Office products suppliers on board with Administrative Professionals Day.

 

Office products resellers and suppliers should be aware that last Friday (1 May) was Administrative Professionals Day in Australia, a day that recognisse the essential contributions of administrative staff, receptionists and assistants.

 

Administrative Professionals Day, originally Secretaries Day, arose in the US after the Second World War, when a skills shortage among administrative staff lead to the formation of the National Secretaries Association.

 

Administrative professionals encompass a range of support roles within businesses, including  personal and executive assistants, many of whom have varying degrees of influence over the procurement of stationery and office supplies.

 

Complete Office Supplies marked AP Day with the following post: “Today, we at COS extend our heartfelt gratitude to the incredible administrative professionals who are the backbone of our business. Your unwavering dedication, exceptional organisational skills, and tireless efforts ensure our operations run seamlessly every day.”

 

Dealer group Office National also expressed its thanks to the admin cohort: “It’s not 1950 so giving flowers to your secretary could be considered demeaning, but demonstrating gratitude for the role played by administrative professionals is still as relevant today as when Secretaries Day was instituted.”

 

According to a 2025 survey by gifting platform GroupTogether, around half of 475 respondents felt undervalued, while 38 per cent indicated they do not consistently receive recognition on Admin Professionals Day. 

 

Additionally, 32 per cent said they have never received a gift or any form of acknowledgement in their workplace.