Are you looking for information on Administrative Professionals Week®? This is a website devoted to administrative support professionals. Get the scoop on Administrative Professionals Week and Administrative Professionals Day® here, including dates and origin.

Did you read about the ways some admin readers prefer to be recognized on Administrative Professionals Day?

Now for the nuts and bolts of this "holiday"...

DATES:

Administrative Professionals Week is observed annually during the last full week in April beginning on Sunday.

April 18-24, 2010

Administrative Professionals Day is observed annually on the Wednesday of Administrative Professionals Week.

April 21, 2010

OWNERSHIP:

The terms Administrative Professionals Day and Administrative Professionals Week are under trademark ownership by the International Association of Administrative Professionals® (IAAP). That means you need to use the trademark symbol (®) after each phrase the first time you mention them in your copy. The IAAP is the sole originator and sponsor of this day. [That's correct---It wasn't a "holiday" started by the flower and candy companies. They just jumped on the bandwagon for obvious reasons.]

ORIGIN:

Administrative Professionals Week and Administrative Professionals Day were formerly called Professional Secretaries Week® and Professional Secretaries Day®. [If you missed The Effective Admin editor's little speech on evolving job titles of administrative professionals?] Observance of this day and week began in 1952.

Note: Some people detest calling this day and week a "holiday" or a "celebration". The Effective Admin uses these words loosely to describe the day and week for the convenience of writing about it. It's actually more of a "day and week of recognition" for this industry sector of administrative professionals.

On its website, the IAAP says Administrative Professionals Week "calls attention to the important workplace role of administrative professionals".

Of course, all employees are important in your workplace, but this "holiday" does present a potential motivational and recognition opportunity for employers to utilize in their companies. Can you ever have too much motivation and recognition of the people who keep you in business (by keeping your customers happy and your daily operations operating)?

RECOGNITION POSSIBILITIES:

The IAAP's  primary recommendation is that employers observe the week and day by providing education and training to their administrative professionals. For example, if you're an employer you may want to send your administrative professional(s) to a seminar.

If you find this idea too pricey for your department budget (to send each admin), consider bringing a single educational speaker on-site to speak during a catered luncheon for your administrative professionals. [Tip: In addition to full-scale buffet hot meal catering, you have options such as bring in boxed lunches with gallon size tea or can drinks. Or you can host a continental breakfast buffet of sweet rolls, croissants, etc. Or you can hire a deli to deliver platters of sandwiches. Okay...you get the idea...just ask your admin though it would be cooler if you handled it for this day.]

Administrative Professionals want what each (or most) of your employees want: 1) Recognition for a job well done; 2) Opportunities, paid for by the company, to attend educational events that will aid them in their professional growth and learning---for their careers and usage on the job for employers. Grooming your administrative professionals through educational opportunities is clearly a win-win situation for both of you.

Another unique recognition idea might be that you want to present your administrative professional with a company gift certificate (which you can create) that says it's good for attendance to and approval of an x-day seminar (at a cost of x or less). That way you have something to give to your administrative professional on this day of recognition if you want to do a presentation. Yet she (or both of you) can do some research on conferences and seminars before setting a future date in the year to attend such a useful educational conference.

If you're an employer you also can provide other educational opportunities such as a designated budget for books, periodicals and other self-study materials.

Is there a particular piece of software, hardware or other equipment your administrative professional wants to do her work better for you? For instance, maybe she would like to pick out an ergonomically correct chair. You might ask your administrative professional if there is something that would make her day smoother on the job that you can offer her as recognition on this day.

Many administrative professionals, just like some of your other employees, appreciate cash bonuses or a few extra hours off to run personal errands.

Of course, some administrative professionals prefer not to recognize this day or week for various reasons. Perhaps they believe they shouldn't be highlighted among the staff just due to their job title. Or perhaps they feel guilty when a neighboring administrative professional receives no recognition from her boss within the same company. If this is the situation in your company, your discretion in recognizing your administrative professional one-on-one may be the most respectful way to handle this matter. Or you may want to be the boss who suggests to the company president that a central recognition event be held for the day and that it be optional for attendance by administrative professionals (Pass a sign-up sheet or rsvp email to all admins company-wide prior to the day so you can figure the logistics and budget for the presentation, speaker or luncheon, etc.).

The biggest guideline for recognizing your administrative professional(s) during Administrative Professionals Week is just to ask them how they feel about the day/week and their preference for observing it (or not). If you're an employer or boss who is communicating with your administrative professional staff year-round a conversation about Administrative Professionals Week should be an easy exchange with no awkward moments. If it's not, well...enough said.

PS: If you're an employer looking for tips on how to work more effectively with your administrative professional, check out the manager/executive section at The Effective Admin Store. It's directed toward managers and senior level positions who have an administrative professional reporting to them.