Administrative Professionals Week occurs during the last full week of April, and Administrative Professionals Day falls right in the middle of it. This week is dedicated to all the professionals that keep modern businesses and offices running smoothly. We’re talking about the secretaries and other administrative professionals who come to work every day and put on a face of professionalism.

In the United States, there are over 4 million administrative professionals working, and in Canada, there are almost half a million of them. That shows just how important they are to the businesses they serve, and why everyone should celebrate this week.

The History of Administrative Professionals Week

This week was first established in the early 1950s by the International Association of Administrative Professionals. They created this week to recognize the importance of support staff to businesses, and it has been observed annually every year since 1952. However, the name of this week was not Administrative Professionals Week but was instead National Secretaries Week.

During the mid-1960s, the observance date of this week was moved to the last full week of April, and it has been there ever since. In 1981, the name of this week was changed to Professional Secretaries Week, and in 2000, it was changed to Administrative Professionals Week. That has been the name of this week ever since.

Facts About Administrative Professionals

Let’s take a look at some facts about administrative professionals to learn more about this profession and what they contribute to the office.

• Over the years, administrative professionals have been known as secretaries, office managers, clerks, and executive assistants.
• Administrative professionals have a wide range of duties, including preparing documents, maintaining files, purchasing office supplies, and more.
• In 1952, Administrative Professionals Week occurred between June 1st and June 7th.

Observing Administrative Professionals Week

Businesses and managers can show their administrative professionals the respect they deserve during this week. They can do that by giving them a gift such as flowers, fruit baskets, or candies, or simply by taking them out to lunch.

Of course, pay raises are always welcome, as are gift cards and other incentives. On social media, people can use the hashtag #AdministrativeProfessionalsWeek to spread the word about the importance of these professionals and how they keep many businesses running smoothly.