Employee Wellness and the Executive Support Professional
The transition back to a new way of work - be it a return to the office, remote or hybrid working conditions - has demanded organisational leaders to work doubly hard to promote a healthy working environment for everyone. One that makes for a thriving work culture in the office, blooming with optimism and opportunity. What does this mean for global executive and personal assistants?
With a sharp increase in the work-from-home culture during the pandemic, many professionals lost touch with real/physical office presence. Though it is nobody's fault, the transition from working at the office to working from home was clunky, to begin with. However, it soon became a revelation that significantly impacted the way of business productivity and employees' lives and well-being. In short, the last two years have not been easy for anyone.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought about many changes, some long-lasting, others temporary. While the world took a nose-dive into turmoil, a wave of voluntary resignations swept across countries.
While organisational leaders focused on the strategic 'pivot'; that needed to take place, as the pandemic evolved, HR's role exploded. HR professionals in organisations have had to extend their skills to adapt to the needs of the new workforce emerging from the pandemic. One of these needs has focused on employee satisfaction and engagement, which now fall under the broader umbrella of Employee Wellness.
Some argue that the pandemic was an eye-opener for many people who considered this an opportunity to rethink their lives and set new goals. Though these new goals came at the cost of losing their jobs, there has been a paradigm shift from the traditional ideas of 'office work' and 'holding a job'. Having a job now entails much more than your work simply being a source of income. It also has the responsibility to be a source of "total" satisfaction. The unofficial definition of a job now seems to include work that values an employee's personal interests just as much as it values their professional welfare.
As a general rule, it is the employer's responsibility to provide ample care, protection and satisfaction to all workers. However, if they fail to do so, employees no longer shy away from taking specific steps- which in the contemporary era often materialise into resignations.
As employees in this new normal, our expectations have changed. We want jobs that are all-fulfilling- professionally, financially and mentally. The c-suite now focuses on bringing about tangible change parallel to the employees' demands. Leaders now face a challenge in maintaining an equilibrium where one form of interest doesn't overshadow the other. How well this equilibrium is held will be an important measure of their success within the context of Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI).
Within these c-suite considerations, training and development for executive support professionals will fall into focus. They will provide greater opportunities for both the organisation and administrative professionals within their teams. Underpinning these opportunities are the skills executive support professionals bring to the mix and the tasks to be performed to meet the organisation's growth needs.
From an overall well-being standpoint and employee satisfaction, an upskilled workforce provides many benefits.
the opportunity for Executive support
As an executive or personal assistant, understanding the priorities of the organisation's strategic objectives in this new normal is crucial. Creating a solid strategy for professional development is a question of ownership. As the architect of your career, this falls squarely in your hands. Creating a plan that benefits you and your organisation is critical to establishing your lasting value to any organisation you work for, be it current or future.
As c-suite leaders consider the employees' well-being and development, there has never been a better time to make sure your voice is heard or represented. Why? Because in the future workplace, skills trump titles. Organisations are reassessing the skills they have access to, not the number of people with a particular title. In other words, it is time for the diversely skilled and resourceful executive support professional to shine.
Any ideal environment sets healthy goals for the professional development of every employee with a particular focus on team building and good leadership skills.
These should be your focus for your own professional development plan – now go for it!