FITTING IN,
STANDING OUT
AND BUILDING REMARKABLE WORK TEAMS
A Robert Half Company
OfficeTeam
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FITTING IN,
STANDING OUT
AND BUILDING REMARKABLE WORK TEAMS
Table of Contents
Overview1
Fitting In
2
Standing Out
6
Soft Skills Critical
6
Staying Current With Technology
9
Building Remarkable Work Teams12
Developing Skills12
Strength in Numbers13
Motivating Through Recognition14
Conclusion15
About OfficeTeam16
About IAAP16
About HR.com16
OfficeTeam is a registered trademark of Robert Half International. All other
trademarks used in this booklet are registered in the names of their respective owners.
Overview
Building a strong support team can be a
puzzling endeavor. Every manager wants
to hire and promote somebody who is the
perfect fit, but simply meeting the technical
requirements of the job isn’t enough. The
right match for the position is the person
who stands out among his or her peers as
a star performer and role model.
As the workplace changes, employees
are becoming more dispersed, advanced
forms of communication are emerging
and the administrative profession is
evolving — creating new demands on
support staff, according to OfficeTeam’s
Office of the Future: 2020 research project
(www.officeofthefuture2020.com).
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Do managers and administrative professionals agree on the qualities necessary
to stand out in today’s environment and
the workplace of tomorrow?
To find out, OfficeTeam partnered with
HR.com and the International Association
of Administrative Professionals® (IAAP®)
to poll human resources managers and
administrative professionals, respectively.
This report shows the results of these
surveys and provides insight into how
support staff can excel in their positions
today, help their managers succeed and
prepare for expanding roles in the future.
Fitting In
Many hiring managers believe “showing the money” is key to
winning over job candidates. But it’s equally important to show
them a positive work environment. The overwhelming majority (87
percent) of administrative professionals polled by IAAP said work
environment is a major consideration when evaluating a new job
opportunity. In fact, 78 percent said liking where they work is just
as important as salary. Nearly all of the support staff surveyed said
work environment affects their job performance.
Although 87 percent of human resources (HR) managers surveyed
said their companies have a positive office environment, nearly threequarters (71 percent) acknowledged their workplaces aren’t suitable
for everyone. One size does not fit all, and IAAP members surveyed
were divided on which type of atmosphere is most appealing.
“In which type of work environment are you most likely to succeed?”
1
Busy
Despite differing work environment preferences, 93 percent of
administrative professionals said they believe they could easily adapt
to a new or unfamiliar office atmosphere. Managers were less
optimistic: 35 percent said that they do not think a professional could
easily adapt, and 15 percent were undecided. Eighty-five percent of
managers said their companies had lost a staff member because the
person did not fit into the firm’s culture or environment.
3
Traditional
environment
4
Nontraditional
environment
2.4
Large office
2.8
3.9
Unpredictable
Constantly
changing
Team-focused
Business
attire
3.5
Startup office
Collaborative
5
Calm
2.1
Casual
attire
Small office
“A good work environment can be a powerful recruitment
and retention tool,” said Diane Domeyer, executive director of
OfficeTeam. “With continued low unemployment throughout
North America and rising competition for skilled administrative
professionals, attracting the best talent and preventing the firm’s
top performers from leaving can be a manager’s greatest
challenges.”
2
3.5
Established
office
Predictable
Autonomous
2.6
Structured
3.0
3.7
Source: IAAP survey of more than 300 administrative professionals
Hierarchical
Mean response; five-point scale
FITTING IN, STANDING OUT AND BUILDING REMARKABLE WORK TEAMS
Fitting In
Ensuring a good fit between an administrative support candidate
and the workplace culture can keep staff turnover low and morale
high. When hiring, “don’t compromise,” advised Dr. Susan Fenner,
IAAP’s manager of education and professional development. “If
none of the candidates seems right for the role, begin the process
again. If you hire the ‘almost-right’ candidate, both parties lose in
the long run.”
