PAís urge bosses: Challenge us beyong tea, typing and telephones

An OfficeRecruit.com survey of UK PAs reveals:

- 39% of PAís do not feel that their boss uses their skills to their full potential

- 50% think companies should look at their office structure and offer staff challenges based on individual skill set

- 48% think a better understanding of their role would challenge their skills more

Four out of five PAís feel their skills and expertise are under-utilised by bosses according to research by OfficeRecruit.com, a leading job board for PAís and support staff.

While 39% of PAís surveyed state their bosses ësometimesí make the most of their skill set, a further 39% state their job ëneverí requires that they work to the best of their ability. Not content to sit back and enjoy an easy life, however, respondents are clear in their desire to challenge the traditional tea, typing and telephone constraints of the PA role.

48% of PAís believe that if their bosses had a better understanding of the role of a PA, more interesting tasks and greater responsibilities would come their way. Conversely, 36% felt they could better hone and utilise their skills if only their boss would give them a clearer brief of what was expected.

In todayís workplace, where bosses are increasingly computer literate and attached to their mobiles 24-7, traditional diary keeping and telephony skills are no longer the key requirements of a PA. Professional office support has now become the backbone of an organisation, overseeing critical aspects of the business, from being the primary contact for suppliers to drafting presentations for new business pitches.

In fact, 20% of respondents believe todayís PAís are better trained, more time efficient and present a tangible business value, while an additional 13% believe there are greater expectations on PAís than ever before. Multi-tasking, strategic thinking and project management were all identified as new skills required of todayís PA.

Jim Ryan, Managing Director at OfficeRecruit.com, comments: ìPAís have become one of businessís best assets. Bosses need to tap into their full potential as they are integral to a companyís day to day operation and productivity. Annual reviews and objective setting will hone and utilise office executive skills as well as open up more value-add responsibilities they can own. Having a birdís eye view of the business and offering everyone new challenges based on skill rather than title will improve the role everyone can play in the company.î