What you can do to Show Gratitude on Administrative Professionals Day

The National Secretaries Association (now known as the International Association of Administrative Professionals) began honoring office workers by sponsoring National Secretaries Week in 1952. The celebration was renamed by the commonly referred to title, Administrative Professionals Week, in 1981. Today, with over 4 million secretaries and administrative assistants working in the United States the day of recognition has grown to be observed by big and small companies in every industry and business sector alike.

The idea began with a council established to address a national shortage of professionally skilled office workers. Mary Barrett, president of the National Secretaries Association (presently known as International Association of Administrative Professionals), and C. King Woodbridge, president of Dictaphone Corporation, sat on the council and developed the idea to recognize secretaries for their impact in the workplace. They were hopeful that by acknowledging contributions of office workers additional recruits would be drawn to secretarial careers.

The IAAP campaigned to have National Secretaries Week declared and then U.S. Secretary of Commerce Charles Sawyer proclaimed the first National Secretaries Week on June 1-7, 1952. Various office supply and equipment manufacturers were the first companies involved with celebrating National Secretaries Week. In 1955 National Secretaries Week was officially moved to the last full week in April and has been observed at that time for nearly 60 years.

Today there are endless ways employers acknowledge their secretarial and administrative teams during Administrative Professionals Week. Some popular ideas are listed below (just in case you are a procrastinator).

  • Flowers or potted plant
  • Free meals (breakfast or lunch) for the office or administrative staff
  • Time off
  • Happy hour
  • Gift Cards- movies, restaurants, chain stores, book stores, ITunes
  • Snacks, desserts
  • Drawings for membership in professional organizations
  • Registration for training courses, conferences, or  seminars
  • Office accessories
  • Business card holders
  • Spa gift certificate and time off to enjoy it
  • Bonus check
  • Coffee mugs or water bottles
  • Sports tickets or favorite team paraphernalia

The importance is not how you recognize the hard work and dedication of your administrative team but that it is acknowledged.





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