Debbie McGrath, founder and CEO of HR.com, said, “Companies
with the best work environments hire based on aptitude and attitude,
not on skills alone. Behavioral assessments, such as open-ended
interview questions that relate to a candidate’s past experience
on the job, can help predict whether the person will fit into your
corporate culture.”
14%
Somewhat
agree
32%
26%
Strongly
disagree
21%
7%
7%
56%
Source: IAAP survey of more than 300 administrative professionals
43%
Undecided
3%
Somewhat
disagree
3%
15%
20%
32%
Strongly 1%
disagree
3%
Administrative professionals
HR managers
Source: IAAP survey of more than 300 administrative professionals and HR.com survey of more
than 400 HR managers
OfficeTeam
Strongly
agree
Somewhat
disagree
37%
Somewhat
agree
“I’ve misjudged work environments in the past.”
Undecided
“Professionals can adapt to different environments.”
Strongly
agree
Despite the high priority managers and administrative staff place
on work environment, both groups said it isn’t always easy to know
whether someone will thrive in a given setting. More than half
(59 percent) of the managers surveyed admitted that they have
misjudged a job candidate’s fit for the role. Similarly, about half
(46 percent) of administrative professionals felt they had misjudged
previous work environments.
20%
40%
60%
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80%
40%
60%
80%
Asked for the best way an administrative professional can evaluate
the work environment when interviewing for a new job, Nancy Brown,
an executive assistant at Manulife Financial in Kitchener, Ontario,
and the recipient of the 2006 OfficeTeam Administrative Excellence
Award, offered this recommendation: “Ask specific questions related
to what is most important to you. I like to ask, ‘What do you like best
about working for your company?’ The time the interviewer takes to
respond and his or her nonverbal clues will usually give you insight
into the office culture.”
Sixty-two percent of administrative professionals felt their work
environments could be better, and 90 percent of respondents said
support staff play a significant role in the improvement process.
Managers surveyed by HR.com said they hold equal responsibility
for maintaining a positive work environment. Ninety-six percent said
they are always striving to improve the workplace, and 77 percent felt
the environment at their companies has improved in the past year.
According to Office of the Future: 2020, collaboration between
managers and support staff will only grow in importance as the
workforce becomes more dispersed and the office culture becomes
“virtual.” Supervisors will rely on administrative professionals to help
remote workers remain connected and disseminate details about
company policies, procedures and announcements.
Fenner pointed out that open communication plays a key role
in creating a healthy office atmosphere. “Be open with your
employees,” she said. “Often, managers hesitate to share negative
news, which forces people to speculate and can quickly affect
morale. The reality is usually far less damaging than the speculation,
and staff appreciate being kept in the loop.”
“A positive attitude is as contagious as a negative one,” Brown
added. She provided this advice for helping to establish a positive
work environment: “Make eye contact with people as you pass them
in the hall, say hello and cultivate good relationships with everyone.”
Because the workplace continually changes, maintaining an
excellent office environment is an ongoing effort. Companies
should seek feedback from employees on ways to improve the
workplace and should re-evaluate their policies often. Fenner said,
“Managers should measure factors that contribute to a positive work
environment. Ask employees how they feel about their workloads,
their benefits and their relationships with coworkers. The right
atmosphere for today may not be right for tomorrow.”
FITTING IN, STANDING OUT AND BUILDING REMARKABLE WORK TEAMS
Fitting In
Maximizing the Interview
The interview is a hiring manager’s best opportunity to evaluate a potential employee’s abilities, personality and motivation for the job.
Here are some common mistakes to avoid*:
•‘We’re too busy to take the time.’ Failing to invest the proper
time and effort is the primary reason interviews can be ineffective.
Even though you’re busy, give the process and prospective
employees the attention they deserve.
•‘I get bored if I ask the same interview questions every time.’
Creating a different routine for each interview deprives you of an
objective standard on which to base your conclusions. Without
structure, you have no way of knowing whether the impressions
you gather would be different if your approach were consistent for
each candidate.
•‘The candidate was brilliant. He agreed with everything I
had to say.’ If you’re talking more than 20 percent of the time,
you’re talking too much. Active listening (for example, letting the
candidate’s comments spark related questions) allows you to gain
valuable information you’d miss if you did most of the talking.
