From Business Lunches to Better Parking, 7 Last-Minute Ideas for Administrative Professionals Day

Posted by Sara on Wednesday, April 23rd, 2014 with Comments Off on From Business Lunches to Better Parking, 7 Last-Minute Ideas for Administrative Professionals Day Comments

Today is Administrative Professionals Day —  a holiday that’s been celebrated in the U.S. since 1952 (albeit under the less politically correct name National Secretaries Day). And if you’ve forgotten, well, that’s probably because your own administrative assistant didn’t think it was in good taste to remind you.

Showing appreciation for hardworking admins is more than a formality or a Hallmark-sponsored obligation. Rather, employee appreciation is key to maintaining a positive work environment and employee engagement. And when it comes to administrative professionals, taking special time to communicate that appreciation is even more important! Many admin roles are supportive and meant to make the office (or an executive’s life) run smoothly… so by their very nature, no one might stop to notice when a successful admin is doing their best work!

With that in mind, here are a few last-minute ways to ensure the administrative professionals in your office have a heartening day — without a gift card or bouquet of flowers in sight.

1) Upgrade their parking spot — or at least promise the next good one that opens up.

2) Take care of the catering for the day: order in business lunches for the staff from your admin’s favorite restaurant, and make it clear that the treat is in his or her honor. This will encourage the whole office get involved in saying “thank you”.

3) Offer an extra personal day of their choosing within the next month — and for bonus points, ask what time they would like their massage scheduled that day!

4) If you and your colleagues are letting reward points go to waste from your business travel, pool together and gift them to your admin. According to a new survey from Expedia, that’s the number one wish of admins tasked with arranging travel.

5) Recruit another colleague to help put together an office happy hour in your admin’s honor after work today: a few six-packs of local beers, bottles of wine, and a delivery order of wings and nachos are all you need to turn the break room into a relaxing pub for an hour or two.

6) Is your admin an introvert who might not appreciate a flashy, attentive “thank you” fuss? Then consider upgrading the tools and programs that make your assistant’s job run smoothly. From staples like office supplies, to creative solutions like signing up for Virtual Cafeteria Service to make ordering business lunches easier, there are a host of organizational solutions that cater to admins. Come up with a few ideas of your own, and then ask for his or her input on what will make their life easier!

7) Whatever token of your appreciation you choose to give, include a personal, handwritten thank-you note along with it. After all, the important part of these gestures is not the gift itself, but the recognition that inspired it. On days like today, it’s easy for a sense of obligation to take away from the true meaning of the celebration: by being specific about just what it is you appreciate, or simply how your admin makes your working days better, you’re guaranteed to come off as sincere and grateful. Even if you write it at the last-minute.

From arranging business lunches to delivering pub food for happy hour, Waiter.com has your back when it comes to Administrative Professionals Day… just like we have your assistant’s back every day!

When it comes to feeding employees and coworkers, make your company's food program really count! If your workplace dining plan needs to take it up a notch — or if you don't have one at all — Waiter.com is here to help. From Virtual Cafeteria Service to diverse menus to local takeout & delivery, Waiter.com offers customizable dining solutions for every business and budget. Contact us today to get started!

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