Team trying to hire an administrative assistant

Want to Save Time? Why You Might Want to Hire an Administrative Assistant

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By Greg Kratz

Whether you’re a high-level executive or a middle manager, you likely have plenty of important responsibilities and duties to keep you busy every day—as well as some less vital tasks that occupy more of your time than you’d like.

If items in the latter category are keeping you from completing more crucial work, it might be time to find some help. In other words, you probably need to hire an administrative assistant.

According to a recent survey from staffing firm OfficeTeam, senior managers said their administrative professionals’ efforts save them an average of 101 minutes a day—or the equivalent of more than a full workday each week. The survey also showed that 100% of managers said their administrative assistant was important to their success at work, and 64% said their assistants’ contributions were very valuable.

The survey, which was developed by OfficeTeam and conducted by an independent research firm, includes responses from more than 600 senior managers at companies with 20 or more employees in the United States and Canada.

Here are a few reasons why you might want to hire an administrative assistant:

Efficiency

“Most executives would be hard-pressed to get through a day without the help of their assistant,” said Brandi Britton, a district president for OfficeTeam, in a press release about the survey. “Administrative professionals go out of their way to make things easier and more efficient for those around them.”

And as their importance to the workplace has increased, administrative assistants have seen similar growth in their responsibilities and their opportunities for career growth, the survey said.

For example, senior managers who were surveyed said it’s not uncommon for support staff to take on tasks outside their traditional job descriptions, meaning everything from analyzing data to identifying potential clients, and reviewing resumes of possible new hires to training co-workers and building employee recognition programs.

Scheduling and Meeting Prep

Even as administrative assistants take on nontraditional tasks, they also do the work that must be done to free up an executive’s time. According to an article from Inc., that includes taking care of things like scheduling activities and handling meeting prep.

“Scheduling is the worst time waster on the planet,” the Inc. article says. “You can go back and forth for what seems like forever trying to organize a simple 30-minute meeting. A good assistant can handle all scheduling requests for you, both inbound and outbound, so you can focus on more vital issues. A good (executive assistant) also knows how much time you have and how important any potential meeting is and can juggle changing calendars daily.”

Data and Money Management

An outstanding assistant will always support the executive to whom he is responsible, managing the details of business life so she can focus on strategy and high-level decision-making. Such an assistant will also excel at maintaining data and information security and could even help the company save money.

“Did you know that many administrative assistants plan events and book travel? When you do your job well in those areas, you can save the company thousands of dollars,” says an article from Career Quest. “But there are also plenty of opportunities to save money when you use contracted services or reorder office supplies. Opt for the best product at the best prices and you’ll save money and protect the company’s bottom line.”

By completing tasks both big and small, administrative assistants can be valuable employees who save time and money for the managers they support and the companies for which they work. If you’re struggling to stay focused on the big picture due to a thousand little daily distractions, hiring an assistant may be the most strategic move you can make.