Supporting Executives: A Role with Expanding Responsibilities

This article was based off findings from the 2024 American Society of Administrative Professionals (ASAP) State of the Profession Report. To read the full report, please visit ASAP's website here. You can also review a brief synopsis of the full report here.

It is worth noting when reviewing that data below that every EA is considered an AP but not all APs are considered EAs.

Recent data from ASAP's State of the Profession Report highlights that administrative professionals APs supporting executives have an average of 23 key responsibilities, compared to APs who do not support executives, who average 17 key responsibilities.

Here are the specifics:

The Six Most Common Responsibilities

Despite the varying number of tasks, there are six core responsibilities common to all APs:

1. Facilitate Internal Communications
2. Compose and Prepare Correspondence
3. Organize Events
4. Perform Clerical Duties
5. Manage Schedules
6. Plan Meetings

Overlapping Yet Broader Duties

While the types of duties for executive-supporting APs and non-executive supporting APs generally overlap, executive-supporting APs have a wider variety of responsibilities. Key areas where executive-supporting APs show higher involvement include:

• Organizational Communication: 97% of executive-supporting APs compared to 93% of non-executive supporting APs.
• Management Support: 99% versus 90%.
• Task Management: 97% versus 91%.
• Meeting, Event, and Project Coordination: 88% versus 70%.
• Processes and Procedures: 94% versus 85%.

The Evolving Role of Executive-Supporting APs

The State of the Profession Report also found that APs supporting executives on average, acquired 6.2 new skills in the past year, compared to 4.8 skills for non-executive supporting APs. Managing APs acquired even more, averaging 6.9 new skills.

Top New Skills Acquired

The most common new power skills acquired in the past year include:

• Critical Thinking
• Time Management
• Problem Solving
• Strong Communication
• Staff Morale/Team Building Activities
• Prioritization
• Decision Making
• Relationship Building

Why Professional Development Matters

If you haven't added to your skill set in the last year, you are falling behind. To be a successful strategic partner to your executive, not only must you excel in the above responsibilities, but adding to your skill sets is a must! Our suggestion? Propose professional development training to your executive! The American Society of Administrative Professionals offers a variety of options from articles to white papers, templates and downloads, to courses and in-person training events - don't miss out on your opportunity to invest in yourself and your career!

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If you're ready to start building a Business Proposal for training, consider using our Training Advocacy Tool - while it is specific to EA Ignite, it is a great resource to help you start the conversation about training!

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