A Day For Saying ‘Thank You’

Today is officially ‘Professional Administrative Assistant’s Day’. Originally started out as ‘Secretaries Day’ back when offices actually had secretaries, the title has changed to be more in line with current office titles. The position has evolved as technology changed the way we do business, but the underlying tasks are still very much the same. The Professional Administrative Assistant is the one person in the office that makes sure everything run smoothly. She or he answers the phones, makes appointments, reminds everyone when to be where, makes travel arrangements, answers countless inquiries a day, knows where everything is at in the office, orders office supplies, changes the toner in the copier, greets visitors, creates spreadsheets, enters data, keeps the filing system straight, and anything else that needs to be done to coordinate the functions of the business. It’s no wonder we have a day designated to say ‘thank you’ to these individuals.

I suggest you don’t stop at thanking the Administrative Assistant. Thank everyone who assists you in any way to get your job done. Is there a graphics designer, research assistant, or IT professional who regularly helps you? Say thank you to everyone, it will let them know you appreciate their efforts even if you don’t always take the time to say so. Want to make their day extra special? Bring in a box of donuts, cupcakes, or candy to share with your co-workers. Pick up a packet of fancy pens and hand them out or gift cards to coffee shops or fast food restaurants. It needn’t be expensive, it’s that you remembered to do it that counts.

The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading packaging machinery manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.