A white paper with results from a Benelux wide survey on the clichés that exist around management assistants.

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2. The traditional cliché
of management assistants
Most managers and management assistants believe that the traditional clichéd image of ‘the secretary’ has been
broken. Gone are the days of nothing more challenging than filing, writing letters or typing emails for their
bosses, booking meetings, taking dictation, managing the boss’s agenda, answering the phone and making and
bringing coffee.
Today’s management assistants have moved well beyond that cliché. The tasks they perform require a high level
of sophisticated skills, education and an ability to manage complex projects. Many are effectively frontline
ambassadors for their bosses. The traditional role of the ‘secretary’ has been upgraded to the most senior level,
occupied by professionally skilled and highly educated assistants, typically perceived and valued as key influencers in
many organisations.
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3. The latest technology can seem daunting to many managers or directors - but not to management assistants. In
The complex role of today’s fact, they are often early adaptors of technology (their secret weapon for being organised and super-efficient), and
frequently lend a hand to train managers or other members of staff. Moreover, they often serve as the first port
management assistants of call for technical issues encountered by managers and co-workers. Meanwhile, they are required – in order to
carry out their own individual responsibilities - to conquer more than just spreadsheets or memos. Many of today’s
management assistants set up or run virtual meetings, organise or edit corporate newsletters and create presentations
for executives to deliver to staff or customers.
Today’s management assistants carry out very different roles than their predecessors, and their tasks and responsibilities
continue to evolve. In recent years, management assistants have become the knowledge transfer processors within When hiring new staff, management assistants often take the lead or coordinate the prcess with HR and line
many organisations, supporting or leading activities such as: managers. Modern management assistants are also empowered to serve as spending watchdogs, having developed
skills to detect (and remedy) costly inefficiencies, streamline procedures and negotiate with vendors.
• Project management Knowledge transfer processor
• Event planning
Event
• Technology implementations or upgrades
Planning
• Hiring and orientating Project Hiring &
• Cost and business process efficiency drives Management training
Our surveys show how management assistants now work more
closely with senior managers and executives than they might
have in the past. A typical example is the management assistant
as project manager, charged with co-ordinating cross-functional
teams or external suppliers, and ensuring important milestones and
deadlines are met, all within budget. Another task the modern
Workflow Cost & As management assistant one
management assistant takes on frequently is that of workflow
Control Business Process should especially be multi-functional.
coordinator, calling on their ‘mission control’ style ability to ensure New Coordination You must feel at ease in all your roles.
all project staff have the support and resources required to do Technology
Adaptation That includes responding proactively.
their jobs. Sometimes you simply have to be
alert and respond quickly to prevent
Management assistants continue to regularly organise corporate events, ranging from charity activities and staff
the company, for example, from
parties to attendance at trade exhibitions or client hospitality. losing a customer.
CATHERINE
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4. A strong sense of service is a quality that has never gone out of fashion amongst both traditional and modern
Today’s management assistants management assistants and their bosses. Three out of four managers indicated that today’s best management
assistants understand the importance of service (whether they deal primarily with senior management, staff,
have broken the cliché customers, suppliers or visitors), and 70 per cent of the management assistants agreed. A professional appearance
is also a timeless characteristic. Both managers (85 per cent) and management assistants (81 per cent) said that
management assistants appear well-groomed.
Based on the findings of the “Going beyond the cliché” survey by OfficeTeam, the traditional image is no longer Perception of management assistants’ characteristics
valid. Early this year, OfficeTeam surveyed the perceptions of management assistants and their bosses with regard to
the profession. More than 600 management assistants and managers in the Netherlands and Belgium shared their
Organised
thoughts and opinions with us. Reliable
Driven
Above all professional Friendly
Dynamic
The results of the survey clearly indicate that the job of management assistant is regarded as highly professional.
Intelligent
Both the assistants (97 per cent) and managers (96 per cent) stated that management assistants help their bosses
Service minded
perform better. Furthermore, the profession is highly valued by both its members and their managers. Both groups Protective
Agree
resoundingly declared that being a management assistant is a good career choice. This opinion was expressed by 90 Silent
Management assistants
per cent of the surveyed managers, while 85 per cent of the management assistants agreed. However, at least two Dominant
Taciturn Managers
out of three management assistants felt that they were undervalued in their company, although only half of managers
agreed, saying instead that management assistants are key colleagues who are highly respected and valued. 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Characteristics which help the modern management assistant perform better
One of the questions in the survey was, “Which of the following characteristics do you think fits with the image An upgraded image
of management assistants?” The results showed that today’s management assistants are in no way subserviently One conclusion clearly emerges from the survey: the image of management assistants needs to be upgraded,
humble. They don’t appear to be unreasonably defensive – but nor are they reticent: they’re prepared to say what they according to the vast majority of assistants (95%) and their managers (81%). All the topics raised in survey responses
think. Those described as well-organised, reliable, driven and friendly demonstrate the characteristics of real value in and in conversations indicate that management assistants do a fantastic job, and are highly professional and
today’s business world. appreciated by their managers. This white paper will be the leading example of what the image of today’s
management assistant should be.
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5. How today’s management assistants
go beyond the cliché
Modern management assistants all have one thing in common: every one of them is a truly, enthusiastic professional,
and they are especially proud of who they are, what they do and what they do to go beyond the cliché. “Ethics first”
is the motto of this group of professionals.
