Yorkshire PA’s back themselves in business

After conducting a survey employers and employees nationwide, Hays PA & Secretarial discovered that over nine in ten (95%) personal assistants in Yorkshire say their bosses could not do their role without them and their bosses agree.

The report, What makes a successful PA?, was discussed with over 40 personal assistants in Yorkshire, led by Stephen Heard, National Director at Hays PA & Secretarial, and Lucy Brazier, CEO of Marcham Publishing, publishers of Executive Secretary magazine.

The event, held at the Hays Sovereign House office, was an opportunity to discuss findings from the report and how PAs are often now seen by their bosses as equal to management and some as equal to a director level.

Employers agreed that the top three skills of a good PA were communication, organisation and the ability to prioritise deadlines. PAs also believe that for the next generation to be successful in their role, they will need to understand the goals of an organisation, have excellent people skills and work hard.

A PA’s role is expanding and employers now often expect their PA to take on office management, marketing, and HR duties, and increasing responsibility.

Stephen Heard, director at Hays PA & Secretarial, speaking at the launch of the report in Leeds, said: “We have seen an increasing demand for personal assistants who can support the overall organisation, as well as their boss, and take on additional duties. Today’s PAs view their profession as highly rewarding and are offered competitive salaries for their experience, establishing the role of a PA as an aspirational career path for graduates and new entrants into the profession.”

“The results of our research demonstrate that a skilled PA or EA is vital for bosses to successfully fulfil their own job. Not only are PAs now an aide and trusted advisor to their boss, but they are managers themselves, looking after their own team of staff and projects. PAs in 2015 are a new breed of busy multi-skilled professionals supporting the goals of their boss and organisation, a far cry from the stereotypical purely administrative role of years gone by.”

This report comes only a week after the PA Hub, a Yorkshire based membership network for PAs across the region, held its first ever Yorkshire PA of the Year AwardsDinner at The Pavilion, Leeds United.

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