Administrative Professionals Week

Formerly called Professional Secretaries Week, Administrative Professionals Week (April 24 - 30, 2005) is a tradition of honoring administrative professionals during the last full week of April.

Professional Secretaries Week was started in an effort to recognize secretaries for their contributions to the workplace, and to attract young people to secretarial careers. The idea began with Mary Barrett, president of the then National Secretaries Association (now International Association of Administrative Professionals), along with public relations consultant Harry Klemfuss, and Dictaphone Corporation president C. King Woodbridge. Secretary of Commerce Charles Sawyer proclaimed the first National Secretaries Week June 1 through June 7, 1952, with Wednesday, June 4, as Secretaries Day. The date was changed in 1955 to the last full week in April.

Over the years, Administrative Professionals Week^SM has become one of the largest workplace observances. The event is celebrated worldwide, bringing together millions of people for observances ranging from community luncheons and educational seminars, to individual bosses recognizing their support staff with gifts of appreciation.

Source: International Association of Administrative Professionals

Tips for Busy Bosses

A simple "Thank You" can go a long way to motivate employees and build loyalty. Administrative Professionals Week^SM (APW) offers an ideal opportunity to show appreciation - and formally reinforce the value of an employee's contributions.

The Society of American Florists offers this simple guide to help smart managers put the benefits of proper office etiquette to work during APW and year-round.

• Use APW to find out what motivates your staff. Conduct a formal or informal survey asking support staffers what kinds of incentives they value most. This will show your commitment and give you hints on what forms of appreciation they would enjoy during APW.

• Be open and direct. If you're not sure whether the members of your support staff want to be recognized during APW, just ask them.

• Include everyone on your team. Make APW a time to thank all of your support staff - from secretaries to assistants to junior managers - for their contributions.

• Make "thank yous" personal. Whether you're buying a gift or making lunch reservations, think about the individual. For example, if you're ordering flowers, ask your florist to create an arrangement that fits the recipient's personality. Is that person traditional? Outdoorsy? Dramatic?

• Be specific. Tell the members of your support staff exactly what they did that you appreciate.

• Treat APW like a New Year's resolution. Resolve to practice better office etiquette year-round to build your team's confidence and cohesion. Whether it's celebrated with a gift, flowers, or a group luncheon, APW is an opportunity to formally acknowledge the members of your support staff for their contributions throughout the year and wipe the slate clean of any forgotten thank yous.

• Remember to remember. If jogging your memory is the hardest part of celebrating APW, staff birthdays or employment anniversaries, an online reminder service (like the one found on this Web site) can provide some high-tech help.