Why the Executive Assistant is important to today's businesses

With the rapid advancement of smartphone technology and Intelligent Personal Assistants (IPAs) such as Apple’s Siri, Google Now, and Microsoft’s Cortana, the ability to schedule meetings, check on stock prices, and organise email messages is at the fingertip of any smartphone-wielding executive.

However, in spite of all the convenience that these devices and tools bring, a capable and reliable Executive Assistant (EA) remains invaluable to senior executives who still look to them for support.

In addition to the outstanding organisation skills they are known for, EAs, through time, have proven themselves as an indispensable part of businesses all around the world, and even more so in the fast-paced environment that businesses in Singapore operate in.

However, their job function is often confused with that of secretaries. EAs, in fact, perform at a higher level and in closer proximity to the executive, increasing cost-effectiveness, enhancing productivity, and when empowered, can function as a true representative of the executive they support.

The tireless work they put in also serves a bigger purpose in enabling the effectiveness of the senior executives they work with. Their day-to-day work covers a wide range of crucial job functions that form a solid foundation for any work undertaken by the executive, including schedule management, making travel arrangements for business trips, and other logistical support.

If executives didn’t have EAs, a considerable amount of their time is likely squandered on more administrative tasks, decreasing overall productivity and efficiency levels of the business. Indeed, a survey conducted by Page Personnel showed that more than 8 in 10 EA respondents have endured an increased workload in the past year.

Singapore’s great location and access to the region have also motivated many multinational companies (MNCs) to base their operations out of here. This also means that EAs need to work across time zones and geographies as well as cultures to thrive at their work, which requires some agility and flexibility on their part.

To be successful, EAs should be motivated, constantly exploring new areas of self-improvement, to further increase the depth of support they can give to their executives. EAs in Singapore have the opportunity to do so through initiatives like SkillsFuture and Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications put in place by our government to increase the competencies of our workforce.

When the EA becomes a trusted source of information and advice to the executive, the executive will see that their EA becomes a gatekeeper, representative, and business partner to themselves. This level of trust achieved between an EA and his/her executive will see the EA prove to be of great value to the management team, as opposed to being a mere element of support.

This is the story of the winner of the EA of the Year award that Page Personnel has organised this year – Michelle Ng was retrenched by her company, Proterra Investment Advisors, eight years ago but buckled down and eventually got rehired as an Executive Assistant at the same firm she was retrenched from.

She went on to impress her bosses by rebuilding whole business functions from scratch after her company split from its parent company. She will be taking up a compliance course at the end of the year with her manager’s support, and has been known to answer work calls in the wee hours of the morning when her colleagues needed urgent support during their work travel abroad.

Dedicated EAs like Michelle offer executives the additional layer of support to ensure they stay focused at all times, steering the business on the right course, while EAs like Michelle ensure other parts of the business are likewise kept in good shape.

Despite the clear relevance and importance of their role, the survey conducted by Page Personnel has also found that EAs are feeling underappreciated. The survey found that 51 percent of EAs in Singapore feel unappreciated in their roles.

This could present an issue for employers and management as they strive to engage employees and retain staff. There is a need for companies and employers to identify and address the root causes or sources of their discontent.

One way to start is for executives to start prioritising fostering mutually-beneficial working relationships with their EAs. To directly address the growing number of EAs who feel undervalued at work, executives could look into offering their EAs some decision-making powers, which can then help them feel more involved in the company’s operations.

For instance, decisions could range from a minor one such as picking a menu or restaurant for team lunches to more major ones such as sitting in interviews with potential candidates or offering their input on hire decisions.

This will work to correct another statistic revealed by the same survey, where 62 percent of EA respondents indicated that they “do not have autonomy in decision making on behalf of their companies”. This gives them a better sense of ownership and responsibility toward the business, and will work to increase overall job satisfaction for the roles that they play.

Appreciating and empowering executive assistants presents itself as a win-win situation for businesses. Executives should play their part in acknowledging the hard work of these staff, and work to grant these EAs opportunities to self-improve, providing for a thriving corporate environment poised for business growth.

As for Siri and friends, they can remain docked for now.