Survey findings

Our research has revealed many things. We already know that secretaries and PAs today are more highly qualified, intelligent and versatile than ever before. But what the anecdotes from our research really highlight are just what extra tasks they are expected to do as part of their job. Some stories clearly show that our girls go way beyond the call of duty; other tales simply make your toes curl!

 

Yet with 74% of respondents revealing that they do not feel valued despite their ever more varied workload, our statistical research also shows that many bosses don't acknowledge the real value of good secretaries and PAs. Why aren't you getting the recognition you deserve? At www.secretarialcareers.co.uk we want to put that right. But in the meantime, enjoy the shocking findings of our survey!

 

If you've got a shocking boss story - join our discussion at secretarialblog.co.uk 

 

Statistical research

We asked 900 secretaries and PAs to tell us their views:

1. Do you feel valued at work?

Yes: 47% No: 53%


2. Do you enjoy your current work?
Yes: 50% No: 50%


3. Do you think you are well connected in the company?
Yes: 47% No: 53%


4. Do you feel your abilities and skills are NOT fully recognised/utilised?
Yes: 74% No: 26%


5. Would you consider yourself intelligent and well qualified?
Yes: 93% No: 7%


6. Do you still come across people who stereotype secretaries?
Yes: 75% No: 25%


7. Would you support a campaign to show greater appreciation for secretaries and PAs?
Yes: 87% No: 13%


8. Do you AGREE or DISAGREE with the following?

My boss really appreciates my true value
Agree: 44% Disagree: 56%

My boss could NOT do his/her job without me
Agree: 55% Disagree: 45%

I could see myself as a boss one day
Agree: 74% Disagree: 26%

I think I could do my boss's job as well, if not better, than him/her
Agree: 50% Disagree: 50%


9. Has your boss ever asked you to do things that are beyond the call of duty?
Yes: 59% No: 41%


10. Has he/she asked you to do any of the following?
Book a holiday
Yes: 28% No: 72%

Buy a present/order flowers for husband/wife/partner
Yes: 24% No: 76%

Take in dry cleaning
Yes: 13% No: 87%

Tell a white lie/make excuses for him/her
Yes: 54% No: 46%


11. Have you been privy to information that could lead to your boss being sacked/divorced/sued?
Yes: 27% No: 73%


12. Have you ever been the subject of sexual advances by someone in the office?
Yes: 18% No: 82%

 

13. Have you ever been bullied at work?
Yes: 35% No: 65%

 

Anecdotal research

We asked 900 secretaries and PAs to describe what they had done to go beyond the call of duty for their bosses…

  1. I was once told to do a contract for a very important Japanese client who then claimed he didn't receive it even though I had proof from our courier service. So I flew over to Japan myself and got him to sign and commit to a £7m deal.
  2. Implemented ISO BS EN 9001-2000 and ISO BS EN 14001 and PAS 56 emergency planning.
  3. My boss has a wife and three kids and also a mistress with one child who comes in everyday that his wife does not know about!! His mistress knows about his family though.
  4. Organised a Barmitzvah!
  5. Once I had to organize a birthday party for the 10-year old son of my boss. Found two limos to pick up the boys at school to go to the party!
  6. On a previous employment, I was covering for his affair which did entail sorting out his double life. When I left I may have forgotten a couple of double bookings...
  7. My boss lost an important document. I had to tell the MD that I had lost it, not him.
  8. Opened mail (company mail) to find an all in one fishnet catsuit for the boss's girlfriend. Told to keep quiet about it, hilarious!
  9. The boss kept blocking the toilet and I had to spend my birthday peering around the u-bend with the plumber in tow.
  10. One section of our offices was being closed down. In the ladies lavatory there was a plant that had pitched root on the floor, and I was asked to save it by the boss.
  11. I am often sent to go work on matchdays at Emirates stadium, but ended up cooking hotdogs and hawking at half time on match days.
  12. Sent to Debenhams to pick up a bottle of perfume for an old boss.
  13. I started a new job about 6 weeks ago and now get called the 'Glamorous Sparky' after I had to change lightbulbs in the office! Not really what I thought would be in the job description, but then PAs can be trusted to 'just get the job done!'
  14. I once was asked to purchase Panini football stickers on my credit card for my boss's son. Also, we don't have a company credit card so for one conference I had £6,000 of hotel accommodation guaranteed against my credit card - which was a bit nerve-wracking!!
  15. My boss (male & married) went out for a big night and ended up with a woman who proceeded to take pictures of herself (you can imagine!) on his picture phone. The next day I had the job of ‘cleaning' his phone of anything 'naughty' - texts, pics, emails etc. Took me an hour to sift through his entire memory!
  16. I was once called away from my desk and asked by my boss to help him think of quiz questions for his Wednesday night local pub quiz.
  17. I was once asked by one of my previous bosses to tell a caller that she could not come to the telephone as she had just died that morning. When I asked her what to do if they phoned back she said to just tell them that she had a miraculous recovery and was now feeling better.
  18. I have had to lie to the boss's wife to say that he was not in the building when actually he was in the lift being sick because of the amount he had had to drink.
  19. When I was Office Manager, a young female subordinate told me that a colleague, at my level kept scratching himself in the crotch and she found it disgusting. I had to tell the colleague in a very tactful way that he was causing a problem with his habit.
  20. After a week of starting a new job in a totally new industry my employer decided to go AWOL from home as well as work. After a few days I managed to track him down but kept his whereabouts a secret and until he was ready to re-appear. This meant having to lie to everyone - something that I did not feel good about and something he didn't mention in the job spec!
  21. My boss took me to her house during work hours so I could help her assemble a cupboard and chest of drawers that she had bought.
  22. My boss asked what she should wear to a 3-day work event as it included an evening ball. After a couple of suggestions it became clear that she had nothing suitable so I ended up lending her a dress of mine.
  23. My old boss, a very sweet middle-aged woman, disappeared one day for quite a while and I found her in one of the toilet cubicles. She had an upset stomach and couldn't risk going anywhere so I went to Boots to get her some Immodium. We were both very embarrassed.
  24. I once was asked to help ‘jump start' my boss' car.
  25. Colleague forgot to book buffet once so I had to go to shop and buy food, cut it and present it to meeting! Also took bosses car to get new tyres!
  26. I was made to clean the toilets!
  27. Rescue her pet dog - definitely not in the job description.
  28. When I joined my present employer, I was asked to arrange a car of a certain model and make on a certain time. I called and used my personal contacts to get one. With great difficulty one of the contacts was able to find the same make and model and promised to be at my office at the required time. But when the car came, the guy who required the car said he didn't like the colour. That hurt.
  29. Was asked to lie on income tax returns.
  30. Bought a bike from Halfords for the boss's wife. Covered for the boss when he was having an affair. Covered for the boss when he was too drunk in the morning to go to a board meeting. Covered for the boss when he was working on company time and money on a personal venture.