EA and receptionist roles finally gaining respect and higher salaries

Receptionists are being rebranded with titles such as guest experience managers, with admin roles now considered just as important as the company’s CFO.

Receptionists are being rebranded as first impressions directors and executive assistants are now just as important as a company’s chief financial officer as recognition grows for administrative workers.

Australian Admin Awards chief executive officer Michelle Bowditch says administrative staff are finally getting the respect they deserve, having been among the first to lose their jobs during the pandemic as businesses struggled to stay afloat.

The gap they left was keenly felt by organisations and admin workers are now experiencing unprecedented demand as employers recognise the value they bring, Bowditch says.

“It’s not the CEO calling the shots – it’s the CEO and the EA collaborating together,” she says. “We’ve allowed EAs to have a seat at the board table, we’ve allowed them to be involved in the conversation.

“They have a contribution to make and they’re being seen as leaders.”

CHANGING FACE OF ADMIN

To reflect its importance, the receptionist role is being rebadged to myriad job titles, including front of house manager, guest experience manager and first impressions director.

“The skillset and the individual that stands there (doing the role) is very different now,” says Bowditch, who is calling for university courses to be directed at administrative careers.

“It’s not the 19-year-old girl that’s just come out of school and not sure what she wants to do with her career.

“You’re not just picking up the phone and hitting the switchboard and transferring the call.

“Now it’s much more about providing that guest experience for customers or consumers that arrive at the front desk.”

Executive assistant roles have morphed into strategic business partners and are in high demand.

Similarly, Bowditch says the EA role has morphed into that of a strategic business partner who is “equal in importance to the chief technical officer, chief marketing officer and chief financial officer”.

The new-found recognition is being reflected in higher pay packets.

Whereas a receptionist earned an average $55,000 pre-Covid, Bowditch says they can now command a $75,000 salary.

Worker demand is also prompting generous incentives – $17,000 was recently paid to a Melbourne receptionist for joining a new company, while most businesses along the eastern seaboard pay sign-on bonuses to receptionists of $5000, Bowditch says.

The Australian Admin Awards, now in its second year and closing for nominations next week, also seek to recognise the contributions of workers.

THE GLUE

Cate Hall has worked as an EA since 2018, first in hospitality and now at funeral home operator InvoCare, which runs businesses including White Lady Funerals, Simplicity Funerals, Le Pine and Value Cremations.

She refers to her role as the “glue that holds everything else together”.

“There’s a lot of things I do that people don’t see because it just happens behind the scenes,” says Hall, who is across the day-to-day activities of a team of 60 employees.

“There’s also a lot of business that I assist my executive with, in terms of what’s the right decision to make in this case.

“I know what everyone in the team is up to if my executive needs to address anything or add some support.”

Cate Hall has worked as an EA since 2018 and says her role is the “glue that holds everything else together’’.

PERSONALITY IS VITAL

Vanessa Marrama, the founder of Vanessa M Taking Care of Business, says administrative workers are the “heartbeat” of every company.

“Everybody is just flat chat since the pandemic and having that support person there to help (leaders) run their business and support them with the day-to-day tasks is pretty important,” she says.

Marrama says while anyone can learn the technical skills required, the best admin workers have strong communication and other interpersonal skills.

“Time management skills, project management and the ability to juggle numerous balls in the air are all important,” Marrama says.

“But the difference a person makes to a business really comes down to their personality and their mindset – if they’re willing to do those extra bits and take those extra steps to help enhance that business then the sky is the limit.”

BUSINESS AMBASSADORS

The Changing Face of the Business white paper, by Michelle Bowditch and Marika Garton, reveals:

• Advertised receptionist roles no longer ask candidates their typing speed. Instead, businesses want to know a candidate’s experience in Microsoft Teams, financial software, practical knowledge of LinkedIn and their background in guest experience.

• Receptionists are not confined to fetching coffees and answering phones either. They act as an ambassador for the business, offering tailored approaches and services that enhance the brand and improve customer experience.

• Duties include taking on the overflow of administration from other teams, managing basic finance, arranging events and preparing the technology for team meetings and corporate presentations.

• Demand for receptionists is increasing, with more than 500 receptionist roles advertised through LinkedIn across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in one week in May 2022 alone.