Administrative professionals – including Executive Assistants, Administrative Business Partners, Chiefs of Staff and People Operations Managers – are used to working behind the scenes. They are often the team members responsible for a myriad of tasks, from managing team’s correspondence to planning meetings, as well as ordering office supplies and checking in visitors. During the pandemic, many have taken on additional responsibilities, including enforcing safety protocols and maintaining compliance records. While the demands on their time grows, these vital team members face additional pressure. They are regularly expected to be the ‘point person’ for multiple departments, given their extensive knowledge of and contacts across their company.
These challenges demonstrate why it’s more important than ever for Administrative team members to speak up for themselves, set boundaries as well as practice self-care. We know that sticking up for yourself in this field is not easy. While support team members are expected to know company processes and procedures, they are also expected to ‘roll up their sleeves’ and help out, even if it is outside of their scope of work. Day-to-day, you will work with everyone from C-Suite Executives, to Human Resource professionals and everyone in between. Given that you are expected to influence leaders across the company – without always necessarily having a title to match theirs – speaking up for your needs is paramount:
You can be assertive without appearing critical by setting time aside with your hiring manager and clearly outlining your objectives for your role. Make sure you come to the meeting prepared with a list of these goals – and just as importantly – how your hiring manager can help you meet them. Maybe you are at capacity and need additional resources to support you with certain tasks. Perhaps you need to be able to leave the office at a certain time of the day, and have ideas on how you can still keep on top of your work. You may even feel that your experience and success at the company mean that it is time to ask for a raise. Make your case by outlining specific areas of success during your tenure on the team, and how this has contributed to the broader organization. Come prepared to the meeting with a specific salary range in mind for their consideration. Hiring managers are often grateful when their team members share their needs, while giving them ideas for providing the support you need!
Perhaps it is your manager or someone on the team that does not respect your boundaries, or uses language you do not feel comfortable with. The first thing to recognize is that they may not be doing so intentionally; many of our colleagues may be dealing with personal challenges we may not be aware of, and the stress of these may be manifesting themselves in their behavior to you and other co-workers. Where possible, take the time to speak to them 1:1 and talk about how a specific behavior has made you feel. That will show your colleague that your feedback is not personal, and that they have the opportunity to change their ways. If the behavior continues however, you should contact your Human Resource team for further guidance.
Most importantly, it’s important to recognize the incredible value you bring to your company. It’s easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day at work, but every now and then, take a look at what you have achieved. It may seem small to you; resolving a calendar conflict for an Executive, organizing a team event, or cleaning up the database, yet these save your team valuable time – and money – every day.
National Administrative Professionals Day offers an opportunity for those who work with you to not only show appreciation for your hard work, but for fellow Administrative professionals to empower each other and share best practices. Take advantage of networking opportunities with like-minded professionals through online communities like MeetUp and LinkedIn. Connecting with others will not only give you valuable insight into how others in your field may be addressing challenges you have come up against as well, but it will also build your support network; one that you can tap into when you feel only another Administrative professional could understand what you may be going through at work.
By advocating for yourself, you can expect your colleagues to respect your boundaries and take more ownership of your time. If your employer does not support you or you’d like to explore new roles, we have a wealth of opportunities for experienced Administrative professionals across the Bay Area and beyond.