Behind the smile: What your executive assistants are really thinking

By Bonnie Low Kramen for Smart CEO Magazine | November 2015

“Imagine a world where people wake up inspired to go to work.” – Simon Sinek, Start With Why

It happened again.

I recently spoke at a professional conference for executive assistants in one of America’s biggest cities. The group of 60 EAs, representing some of our most high-profile companies, answered this question: “How many of you feel well managed by your executive?”

Five hands raised, and only two with enthusiasm.

Worse news is that this poor response is more common than not everywhere I travel, which has been six countries in the past three years. This has made me really stop to think about why this is happening. I ask the EAs, “What stops you from raising your hand?” Here is what they say:

1. “Our leaders are oblivious to what is really happening in the company.” EAs feel executives are too protected, but they also feel that they don’t have the license to be “the messenger” without serious negative repercussions.

The Fix: Set the expectation for your staff that you genuinely want to know what they think. Make it explicitly safe to do so.

2. “I’m overwhelmed with work and s/he doesn’t care.” EAs don’t take lunch, or they eat at their desk. They don’t tell their managers about how much overtime they are working, in fear that they will be criticized for complaining or not being able to handle the job, which in turn might put that job in jeopardy. Their work is 24/7 and they are tired and drowning, without a life preserver.

The Fix: If you think that your EAs may be overloaded, ask them. They are in the business of saying “yes.” It is not in the nature of most EAs to be perceived as “complainers” or to say “no,” so they need your support. Companies pay a high price for burned-out staffers, so stop the bleeding by asking them for ongoing and detailed status reports on the time it is taking them to do their jobs. Set up a mechanism to be kept informed about problems they see.

3. “I have no back-up, so I feel I am indispensable and can’t leave.” EAs don’t take vacations because they have no back-up. Or if they take vacations, they are answering emails and phone calls while away, which is not a vacation. They feel there is a double standard at many companies, where leaders are supported to have work/life balance but it is not so for the staff. This pervasive double standard is the unspoken elephant in the room in some of our most prestigious companies.

The Fix: It is imperative for companies to set up cross-training and back-up systems so that EAs can take days off and vacations without working. The data shows that when workers are supported to truly unplug and re-energize on vacation, everyone benefits.

4. “Workplace bullying and disrespect is rampant. Staff is being abused by fellow staff or managers.” The bad news is that there is a global epidemic of bullying, and EAs observe that some executives either don’t know about it or look the other way, hoping the problems will go away. They don’t. These toxic behaviors of public humiliation, yelling and unreasonable expectations are demoralizing and chasing good people away. Leadership by intimidation is widespread, resulting in EAs suffering in isolated silence. Sometimes the trauma lasts for years. The stories are jaw-dropping.

The Fix: Commit to establishing a culture of respect that puts muscle into a zero-tolerance policy on bullying. This will require training and coaching for all staff. The good news is that the leaders who are implementing such policies are employing the EAs who raise their hand. Leading by intimidation may seem like it works, but it doesn’t. Good managers are made, not born. Provide training for your managers that enables them to inspire loyalty and high productivity.

5. “I am underpaid. I can’t make ends meet.” It is shocking to me how many EAs are working 50 or more hours per week for C-suite executives in very successful companies and yet are seriously underpaid. Many report salary caps or other limitations, which essentially means that no matter how valuable they are to their managers, they do not have a way to increase their salaries.

The Fix: I urge CEOs to take a fresh look at the compensation packages for EAs, a group of people who are often referred to as “the backbone of the company” and the “right arms” to their executives. Pay them fairly.

6. “Human resources are not for us. We avoid them and go around them as much as possible.”In general, EAs in America and around the world do not view HR as allies. Quite the opposite. The result is a contentious “them vs. us” relationship that does not promote positive communication and cooperation.

The Fix: If you think this is a problem you would like to fix in your company, do an anonymous survey to find out what the issues are.

7. “I have to fight for training or pay for it myself, and sometimes have to take vacation days to do it.” In our complicated workplace of 2015, even the elite EAs need supplemental training in both technology and soft skills. They are starving for training and feel an urgent need to stay relevant and valuable to their companies. And yet, they do not receive the support from executives and HR. This is one of the many issues that send EAs looking for new jobs with training budgets.

The Fix: Investing in training the administrative staff is still a fairly new idea in 2015, but it cannot stay that way if companies are going to be competitive at the highest levels. Create a task force to look at the skills that are required for EAs to do their jobs well and support your staff to receive the professional development they need. The ROI will come back to your company exponentially.

A 2014 report shows the benefits of providing training:

• Profits increase by an average of 24 percent.
• Productivity improves by an average of 21 percent to 38 percent.
• Employee retention increases to an average of 62 percent.

I’m deeply concerned about the glaring communication gap in our global workplace and the urgent need to raise awareness. If changes are called for, everyone seems to agree that the fix must begin at the top — with our CEOs. I welcome the opportunity to personally discuss any aspect of what I have written. The bottom line is that we have an opportunity to do much better.

Photo credit to Free Digital Photos.net