Since 1952, Administrative Professionals Day has become a regular feature on the HR calendar. However, can technology breathe new life into this day, offering this dedicated group of workers an opportunity for growth and individual progression? We discuss how the latest digital tools can help.
Often working silently in the wings, administrative professionals tirelessly support and reinforce the essential functions of an enterprise. Their contribution to a business’ long-term viability and overall productivity is undeniable. Every year, administrative Professionals Day falls on the Wednesday of the third week of April – celebrated as Administrative Professionals Week. On this day, companies can step up and recognize their administrative staff to make a genuine difference in their performance and engagement.
Since 1952, Administrative Professionals Day has been celebrated across offices, regardless of industry type or size. In many ways, this day is now an acknowledgment of the modern admin professional’s wide range of responsibilities and the demanding nature of this job. This role ranges from adequate communication skills to effective collaborationOpens a new window , and from managing office budgets and workspace requirements to strengthening enterprise brand recall via thorough knowledge of core products.
How Can HR Teams Appreciate These Valuable Employees on Administrative Professionals Day?
Acknowledgment of an admin professional’s work is a great way to begin. Here are five ways technology can be intelligently leveraged to reward admin professionals.
1. Create a Smart and Meaningful Rewards and Recognition Program
Admin professionals don’t always contribute to key strategic initiatives. However, their daily tasks and activities keep the wheels of a company moving smoothly. State-of-the-art technologies such as rewards and recognition platforms can be used to appreciate these contributions. These platforms can, for instance, send out pan-organization recognition mailers and digital paycards, which offer flexible reimbursement. By including them in their rewards and recognition efforts, organizations can appreciate admin professionals’ deceptively small acts of importance on Administrative Professionals Day.
2. Ensure Your Learning and Development Plan Extends to Every Admin Professional
Sometimes, admin professionals are overlooked as participants for learning and development (L&D) programs. HR teams might believe that given the iterative nature of everyday admin tasks, training and development might be out of their ambit. This, however, is far from the truth. Modern admin roles call for a wide range of complex tasks, which could be transformed by training via cutting-edge digital learningOpens a new window platforms. Also, soft skills are a must-have for any admin professional – employers can use dedicated soft-skills training courses delivered through micro-learning platforms for this purpose.
Finally, these employees might be eager to upskill and venture into new territories via training and certification. This is why working closely with admin team members will help HR teams understand their personal goals and targets and embed these goals into their L&D strategy. Giving the admin team access to learning and development opportunities for their growth is a great way to show your appreciation on Administrative Professionals Day.
Also read:Â What Is Employee Appreciation? Definition, Strategies, and Ideas, With ExamplesOpens a new window
3. Chart Clear Career Progression Pathways
Like any other employee, an admin professional will expect a well-articulated career path. This path needs to take into account various factors like individual preferences, department requirements, and overarching organizational objectives. On Administrative Professionals Day, HR teams could bring vision for individual/divisional admin roles to the forefront, combined with AI-powered technology, for instance, and offer the employee a chance to push for growth, explore new areas of work and garner fresh learnings.
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20 Memorable Employee Appreciation Day Ideas for 2020Opens a new window
4. Don’t Ignore the Mental Health Aspect
For any modern admin professional, the challenges, anxieties, and complexities of the work floor can often lead to undetected mental health issues. Over time, these could result in long-term damage, hampering the worker’s ability to deliver and thrive. HR teams can reach out to admin professionals who may be facing mental health issues by using the newest platforms and channels for communication, advice and sharing to promote mental healthOpens a new window , all while maintaining their privacy. April is also National Stress Awareness Month. So there is no better time to hold workshops on physical/mental health as well as sessions with mental health experts for a truly inclusive and humane Administrative Professionals Day.
5. Let Admin Professionals Go the “WFH†and “BYOD†Way
Like everybody else, admin professionals also live and work in a world where working from home (WFH), bringing your own device (BYOD) and remote working are common ways of doing business. The challenge is that the admin professional is expected to be a permanent fixture on the work floor. However, collaboration tools like Slack and Trello, company chatrooms, AR/VR-based simulation techniques, etc. can let the admin professional monitor operational problems, employee needs, and company demands, regardless of location or time away from the office. By extending the use of these technologies to admin teams on Administrative Professionals Day, employers can universalize these 21st-century working models.
Also read: 4 Ways Technology Can Amplify Your Rewards and Recognition ProgramsOpens a new window
In Conclusion
In the digital age, the role of the admin professional has changed significantly. Merely checking office infrastructure and basic correspondence isn’t the only part of their job description. It includes various other mission-critical tasks which can prove either beneficial – or damaging – to the bottom line. This makes Administrative Professionals Day a good time to reward, acknowledge, empower and reinforce their contribution to the business.
What are your plans for Administrative Professionals Day? Does technology play a part in recognizing your admin team? Tell us on FacebookOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , and LinkedInOpens a new window .