Gift Ideas for Administrative Professionals Day

Let me first point out that “Secretary” has gone the way of “Stewardess.” Please don’t call your administrative assistant a secretary, especially on the day you’re supposed to be celebrating him or her. As a former administrative assistant, I can say from experience that the most appreciated gifts are the ones that we help us pamper ourselves. Administrative assistants are stressed, usually overworked, underpaid, and underappreciated. This day is a nice way to show you care, but good intentions often go awry in the gift giving department, so let me start with what not to give:

• Flowers-Sure they’re sweet, but we’d rather get them from a loved one than our boss, and that $40 could have gone to something much more useful than a decoration that will die in a few days. So unless there’s a gift card tucked inside the bouquet, save the flowers for your mom on Mother’s Day.
• Candy and Chocolate-Most likely, your assistant will thoroughly enjoy that 3 pound box of Godiva truffles. She will not, however, enjoy gaining those 3 pounds. A box of chocolate also becomes something you’re forced to share, especially in an office full of people, and she won’t really get to enjoy her own gift without looking selfish.  
• Lunch with You-No thank you. We spend at least 8 hours a day, 5 days a week with you. We might even like you and enjoy our jobs, but being in a service profession where you are at the bottom rung in terms of power means we thoroughly enjoy and need our free time. Lunch is the only time during the day that we aren’t subject to someone else’s demands and deadlines. It’s a way to unwind and relax and without it we start to go crazy. Spending lunch with you means we have to be on our best behavior throughout what is supposed to be our time to recharge. We will be stressed, forced to watch what we say and do to make sure we make a good impression and don’t let down our guard. It’s a nice idea, but again, we’d rather have the cash.
• Desk Accessories or Office Supplies-Wow a new stapler! Pink floral file folders. A new post-it dispenser. Gee thanks. Just what we wanted. That’s like getting your housekeeper a new duster for her birthday. We are actually well-rounded human beings with lives and interests outside of this office, and getting us a work related gift just reminds us that you don’t know us very well and haven’t been paying attention. Plus we don’t need it, it’s impersonal and implies you only see us as paper pushers with no other interests.
• Clothes-for the same reason you shouldn’t buy clothes for your friends and family, you shouldn’t presume to know what your coworkers will like, what size they wear, and how they dress outside the office. And if you give them work clothes, this might imply you don’t approve of the way they currently dress. Pajamas or other intimate items can be misconstrued as sexual harassment, as could any type of sexy outfit you give someone. And you always run the risk of offending your size 6 assistant when you give her a size 12 dress you swore looked like it would fit her.

• Perfume-Bad idea all around. As with clothes, you have no idea what other people like, what they are allergic to, and what reminds them of their dear Aunt Mildred. This also runs the risk or implying that they have an odor problem.

And now, the good ideas:

• Extra Vacation Time-If your company allows this, or you are the owner, a paid day off is always appreciated and makes a great gift. Bonus if you can provide discounted airfare or a gift certificate for a hotel.  If you can’t swing this, letting your assistant leave early or take a long lunch (remember not with you!) on Administrative Professional’s Day is a nice touch-but that alone won’t count as a gift!
• Gift Cards-This is a great way to give us an excuse and money to pamper ourselves. But do your homework, and make sure it’s to a place your assistant will actually use.

Some suggested gift cards : 

• Restaurant, just make sure we actually like it-vegans don’t want a gift card to a steak house, and if you know we’re constantly dieting, we probably won’t want another reason to go to Cheesecake Factory.
• Clothing Store, but again, make sure it’s to a store we would actually go to and is conveniently located (hint: women in their 20s don’t shop at Coldwater Creek or Talbots, and women in their 60s won’t set foot in Forever 21 or Hot Topic). Department Stores such as Macy’s or Nordstrom are appropriate for men and women of all ages, and many shopping malls offer gift cards good at any of the stores within the mall.
• Spa Gift Cards, including gift cards for massages, facials, manicures or pedicures. These are great as it’s a luxury most people don’t indulge in as often as they would like. Just make sure you go to a quality spa or salon that is nearby and that offers a range of services. Some people aren’t comfortable getting massages, can’t tolerate facials, or don’t enjoy pedicures.
• Cash Gift Cards, slightly more gifty than plain old cash, American Express or Visa gift cards let the recipient use them wherever debit or credit cards are accepted, and always make great gifts. Cash is also a safe bet.