A new survey by a staff recruiting company, Office Team, and International Association of Administrative Professional (IAAP) has revealed that staff get some strange requests by their bosses.
The survey asked secretaries and other office staff about unusual tasks they are asked to do which are outside their typical duties.
Over 2,000 office staff assistants from Canada and the US responded, with 87 percent saying they aree often asked to do things outside their job descriptions, and of those more than half (55%) say it happens “very often”.
While most people know that secretaries and executive assistants screen calls, take notes, aid in scheduling etc, some unusual requests include,
- helping a helicopter to land on the top of the building
- write a skit about hand washing
- send an email to staff explaining how to flush a toilet
- take samples of toilet paper from all washrooms and compare them
- assemble a power washer
- cut off the boss’ tie caught in the shredder
- get a snake out of the women’s washroom
Often assistants are requested to help out with company events, however sometimes the requests go a bit further such as;
- organizing a hula-hoop competition for the executives
- Purchase and assemble Christmas trees in seven office locations.
- Find toy stick horses for a Western-themed event.
- Decorate a roasted pig for a department luau.
- Get 150 pairs of logoed earmuffs for a party the next day.
And then of course as executives often travel for business meetings in distant locations, other types of office assistants are made
- Get a visa to India in two hours.
- Call airport security to locate a lost shoe.
- Give driving directions to a cab driver who’s in a different state.
- Call a hotel in London to request soft pillows for the CEO.
“Administrative staff often are tasked with ‘saving the day’ when unusual situations arise,” said Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam. “They must be resourceful, have strong people skills and remain calm under pressure — especially when responding to unorthodox requests.”
The survey was part of a research project called “office of the future” being developed by the staffing company and the IAAP which looks at how the workplace and job requirements are evolving for administrative staff.
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