Administrative Professionals’ Day was created to acknowledge the contributions of administrative staff, and is also often referred to as Secretaries Day. Receptionists, executive assistants and secretaries are devoted to maintaining a professional appearance and friendly rapport for the companies they work for, and they manage important filing, faxing, welcoming, billing and especially incoming phone traffic so that the rest of the business can flow evenly and professionally.
Many employers and large corporations recognize Administrative Professionals’ Day, which is celebrated on the last Wednesday of April, and they celebrate by rewarding personal assistants, receptionists and other vital office support with lunches, flowers, employee awards or desk plates and of course, recognition. However, did you know that this professional holiday has an interesting history?
The idea for Secretaries’ Day, or Admin Day, came about during World War II, due to a shortage is administrative staff caused by a decline in birthrate during the Depression, along with strong growth in business after the war. The National Secretaries Association was founded in 1942 not only to appreciate the work of office professionals, but to entice interest in the profession. Business was booming post-war and companies needed skilled receptionists and support staff to handle the influx of office traffic. Secretaries’ Day was first celebrated in June 1952, and was sponsored by the National Secretaries Association. The National Secretaries Association became the International Association of Administrative Professionals in 1998, and the holiday is now observed the last week of April.
This holiday has a long history and is well known and much appreciated among office personnel. This year Admin Day is observed Wednesday April 26th. Don’t forget to recognize the friendly smiling faces that greet your customers and clients every day, in order to keep your business flowing smoothly.
