Administrative Professionals’ Day is one of the few days of the year where professional administrators receive the recognition they deserve.
Unfortunately, in recent years, the most common celebrations of Admins’ Day have simply been managers bringing flowers to work and employees carrying on as normal.
But when the holiday was founded after World War II – when the need for administrative professionals was higher than ever before – the day was intended to truly honor those who make business possible, and to attract more administrative professionals to the field.
That’s why we at BizLibrary are advocating for a return to the roots of Administrative Professionals’ Day! Here’s our guide to showing your appreciation and acknowledging the contributions of your administrative professionals.
Write a Card
In the WWII era, when Admins’ Day was created, there was no email, social media, Skype, Slack, or text messages.
Obviously, today we’re so reliant on those technologies for communication that handwritten notes have become a relic of the past.
And that’s a shame, because hand-written cards continue to be a proven way to demonstrate genuine appreciation and build loyalty. So when the 25th rolls around, make sure you have a handwritten card to deliver to your administrative professionals.
Have a Team Lunch
Or better yet, bring in a food truck! Did you know that employees are far more likely to advocate for their company because they receive great perks? Employees truly care about the conditions they work under, and those conditions should be elevated during days that you are celebrating individual contributors. Team lunches and similar team-building activities are a great way to express your sincere appreciation for your employees.
Keep it Real
If this is a special day that your admins are supposed to be recognized for their hard work, a few pieces of candy isn’t saying much. The only thing worse than an adult earning a pack of gum for their contributions at work… is bubblegum flavored gum.
This card may seem clever, but be careful with these kind of Pinterest-inspired gifts. They can easily be construed as kitschy and insincere if you’re passing out the same thing to multiple people.
People are good at detecting insincerity, so make sure that you are sincere in your appreciation. You are supposed to spend this day celebrating the contributions of your administrative professionals, so take the time to do it right by making it personal.