•‘I loved his suit.’ Known as the halo effect, this mistake occurs
when a hiring manager becomes so enraptured with one aspect of
the candidate — appearance, credentials, interests — that it colors
all of his or her other judgments. You can’t always avoid placing
too much significance on a single quality, but do your best to keep
the tendency in check.
•‘I taught Freud everything he knew.’ The ability to “read”
people can be an enormously valuable skill for anyone who
interviews job candidates. But unless you’re formally trained as
a psychologist or psychiatrist, try not to seek out the subconscious
meaning behind everything the candidate says and does.
* Adapted from Human Resources Kit For Dummies, 2nd Edition, by Max Messmer (John
Wiley & Sons, Inc.)
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Standing Out
Administrative support professionals are taking on more responsibilities than ever before. Unlike their predecessors of a generation
ago, today’s support staff negotiate vendor contracts, oversee
budgets, and create presentations, handouts and other materials.
And the amount of responsibility administrative staff hold will only
increase in the years ahead, according to OfficeTeam’s Office of the
Future: 2020 research. As a result, workers must be more versatile
than ever.
Soft Skills Critical
When it comes to an employee’s abilities, soft skills — such as
communication, leadership, negotiation, problem-solving and other
interpersonal abilities — trump technical skills hands down. Nearly
all managers and administrative professionals surveyed said soft
skills are critical for administrative positions.
Managers consider interpersonal skills so important that 73 percent
said they would not hire an applicant who is weak in this area, even
if he or she possessed solid technical skills. On the other hand, 67
percent would hire a candidate who lacks technical skills if the person
had good soft skills.
“I would hire a candidate with good technical skills whose soft
skills were lacking.”
Strongly
agree
1%
Somewhat
agree
8%
Undecided
18%
Somewhat
disagree
46%
Strongly
disagree
27%
Source: HR.com survey of more than 400 HR managers
“I would hire a candidate with good soft skills whose technical
skills were lacking.”
Strongly
agree
11%
Somewhat
agree
56%
Undecided
15%
Somewhat
disagree
15%
Strongly
disagree
3%
Source: HR.com survey of more than 400 HR managers
20%
60% REMARKABLE
80% WORK TEAMS
FITTING IN, STANDING
OUT40%
AND BUILDING
Standing Out
The preference among hiring managers for candidates with strong
interpersonal and communication skills is not surprising. More than
half of managers surveyed strongly agreed that technical skills are
easier to teach than soft skills.
Managers in the HR.com survey were asked which soft skills they value
most when hiring for administrative positions. Organizational skills,
verbal communication, and teamwork and collaboration topped the
list. These responses are consistent with the growing use of portable
work tools and wireless technology. Administrative professionals are
being tapped to keep a widely distributed workforce connected and,
increasingly, are serving as principal communicators in the office.
When asked which soft skills they would like to improve, IAAP
members cited analytical skills, verbal communication, negotiation and
problem solving as those most useful to administrative professionals
as they take on expanded responsibilities.
“Managers are looking to their administrative assistants to assume
more strategic roles, making strong interpersonal skills essential,”
OfficeTeam’s Domeyer said. “Volunteering for projects at work,
networking with colleagues and becoming involved in local
professional associations can enhance an employee’s people skills
and business acumen.”
“When hiring for administrative positions, which of the following
soft skills are in greatest demand by your company?”
Organizational
skills
87%
Verbal
communication
81%
Teamwork/
collaboration
78%
Problem
solving
60%
Tact/
diplomacy
59%
Business
writing
48%
Analytical
skills
45%
Leadership
Negotiation
17%
11%
Source: HR.com survey of more than 400 HR managers. Multiple responses were allowed.
20%
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40%
60%
80%
“Which of the following soft skills would you like to improve?”
Analytical
skills
39%
Verbal
communication
37%
Negotiation
36%
Problem
solving
35%
32%
Leadership
Business
writing
Said Brown, the OfficeTeam Administrative Excellence Award
winner, “I’ve always thought of initiative as the biggest factor in an
administrative professional’s success. The executives I’ve worked for
have appreciated my offers to take something off their plates that I
felt I could do — help with budgeting or administering absence and
vacation tracking, for example. Once they see what you are capable
of, they also realize your potential.”
