by Ginger Earle

Created on: September 23, 2009   Last Updated: September 25, 2009

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 under appreciated. 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

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