When you look behind the façade of the clichéd image, you discover true professionals who are multi-tasking, using
their exceptional communication and organisational skills to proactively help their bosses manage teams, secure
business, drive efficiencies and achieve operational and strategic objectives, overcoming obstacles with enviable
diplomacy and consummate ease.
The revealing portraits in this white paper present a diverse and highly personal picture of the many non-stereotypical
individuals who are true to themselves as well as professionally active as management assistants. Through their own
quotes, they show society how they manage to go beyond the cliché, helping their bosses to perform better and grow
their businesses, while helping to create happy productive workplaces for everyone else.
Two know more than one. For this reason alone it is important
to think problems through with your boss. I am furthermore
a particularly optimistic and happy person who principally says
“yes” to requests for help; even when I am unsure whether I will
succeed. Behind the scenes I will eventually solve them.
ANNE
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6. I dig into things, feel Twenty years ago I consciously chose this profession. I have seen how the function
involved in what I do, changed over time. In those days I often had to wait for my boss to give me work.
and like to make a Now it is expected of me to think along with my manager, put together my own
positive contribution to plans and anticipate what is likely to happen.
my boss’s efforts. I can
CHRISTEL
work well on my own,
and I often have good
insight or a good feeling
for what’s going on in a
department. After all,
I also work for the rest
of the company.
EVELINE
I keep an eye on whether everything
runs smoothly and if everyone is still
satisfied. To me that is part of the job
of a management assistant. I love
a healthy dose of humor at work, and
I am determined to get things done.
LUT
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7. How to motivate management assistants
to go beyond the cliché
Your top-quartile management assistants will need little or no external motivation to outperform – but with Growth opportunities
encouragement and tactics, everyone can see the reason and means to punch above their weight:
✓ Invest in technology and tools that allow office staff to do their jobs better. Encourage them to explore options
Praise for new software and show them how to learn new technologies, or increase their skills and knowledge in
other ways.
✓ Regularly thank employees verbally for jobs well done (if thanking via email, copy in relevant senior colleagues).
✓ Empower your assistants to make decisions and have more control over their work. Encourage them to take
✓ Ask a senior executive to provide verbal recognition for the work of office support staff at a company forum on a tough problem or a new challenge outside their usual job description, and provide necessary support
attended by all employees. (eg time away from routine duties, or the guiding hand of a mentoring executive or senior manager). Help more
experienced administrative staff build management skills by asking them to coach entry-level office support staff.
✓ Share messages sent by customers or other stakeholders praising your assistant’s work.
✓ Engage assistants when addressing a difficult organisational issue or developing a new business opportunity;
empower them to make decisions and to have control over their work; if this leads to implementation of a
Reward solution or suggestion throughout the organisation, give your assistant(s) due and visible credit.
✓ Encourage assistants to become active in relevant professional membership organisations, offer them
subscriptions to relevant industry or trade publications or encourage them to attend professional conferences
or networking seminars (on a mission to come back with ideas or useful contacts).
✓ Take the opportunity during annual performance appraisals to give and receive feedback from office support
staff about their work, and provide a roadmap for career growth and performance improvement. Consider more
regular informal get-togethers to keep in touch with key individuals, and learn about what motivates them to
grow professionally and remain beyond the cliché of the traditional management assistant.
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8. Delivering the best About OfficeTeam
possible service; both
to our clients and OfficeTeam is a leading provider of specialised administrative personnel on a temporary basis, with over 320
to my boss: this, for offices worldwide. As a division of Robert Half International, it has the specialised expertise, leadership standing and
me, is the core of my network to attract the most highly skilled professionals and offer them the most rewarding assignments. In Belgium
job. This also means I and the Netherlands OfficeTeam has offices in Amsterdam, Antwerp, Brussels, Charleroi, Ghent, Groot-Bijgaarden,
must think before my Hasselt, Liège, Roeselare, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Wavre & Zaventem.
boss asks. Foresight is
therefore indispensable
in my work.
MARIE-ANNE
V.U.: Robert Half BVBA/SPRL - Alfons Gossetlaan 28A b7 - 1702 Groot-Bijgaarden
BTW/TVA BE 0440.965.760 RPR/RPM Brussels VG.453/BUO W.INT.030 W.RS.030
Erkenning van het Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest / Agrément de la Région de
Bruxelles-Capitale: B-AA04.037
14 OfficeTeam Beyond the cliché 15

9. More than 320 offices worldwide
Australia | Belgium | Canada | Czech Republic | France | Germany | Netherlands | Switzerland | UK | USA
BELGIUM THE NETHERLANDS
ANTWERP HASSELT AMSTERDAM
T: 03-257 26 26 T: 011-29 30 10 T +31 (0)20 346 34 82
antwerp@officeteam.be hasselt@officeteam.be amsterdam@officeteam-interim.nl
BRUSSELS LIEGE ROTTERDAM
T: 02-649 40 40 T: 04-225 52 22 T +31 (0)10 206 50 55
brussels@officeteam.be liege@officeteam.be rotterdam@officeteam-interim.nl
CHARLEROI ROESELARE UTRECHT
T: 071-30 55 50 T: 051-25 93 33 T +31 (0)30 284 41 36
charleroi@officeteam.be roeselare@officeteam.be utrecht@officeteam-interim.nl
GHENT WAVRE
T: 09-233 39 99 T: 010-48 29 49
gent@officeteam.be wavre@officeteam.be
GROOT-BIJGAARDEN ZAVENTEM
T: 02-481 95 95 T: 02-416 83 83
groot-bijgaarden@officeteam.be zaventem@officeteam.be
www.officeteam.be
www.officeteam-interim.nl
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