29%
Organizational
skills
28%
Teamwork/
collaboration
28%
Tact/
diplomacy
When managers were asked what single quality makes an administrative professional stand out from his or her peers and earn recognition from the company, initiative was cited most frequently. One
HR.com respondent described this attribute as “going the extra
mile when it is not expected.” Another felt initiative meant “finding
opportunities to help instead of waiting for someone [to ask].”
Research conducted for Office of the Future: 2020 shows that the
value managers place on initiative will only grow over the next 10
to 15 years as support staff work more independently. Even today,
some supervisors are beginning to work off-site, requiring their
assistants to assume greater autonomy and an entrepreneurial
mindset.
26%
Source: IAAP survey of more than 300 administrative professionals. Multiple responses were allowed.
20%
40%
60%
80%
FITTING IN, STANDING OUT AND BUILDING REMARKABLE WORK TEAMS
Standing Out
Staying Current With Technology
Though technical skills are secondary to soft skills, they still count.
When asked how important technical skills are at their companies,
90 percent of managers and 98 percent of administrative
professionals said they are extremely or somewhat important.
The rise of wireless tools, virtual conferencing systems, and other
advanced computer hardware and software requires support staff
to keep abreast of changes in technology. In fact, OfficeTeam’s
research indicates that the administrators of tomorrow will hold
positions such as telecommuting liaison, virtual-meetings organizer
and electronic security specialist.
Fenner, of IAAP, said, “Professionals must invest as much time
and energy preparing for the future as they do mastering their
current skills.”
Managers cited knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet, e-mail
and calendar, and presentation applications as being in greatest
demand at their companies. When asked which software skills they
would most like to improve, administrative professionals placed
desktop publishing and graphic design at the top of the list. Both
groups agreed on the need for spreadsheet, presentation and
database software skills.
“When hiring for administrative positions, which of the following
technical or software skills are in greatest demand by your company?”
Word processing
software
90%
Spreadsheet software
84%
E-mail/
calendar software
80%
Presentation
software
66%
Database software
61%
Accounting software
23%
Desktop publishing/
graphic design software
19%
Project management
software
13%
Customer relationship
management software
13%
HTML/web page
editing
Business intelligence
software
8%
7%
Source: HR.com survey of more than 400 HR managers. Multiple responses were allowed.
20%
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40%
60%
80%
“Which of the following technical or software skills would you like
to improve?”
Desktop publishing/
graphic design software
56%
Spreadsheet
software
44%
Presentation
software
42%
HTML/web
page editing
36%
Accounting
software
32%
Project management
software
27%
E-mail/
calendar software
26%
Word processing
software
22%
Business intelligence
software
Customer relationship
management software
Domeyer said, “Supervisors may not realize their support teams
are interested in assuming responsibilities such as desktop publishing and web page updating. Managers should touch base
regularly with administrative professionals to ensure these desires
are not overlooked.”
45%
Database
software
Fenner added, “Administrative professionals must continually
incorporate the latest technologies into their skill sets. The more
they are viewed as primary technology users, the more they will be
considered indispensable to the team.”
12%
8%
Source: IAAP survey of more than 300 administrative professionals. Multiple responses were allowed.
20%
40%
60%
80%
FITTING IN, STANDING OUT AND BUILDING REMARKABLE WORK TEAMS
10
Standing Out
Getting Certified
Administrative professionals looking for a way to stand out from their peers can earn a professional certification. Here are three of the most
respected certifications in the industry:
®
®
•Certified Professional Secretary (CPS ). Administered by IAAP,
the three-part exam for this designation covers office systems and
technology, administration and management.
®
®
•Certified Administrative Professional (CAP ). Also administered
by IAAP, the exam for this certification is the same as that for the
CPS designation but also includes a fourth part that covers
advanced organizational management. Those already holding
the CPS rating can obtain the CAP rating by passing part four
only. For more information on the CPS and CAP designations,
visit www.iaap-hq.org.
