This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Administrative Assistant's Day is next Wednesday — which, in our experience, can be a difficult time for women lawyers and executives. Women tend to get to know their assistants better (and BE known better by their assistants), so any lack of a gift or a lesser gift than expected tends to be taken as a personal slight — whereas if men forget (or purposely give cheaply), the secretary thinks, well, they'd forget their own heads were they not attached. Which is another problem in and of itself, because any woman who shares a secretary with another person or a group of people knows that it almost always falls to her to remind the others in the group. Maybe we were oversensitive here, but who knows: Our tactic was always to remind the men in our group that Administrative Assistant's Day was coming up, and then to assign it to the most junior among us to collect the money and purchase the gift. (Fine, maybe the “assignment” was really more like asking nicely if he or she could take care of it, but either way we made sure that the sole woman in the group wasn't the one organizing it every year.)
We've always been a fan of giving flowers for this particular holiday, but according to new survey results (conducted by American Express), the assistants would prefer cash — in fact, 79% would prefer a $25 reward to spend in any way they want rather than a $40 floral arrangement (20%) or $30 in chocolate (1%). Among the assistants surveyed,
feeling valued is important but if they are to be rewarded in the form of a gift, it's important that they can put it to use. According to one administrative professional, ‘Much as I love flowers, they usually die within a week. A gift card allows me to choose something that will last longer or to indulge in something I wouldn't normally purchase for myself.'
Our advice? Get a small floral arrangement (so the office as a whole recognizes what a great manager/boss you are) and a gift card (so your assistant actually likes you). Anyway, you lucky readers, you — American Express contacted Corporette with these very interesting survey results — and the offer to give away five gift cards, each in the amount of $100. Here are our rules (and this is our first time doing this, so bear with us):
1. Comment below, on this thread, and tell us what you're planning on getting your assistant this year (or what you've given her or him in the past that went over well). You must give us a valid e-mail address to enter, as that's how winners will be contacted.
2. We're still going to moderate the comments and approve them manually, (as always, anything non-spam will be approved) — but the comment must be received in our mailbox by Monday at 10 a.m. E.S.T.
3. You may only comment once, unless you share the contest on your blog, your facebook, your twitter, or your favorite forum, then come back & leave a second post telling me where/how you shared — then you'll be considered to have two entries.
3. Winners will be randomly chosen and we'll contact the winners to get your address. We must be able to contact you by Monday afternoon (2 p.m. E.S.T.) to get your mailing address; if not we'll select someone else randomly. We'll also announce it on the site on Monday morning (not posting e-mail addresses, but referring to the winning comments).
4. Gift cards will ship from American Express and should be in your hands by Wednesday.
You can also visit www.americanexpress.com/gift to order a Gift Card for Administrative Professionals Day on April 22.
Aspen
Flowers.
Sharon
I am going to give my assistant the starbucks giftcard that I got for Christmas. I hate starbucks. So I never used it.
peg
Last year myself and the two attorneys that share an assistant with me purchased a nice flower arrangement ($80) for our assistant and took her to a really nice lunch which the partner paid for (and probably got reimbursed from the firm for). I actually wasn’t aware that this was a “gift” giving occasion and didn’t plan on doing anything different this year. I totally get that assistants would rather get money than flowers, who wouldn’t? But that doesn’t make it appropriate.
nicole
I read this blog to get wardrobe ideas but am not yet in a position to have an assistant. Guess I’m in the minority here.
Leslie
We always get our assistant a small flower arrangement — usually tulips, because they’re her favorite — and then we all usually chip in for a Target gift card or a gift card to one of the restaurants that is near the office so she can use it whenever she wants.
RKS
Cash. But I’m a fed now and share 7 assistants with 100 lawyers. No joke. And I thought sharing a secretary with 5 lawyers was a hassle at the firm …
Anyway, we take up a collection then have a little reception where we give them thank-you cards with everyone’s signature and the cash.
Liz
Sharon, you’re cracking me up :-)
Emily
Nicole, I’m in the same boat. I don’t have an assistant, I’m actually basically one myself. But I would actually prefer a gift, like flowers or chocolates, because they seem appreciative and, I guess, genteel. Basically, I could always use more money, but I feel weird about it coming directly from my superiors (not the company) on such an occasion. Would feel differently about my birthday and/or Christmas.
Dianne
At my firm we are encouraged to give ridiculous gifts, but I refuse. I like my secretary and all, but she barely lifts a finger for me! Anyway, I always get her a small flower arrangement (and yes, I’m cheap. I get a cute vase and cheap arrangement from a grocery store and put it in the vase myself instead of spending ridiculous money at a flower shop) . . . then, I usually give her a 50 dollar american express card. I think this is a good gift, but I think it is on the lesser end of what people in my firm do . . . of course, the partner I share her with gives her nothing, so I think she should be happy!
emily
I’ve given different combinations of flowers, gift cards (Amex, Amazon, restaurants), chocolates, baked goods, wine, and fancy beauty products.
n
Flowers.
AG
I would never give cash, I think a giftcard is a bit less gauche.
Francesa
As a former assistant, I can tell you that flowers won’t make anyone like you any better or hustle any faster to get your project done ahead of all the others. I don’t expect the moon and the stars on a recognition day like this. what is nice is something fun but still office related. I’ll take that giftcard to the starbucks in the lobby or a gift card to a restaurant or shop near the office. Cupcakes are nice, too.
Joni
I agree that a gift card is a good idea. I try to pay attention to the places that my assistant likes to eat and/or shop. I plan to give her a gift card to one of those places. I also try to listen for the restaurant/shop that she likes a lot but doesn’t really get to go to often. That makes it a little more special. There’s a difference in just giving someone cash and putting some thought into it so it becomes a personal show of appreciation.
