin Day lunch in the parking lot of Cheesecase Factory on a conference call while the other admins ate lunch inside.

[Atlanta Z3]

I agree it is a Hallmark holiday.  It's nice to be recognized, but frankly I think my bosses do appreciate the work I do and I don't need a special day. It's the same with Valentine's Day for my dh.  He thinks it's a Hallmark holiday - for about five years I gave him presents.  The next year I said the heck with it and of course that was the year he decided on candy flowers and a gift - there I was with egg on my face and nothing for him!
And by the same token I think Boss's Day can be done away with also.

[misslynn]

Wow, I typed Cheesecase Factory not just once, but twice. I need more sleep.
Obviously I intended to write Cheesecake Factory.

[peaches2160]

I don't really think about it.  My boss says please and thankyou all year long and periodically thanks me for the "awesome support" I provide to him.  If he did not give me a card I would not feel bad.  It's a hallmark holiday.  I recognize him on bosses day with a card.  We don't do the gift thing only at Christmas.

[msmarieh]

Well, I happen to like the day, and promote it widely. I am the chair of my IAAP Chapter's APW extravaganza (and I don't use that word lightly!). We're expecting as many as 300 attendees to come and our event will include a vendor expo (with 50 office products and services vendors), dinner for all attendees, a speaking program on Networking Skills for Administrative Professionals, chair massages, mini computer training sessions, dozens of door prizes and MORE! As you can imagine, I have been a little bit busy getting ready for it, but it is all coming together BEAUTIFULLY!!! Best of all, the entire evening is free for all attendees.

If anyone happens to be in the western suburbs of Chicago on April 21, you can drop me a pm and I will give you additional details.

I don't really care if my boss recognizes it or not, for me personally. It's far more important how my boss treats me the rest of the year.

However, I am in favor of the day in general because it was started not as a Hallmark holiday (not that there is anything wrong with Hallmark of course - do you have Hallmark in the UK???), but as a way to get others to recognize the value of our contributions and to encourage young people to enter the administrative profession. I think that is quite laudable and worth promoting, especially for those individuals that AREN'T well treated in the office.

Those people who work unheralded behind the scenes are the reason I work so hard on putting together a fabulous evening for them to come to. I want them to know that they ARE appreciated, at least by us!

Marie

[susans]

If the rumors are right Marie, you put on a top notch event every AP day!  Word gets around!

[itsme_calista]

My bosses don't even know it exists and so we've got no chance of any recognition on the day, however, the PA's in the company are fairly well rewarded with inclusion in the profit share scheme and we get a sizeable annual bonus (although it is discretionary).  I think my bosses would say that is their way of saying thank you.

How do I feel about it?  Not really sure, can't say I've seen it heavily promoted in the UK.

[msmarieh]

LOL... Well I definitely try!

Marie