Did you know it takes someone very special

to be a PA?

Why did Avery UK complete this research?

• Avery UK is proud to work with PAs and make their lives a little easier with their wide range of products and software.

• Working with Executive Secretary Magazine, Avery wanted to find out more about the role of the PA including the type of people working in the profession and how the role has changed.

• Around 300 female PAs, and around 300 female office workers who were not PAs took part in the online survey.

• The results were analysed by a psychologist from BrainChimp.

• The aim was to see how PAs compared with their colleagues in the office in terms of stress levels, job satisfaction, career opportunities, intelligence and individual personality traits.

• The results were surprising and showed marked differences between the skills of PAs and the rest of the working population.

The Results

Achieve

ment Stri

ving

Agreeableness

Extrave

rsion

Disciplin

e (C) EQ

Locu

s of C

ontrol

Openness

Conscientious IQ

Neuroticis

m

11%13%

10% 11%

8%

15%

13%

9%

15%

17%

26%

18% 18% 17% 17% 17%

14% 14%

12% 12%

Proportion who are high in each personality trait

Not a PA PA

The characteristics of PAs versus non-PAs

The main characteristics of PAs

PAs were significantly higher than non-PAs in conscientiousness,

meaning they are more responsible,

diligent and pro-active.

PAs are higher in extraversion so they are more gregarious,

outgoing and optimistic than

non-PAs.

PAs are higher in agreeableness. Traits include being friendly,

warm and trusting.

Working outside normal hours comes with the job. I am always on the phone 24/7 and have my laptop with me. You’ve got to get

the work-life balance right.Dalya Bernstein

The number one skill for a PA is interpersonal skills. It’s really important to be able to adapt your style to get the best out of

the person you are working with.Rebecca Eccles

Other office workers could learn from assistants’ interpersonal skills. Treat everyone the same, like a real person.

Look behind the title.Janice Anderson

The main characteristics of PAs

Having emotional intelligence skills is so important as you are the eyes

and ears. Sometimes you

have to read between the lines.

Janice Anderson

PAs have higher Emotional Intelligence

PAs are lower in neuroticism than other office workers. Traits of

low neuroticism include being less

stressed, irritable and pessimistic.

PAs have a higher Emotional Intelligence, which means they are

better able to recognise and manage

emotions in themselves and others.

In the role of an assistant you have to have high emotional intelligence as you are dealing with very important people who

expect a certain level of interaction. You have to be very aware of how your messages will be received.

PAs are often the invisible glue that bonds a team together. The skill is being the eyes and ears for your manager. You can help

your manager have a better relationship if you have a good sense of how others are feeling.

Laura Ahmed

PAs have higher Emotional Intelligence

PAs work significantly more unpaid overtime than non-PAs. When asked

“How often do you work more than your agreed hours (e.g. weekends)?”

16% of non-PAs answered “Never” compared to just 3% of PAs.

PAs Non PAs

3

16

The % of PAs and non-PAs who never work overtime

People do work extra hoursbut they are doing that because they are making their work the

best it possibly can be.

Teely Webb

PAs do more unpaid overtime than other office workers

%

%

PAs Non PAs

27

14

The % who work more than their agreed hours

almost every day

27% of PAs do more than their agreed hours almost every day, compared to

14% of non-PAs.

68% of PAs said they work additional hours at least once a week.

I don’t think as PAs we spend enough time looking after ourselves. We spend so

much time looking after other people.

Leeanne Graham

PAs regularly work more than their agreed hours

%

%

PAs are more satisfied in their jobs

Despite the longer hours PAs are working there is no significant

difference in work stress.

Both PAs and non-PAs score an average of 2.0 on a scale of 1 to 3 for

work stress.

PAs are more satisfied in their jobs, scoring

3.75 on a scale of 1 to 5, compared to 3.44

with non-PAs.

PAs are a great positive bunch, they are a supporting and

welcoming group.Laura Ahmed

PAs deal with so many people in so many different areas. We are

often helping people with something urgent or problematic.

Fatiha Zeghir

I’ve had some amazing opportunities along with the role

and I just feel very, very lucky.Dalya Bernstein

My favourite thing about being a PA is being that person everyone knows, and that everyone comes

to. I really enjoy the office environment.

Leeanne Graham

PAs are more satisfied in their jobs

What are the opportunities for PAs?

PAs are significantly less likely to agree with the statement

More than half (51%) disagreed compared to just

37% of other office workers.

My current role helps me to develop as a

personThere are opportunities

for me to advance in my current role

PAs agree significantly more that

with 60% of PAs, versus

45% of non-PAs, agreeing with the statement.

I think one of the challenges for the PA industry is sometimes PAs need recognition that this is not just a job;

it’s a career they have chosen.Teely Webb

My hope for the PA profession as a whole is for us to continue to encourage each other. As long as we continue to do that our profession

will continue to grow.Leeanne Graham

What are PAs like in the workplace?

PAs are significantly more likely to agree with the statement

“I am happy in my job”.