Carmen
A gift card to Ann Taylor – her favorite clothing store.
Anna
Our assistants serve 3 of us (partner, junior, senior). We are all going in together for some really nice flowers and taking her out to lunch. But not the flowers that HR offers to order…how lazy is that?
CA
It seems important to consider not only how the secretary will perceive the gift, but how it will be perceived by the rest of the office. Where I work, its standard for people to get their assistants flowers and take them out to a nice lunch. If someone opted for a giftcard over flowers, the absence of a lush bouquet on the assistant’s desk would definitely be noticed, and coworkers would assume, however incorrectly, that the assistant’s boss(es) had forgotten simply forgotten to get her something.
Julie
I share an assistant with three guys and I guess last year they just did cash and are planning to do the same this year. I might try to convince them to add in some flowers just because it seems more appropriate to me.
k
I have given her Whole Foods gift certificates, which were very well received. She can buy fun or practical things there. In the past floral arrangements in unconventional flowers have also been a hit.
City Girl
At both in-house jobs I was at, the accepted practice was to give your assistant flowers and chip in for a (kid-you-not) Amex gift card from the whole group/sub-group she was supporting. Now that I am at a small boutique law firm, I am actually going to take my cue from the partners who work here – this post is good as it reminds me to ask the one partner who thinks of these things (who btw is the one female partner – and yes, the male partners totally rely on her for this stuff – Corporette, you are so right).
gretchen
Flowers. I agree that they are the appropriate choice in these circumstances.
Whitney
My assistant is a Jehovah’s Witness so I’m not allowed to acknowledge holidays. Leaves me sort of at a loss how to show her my appreciation.
Sadie
Last year, I gave my assistant a box of chocolate-covered strawberries from Edible Arrangements. She really seemed to appreciate it, and she got some comments from the other secretaries that it was a nice gift – in fact, one of the other secretaries tried to make her share them with the office! Because that went over so well, I’m considering doing the same thing again (if it ain’t broke…)
I give cash for Christmas, but I think for something like Admin. Asst. day an actual gift is a nice gesture.
City Girl
And I tweeted about it too :) twitter.com/citygirllife RT @corporette New Corporette post: Our First Ever Giveaway: Tell Us What You’re Getting Your Assistant and.. http://tinyurl.com/cuksgb
alyssa
I usually give my assistant flowers and take her to a nice lunch. I try to coordinate the lunch with a friend whose assistant is a good friend of my assistant which makes it fun. Last year I think I replaced the flowers with a plant which I think she liked since it has lasted much longer than flowers.
Christy F
I’m getting her something handmade, mostly a felt flower, because I know she likes crafts. But the gift card’s a good idea too!
J
Last year was a nightmare. About two weeks before admin professionals day, I was reassigned to a different (and already overworked) secretary. At the time, I was staffed on a case that was at trial, so I was barely sleeping let alone shopping around for gifts/advice, even though I knew almost nothing about the new secretary.
The morning of, I realized — with a huge amount of guilt — that I had forgotten to pick my secretary up a gift. So, I ran into the flower shop located a block away from my office and picked up a slightly-more-extravagent-due-to-guilt bouquet in a vase, and a card. I spent about $60, I think.
This year, I think I’ll just give her a gift card for ABP, where she buys breakfast every morning, and maybe a really small floral arrangment.
Rebecca
Small flowers and a gift card, like was suggested in the article. That’s what I did for her birthday…
bl1y
I share my secretary with 4 other lawyers (I’m the most junior of the group), and I can’t recall having her do anything this entire year. I don’t think I’m going to get her anything, but if I’m in a generous mood (ie: I get laid over the weekend) I’ll probably pick up flowers on my way to work.
As an aside: If you hook up with someone this weekend, and were expecting to get flowers after, and they never come, it was me, and I gave them to my secretary. Sorry.
bl1y
Shared your contest on my blog: http://bl1y.wordpress.com/2009/04/16/gift-card-giveaway-from-corporette/
Natasha
I”m not going to be in the office on Admin Prof day, so I took her to a nice lunch today. I will also get her a “thank you for being a great assistant” card next week.
Tina
My assistant went on leave today. I made her a care package for impending surgery and month of bed rest- a potted flower, Vogue, a box of chocolates, a lavendar scented candle and a month subscription to netflix.
Now I’ve been assigned to another assistant for the next month. Guess I’ll be giving her a gift next week. Oy.
SMB
I wasn’t aware that this was a huge gift-giving event either, though I was planning to give my assistant a nice, but small, floral arrangement. I’m a first year associate, so I suppose I need to figure out what the norm is in my office…
Karen
Nordstrom gift card. That way they can always just buy something and then return it with no hassles for cash.
Ann
I always worrry she might not wish to be tagged/recognized as an admn asst and slip her a gift card without fanfare – Ann
C.C.
The firm has a breakfast for all the assistants in the morning. I think that’s supposed to be our (only) gift to them. I’m not sure if I’m doing anything else – she has asthma so flowers aren’t an option, another meal would be overkill (after the breakfast), maybe the starbucks gift card is the best idea!
Kimberly
A small bouquet of spring flowers, $100 gift card to Target, and we all go out for a nice lunch (company pays for that).
Anon
A card. Lunch out. My secretary is all about the male partner and seems to have forgotten about us female associates. Makes one feel less than giving.
Ashley
A starbucks gift card. He drinks it all the time, so I feel it would be used. Plus since my assistant is a guy, I don’t think flowers or chocolate would be appropriate.
anon
Lunch & time off that doesn’t count against vacation or sick time (at least two afternoons).