•Microsoft® Business Certification. Formerly the Microsoft Office
Specialist certification, this credential recognizes business skills
needed to get the most out of the improved features and functionality of the 2007 Microsoft Office system. Professionals can earn
the Application Specialist certification in a single Microsoft Office
application, or the Application Professional certification which
demonstrates advanced, cross-industry skills and collaboration
capabilities. To learn more about the Microsoft Business Certification program, visit www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/msbc.
11
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Any one of these designations demonstrates an advanced level of skill
and accomplishment. According to the 2007 OfficeTeam Salary Guide,
candidates with certifications can earn starting salaries that exceed
average levels by 7 percent to 10 percent.
Building Remarkable Work Teams
The strongest and most effective administrative teams function
successfully because they receive the tools and resources they need
to remain at the top of the profession and the encouragement to
continue performing well.
“I have all the training I need for my current position.”
Strongly
agree
8%
Somewhat
agree
Developing Skills
Ninety percent of support professionals in the IAAP survey agreed
that it is easy for an employee’s skills to become outdated; 88
percent of those polled said they are using skills today they didn’t
need just three years ago. Nearly all respondents said training is
important to their career development. Managers in the HR.com
survey concurred: 98 percent said that training helps administrative
professionals improve their performance, and 72 percent said
their companies encourage administrative staff to pursue training.
However, only 59 percent of managers said their companies budget
for this type of training.
“Employers should support training not only through internal
programs or tuition reimbursement for external courses but also
by providing staff with the time and resources to take advantage
of educational opportunities,” said OfficeTeam’s Domeyer.
McGrath, of HR.com, said support staff who are presented with
training opportunities are better able to assist their managers.
“The greatest benefit is increased productivity. If the employee
can do the job faster, more accurately and better, everyone wins.”
Undecided
32%
12%
Somewhat
disagree
33%
Strongly
disagree
15%
Source: IAAP survey of more than 300 administrative professionals
“It’s hard to find useful training classes.”
Strongly
agree
11%
Somewhat
agree
40%
Undecided
16%
Somewhat
disagree
Strongly
disagree
24%
9%
Source: IAAP survey of more than 300 administrative professionals
20%
40%
60%
80%
FITTING IN, STANDING OUT AND BUILDING REMARKABLE WORK TEAMS
12
Building Remarkable Work Teams
When asked how they prefer to receive training, administrative
professionals said they favor person-to-person methods, such
as classroom instruction (40 percent) or conferences and workshops
(34 percent). According to Office of the Future: 2020, actively
seeking information and utilizing multiple modes of learning will be
a key to success in the workplace of tomorrow.
“Education is definitely a lifelong learning process,” said Sandra
Chandler CPS, the 2006-2007 international president of IAAP.
“By being on the cutting edge of the latest in technology, refining
communication and leadership skills, and continually gaining
knowledge, an administrative professional will play a more valuable
role in his or her manager’s success.”
Strength in Numbers
Administrative professionals also learn by interacting with others
in the profession. Interdepartmental support groups, mentoring
and buddy programs, and periodic meetings of administrative staff
are particularly effective. In fact, 56 percent of managers polled
by HR.com said such initiatives are beneficial. However, more
than three-quarters (80 percent) of managers reported that their
companies do not have specific programs or internal networking
groups for administrative staff.
Domeyer said, “Interdepartmental networking groups provide support
staff with a chance to share common challenges, best practices and
resources, leading to productivity improvements.”
Administrative networking groups may be particularly beneficial as
support staff begin to assume more independent roles, as predicted
by Office of the Future: 2020. Having a link to others in order to
discuss difficulties and devise solutions could be invaluable. Joan
Burge, founder and CEO of Office Dynamics, Ltd., said, “The goal
of an administrative networking group should be to support the
management team and the company as a whole. By using their
combined resources, support staff can solve important business
challenges. For example, they can standardize procedures, pool
supplies and even change vendors, helping the company save
money. Some networking groups have also developed procedure
manuals, informational newsletters and new job descriptions with the
help of HR.”