72% of PAs agree, compared to 58% of non-PAs.

PA Non PAs

72

58

% which agree with the statement

“I am happy in my job”

I’m not surprised to hear that PAs are happier in their role. You become a PA

because you love helping people. It’s a passion.

Leeanne Graham

We are happier in our jobs as we are providing something positive.

Fatiha Zeghir

PAs are happierin the workplace

%

%

Agreement with the statement

“My boss appreciates me”

is significantly higher for PAs than for non-PAs. 52% of non-PAs agree with this,

compared to 77% of PAs.

PA Non PAs

77

52

% agree with statement my boss appreciates me

I’m really lucky, I really like the guys I work for and I do

feel appreciated.

Sometimes as an industry we aren’t very good at

accepting praise.Laura Ahmed

PAs feel more appreciated by their bosses

%

%

PAs are often given tasks they haven’t received training for

18% score in the high range,

compared to 11% for non-PAs.

21% of PAs agree strongly with the statement

compared to

11% of other office workers.

PAs are significantly more likely to be

overworked. Sometimes I am given tasks which I haven’t received training for

Some of the hardest things about being a PA is the jobs you don’t necessarily have training for but are expected to know. For example, if you don’t have a

background in finance but still have to do budgets. It is difficult if you haven’t had training in something, but you can find out the information you need, it

just means a little bit more research.Teely Webb

I do think PAs take on tasks that they haven’t been trained for. As well as being

challenging, it’s quite exciting.Rebecca Eccles

PAs are often given tasks they haven’t received training for

What does the PA Personality involve?

What can others learn from PAs?

Other people in the workplace could learn a lot

from PAs, there’s always something a PA would know that maybe others wouldn’t

know they knew.Dalya Bernstein

PAs often don’t complain as much as other workers.

Laura Ahmed

Other office workers could learn from assistants’

interpersonal skills. Treat everyone the same, like a

real person, look behind the title.

Janice Anderson

Never say no or I don’t know, just say wait a

second and call someone.

Fatiha Zeghir

Other office workers can learn from PAs in terms of inter-personal skills.

Rebecca Eccles

The best piece of advice I have been given is to

keep asking questions, it’s not something that

comes naturally to PAs as we don’t like to ask for

help. Leeanne Graham

It’s up to you to drive your own career.

Teely Webb

We are so excited to have been involved in this piece of research, which is quite simply one of the most insightful pieces of research into the

Assistant and their role within their companies, conducted in the last 10 years.

The role of the Assistant has changed beyond recognition since the recession, with Assistants filling the gaps left by the middle management that were made redundant. In many cases, Assistants are taking on huge

amounts of extra work but with no more pay.

This survey proves that Assistants are dedicated, loyal, diligent and savvy - in many cases, much more so than other members of staff that receive

significantly more recognition, training and remuneration.

It raises questions that must be addressed by the businesses that are happy to utilise the Assistants' unique traits evident in the results of this

survey, but don't choose to invest in personal development or provide appropriate career progression with the associated pay increases for their

administrative staff.

Lucy Brazier, Executive Secretary Magazine

What does Lucy Brazier think of these results?

There is a lot that many of us could learn from PAs, from their interpersonal skills to their passion and enthusiasm. We would go as far as to say that PAs are one of the biggest personnel assets to an organisation, they’re positive, intuitive, willing to go the extra

mile and can often adapt quickly to new tasks with little or no training. It’s a desirable skill set for any employee to have. If there

were more staff in the office with these traits, it could mean a more productive, efficient and enjoyable workplace.

Our research has shown that many PAs do feel appreciated by the executives they support - but perhaps some extra recognition is due

from the wider business community for the PA role. Many of the PAs we spoke to were keen to stress what a varied and challenging role it is and expressed a desire for it to be seen as a career and not

a job to fall into.

Fiona Mills, Marketing Director, Avery UK

What does Avery UK think of these results?

• PAs work significantly more unpaid overtime than the rest of us but they are still positive and no more stressed than the general working population.

• PAs are frequently asked to complete tasks they have no training for – yet they are happier in their jobs.

• PAs have the same IQ as the rest of us but their EQ is higher, meaning they are better at dealing with people.

• PAs are a company’s biggest asset – they are willing to go the extra mile and can jump straight into something new with little or no training.

• They are happy and appreciated by colleagues and especially appreciated by their boss.

So it takes someone very special to be a PA…

• There is a certain personality type for PAs - PAs are more agreeable, extroverted, conscientious and emotionally intelligent, and less neurotic.

• PAs are happier with their lives, they are happier in their jobs, and they are more satisfied with their jobs. They are no more or less stressed in their work than non-PAs.

• PAs are more satisfied not because of the nature of the job, but because of who they are - they are less neurotic and more conscientious, and this means they enjoy their work more.

So it takes someone very special to be a PA…

Thank you

Thank you to all the PAs who took part in this researchLook out for more updates by following our social channels

@UK Avery #PApsych

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