Week honors professionals

Administrative Professionals Week, formerly known as Professional Secretaries Week, is being observed April 22-28 this year. Statistics from the International Association of Administrative Professionals show that more than 4.8 million administrative professionals work in the United States.

A news release from the IAAP said that administrative professionals have several different job titles that cover a wide range of duties.

Those titles include administrative assistant, coordinator, office manager, executive assistant, secretary, legal secretary, associate, supervisor and clerical supervisor.

The observance of Administrative Professionals Week recognizes the increasing professional contributions of administrative professional staff in the workplace.

The week-long observance began in 1952.

An online poll conducted by the IAAP on its Web site shows that most administrative professionals prefer observances of the week that are geared toward professional education or group recognition.

The IAAP offers the following suggestions on commemorating the week:

Provide registration for a professional development seminar to build the administrative professional's technical, interpersonal or business skills.

Update computer hardware or software, or purchase ergonomically correct furniture and accessories.

Purchase a subscription to a professional magazine geared toward today's office staff.

Support membership in appropriate networking and professional organizations.

Encourage study for and attainment of professional certificates.

IAAP gift suggestions for the administrative professional include business-related items such as personalized business cards, a desktop nameplate, a gift certificate for business items, desktop reference tools or a monetary bonus for exemplary performance.

The IAAP suggests that employers visit the administrative professionals at their company to determine gift and observance preferences.