Data reveals investing in professional development has more impact on employee happiness than increasing compensation
PORTLAND, ME / ACCESSWIRE / April 15, 2024 / Administrative professionals bring a wide range of skills and responsibilities to the workplace. With macro-level changes to today's workforce, the importance of continued professional development is key to staying ahead of the curve. The American Society of Administrative Professionals (ASAP)'s fifth annual State of the Profession Report reveals a correlation between professional development in the workplace and to what extent administrative professionals feel valued and supported by their organizations.
The largest-ever benchmarking survey of administrative professionals (APs) - including executive assistants, administrative assistants, and many more job titles - found that while most APs feel valued within their organization, one in seven feel undervalued. However, when comparing the compensation packages of APs who feel valued versus those who feel undervalued, there are small differences between these two groups. This provides a strong case to employers that investing in the professional development of their APs is important and will have more of an impact on employee happiness than simply increasing compensation.
According to the report's data, APs who feel valued by their organizations:
- Are more likely to have an allowance for professional development
- Are notably more likely to feel that professional development is supported by their organization and can make decisions about training that would be beneficial to their careers
- Are more likely to have attended both internal and external training in the last 12 months
The full report will be released during the organization's EA Ignite Precision Training Conference in Nashville, Tenn. on April 24, in recognition of Administrative Professionals Day.
ASAP compiled this year's report by collecting self-reported compensation and benefit data from 3,916 participants, while also tracking responses to attitudinal questions that gauged how administrative professionals feel about their role and the professional development opportunities within their organization.
Key findings around professional development and certification include the following:
- Feeling valued is tied to professional development opportunities: APs who say they feel valued by their employer are more likely to have an allowance for professional development and are more likely to have received training for their role over the past year.
- Managers should have a good understanding of training needs: Organizations can only be supportive of professional development for their APs if they truly understand what those training needs are. While 57% of APs say their manager has a good understanding of their training needs, one in five disagree. APs who have worked in their industry the longest as well as senior EAs are least likely to say their training needs are understood by their managers.
- Certifications vary by role: Non-executive supporting APs are less likely to have completed any professional certification (43%) than APs who support executives (52%). Senior EAs are also more likely to be PACE or CAP certified. A quarter of APs overall report that they are PACE certified.
- APs with certifications report higher salaries than those without certifications: The survey results reveal a nearly $6,000 salary gap between those who have certifications specific to administrative professionals, such as PACE, and those who do not hold any professional certificates.
About the ASAP State of the Profession Report
Each year since 2020, ASAP has produced the largest benchmarking survey ever of administrative professionals. This research aims to illustrate the current state of the administrative profession, act as a resource among members for self-advocacy, and help organizations to understand this diverse talent pool.
About ASAP
At 90,000+ members and growing, the American Society of Administrative Professionals (ASAP) is the leading global association for the administrative profession. The Portland, Maine-based organization was founded in 2005 as a resource and community for members seeking to navigate the ever-evolving business climate and develop the skills they need to advance their careers. ASAP provides the latest role-specific training and its own online certification program, Professional Administrative Certification of Excellence (PACE). ASAP also produces the annual Administrative Professionals Conference (APC) and EA Ignite training events. For more information, visit www.asaporg.com.
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SOURCE: American Society of Administrative Professionals