“How beneficial do you consider specific programs or internal
networking groups for your company’s administrative staff?”
Very beneficial
20%
Somewhat
beneficial
36%
37%
Undecided
Not very
beneficial
Not beneficial
at all
5%
2%
Source: HR.com survey of more than 400 HR managers
20%
13
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40%
60%
80%
Motivating Through Recognition
Saying Thanks
Administrative professionals view training and professional development opportunities as not only essential to career advancement
but also as a valuable form of recognition. In fact, when asked
to select the type of recognition they would find most meaningful,
60 percent of support staff chose opportunities for professional
development.
Administrative professionals were asked to name the nicest
form of recognition they had ever received during Administrative
Professionals Week. Here are some of the most memorable
responses:
Often, support staff are recognized during Administrative
®
®
Professionals Week (APW ), sponsored by IAAP and held annually
during the last full week in April. Sixty-six percent of administrative
professionals surveyed said they have received recognition during
that week.
“Administrative Professionals Week is an excellent opportunity to
discuss career goals with administrative staff and identify ways
to support employees in achieving their professional objectives,”
Domeyer said.
Although some administrative professionals cited very generous
ways their managers had thanked them, many staff members
appreciate gestures that cost little or nothing. For instance,
one IAAP member said her manager gave her his reserved parking
place for a month. “Some of the simplest ways managers can
demonstrate gratitude for the roles the support team plays are by
telling staff they are appreciated and showing them that they are
respected,” McGrath noted. “Small tokens of appreciation, like
handwritten notes or acknowledgement in front of peers, go a
long way.”
•“My boss paid for me to attend a professional development seminar and treated me to dinner.”
•“One year, I received a beautiful leather briefcase, which, to
me, signified that my bosses took my position seriously and
considered me a professional.”
•“My manager told me I was the glue that held our corner of the
building together.”
•“The CEO sent a letter to the board of directors of the chamber
of commerce that encouraged them to recognize their admin istrative assistants during APW and included information on the local IAAP chapter’s APW event.”
•“My manager stood up at an APW event to tell everyone how
wonderful I was, how lucky he was to have me and how
important administrative professionals were to the company.”
•“My supervisor wrote me a thank-you letter and then read it aloud
at a staff meeting.”
FITTING IN, STANDING OUT AND BUILDING REMARKABLE WORK TEAMS
14
Conclusion
Administrative professionals and their
managers agree that the responsibility
for creating a positive workplace and
helping support staff succeed rests with
both of them. And the two groups
often see eye to eye on the best ways to
accomplish these tasks. That’s positive
news. After all, as the office evolves,
workplace challenges will increase,
and support staff and managers who
work in tandem have the greatest
chance of solving whatever workplace
puzzle comes their way.
15
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About...
OfficeTeam is the world’s leading staffing service specializing in
the temporary placement of highly skilled administrative and office
support professionals, ranging from administrative and executive
assistants to customer service representatives and receptionists. Our
clients and job candidates rely on us as a resource for a range of
hiring, employment and career management issues. We have more
than 300 locations worldwide and offer online job search services
at www.officeteam.com. Please call 1.800.804.8367 for the office
nearest you.
The International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP)
is the world’s largest association for administrative support staff,
with 600 chapters and 40,000 members and affiliates worldwide.
For more than 60 years, IAAP has provided up-to-date research
on office trends, cutting-edge publications, outstanding seminars
and conferences, leadership development, global networking
opportunities, and top-notch resources to help administrative
professionals enhance their skills and become more effective
contributors to their employers. For more information, please visit
www.iaap-hq.org or call 1.816.891.6600.
HR.com is a free website that is in business to help build great
companies by connecting them to the knowledge and resources
they need to effectively manage the people side of business. As the
largest social network and online community of HR executives, we
provide thousands of worldwide members with easy access to shared
knowledge on best practices, trends and industry news in order to
help them develop their most important asset — their people. For
more information, please visit www.hr.com.
FITTING IN, STANDING OUT AND BUILDING REMARKABLE WORK TEAMS
16
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