7 Fresh Ideas to Celebrate Administrative Professionals Day
- ezCater
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- 3 Min Read
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Almost every CEO would rave about their office admin—if asked. Unfortunately, the tried and true office ninja is rarely recognized for his or her workplace contributions without prompting. The best administrative professionals keep everything running so effortlessly it’s easy for their efforts to go unnoticed unless a problem arises.
Wednesday, April 21 brings another opportunity for companies and individuals to celebrate their office managers, executive assistants, or admins through Administrative Professionals Day. But if this extra important date snuck up on you once again, don’t panic. It’s understandable considering your admin is usually the one reminding you of these momentous occasions. Event planning and employee appreciation strategies may not be your forte. But that’s okay. We’ve gathered below a few creative and fun ideas to celebrate Administrative Professionals Day you can customize right now.
1. Prepare their favorite meal
This is one of the easiest ideas to celebrate Administrative Professionals Day because your caterer will manage all the heavy lifting. Think of it like a birthday dinner you’d celebrate at home with family and friends. Embark on a bit of stealth investigation to uncover each of your admin’s favorite foods and meals. Then, surprise them with a catered lunch or breakfast at work. Extend the invitation to their family to make it extra special.
2. Engage in a job swap
Gifting your office ninja a free day or afternoon sounds nice—until they return to a workload that’s doubled in size the next day. Why not switch it up and volunteer your CEO and other members of the team to tackle a bit of the workload themselves? Allow your admin to take a long lunch on the house, get a massage, or unwind for a bit in the corporate coffee shop while others cover the desk. Or, simply let them enjoy watching the execs scramble to juggle a job you champion daily.

3. Build-your-own gift certificates
Offices that wish to prolong their appreciation over the course of several days can create a DIY coupon book for their most cherished admins. Mix up food-related perks and office gifts. Pack it with coupons like one free coffee, one extra long lunch hour, a catered meal of your choosing on the house, or $50 toward office goodies and trinkets. Then, allow them to redeem their gifts at any point during the year.
4. Enlist the whole team
Generating ideas to celebrate Administrative Professionals Day should be a group effort. Company-wide recognition from every coworker will show your admin just how much everyone in the organization appreciates their work. Go all out. Things like impromptu emoji message blasts through your team Slack channel, stacks of handwritten thank-yous scattered throughout the office, brightly colored flowers, and treats from their favorite bakery will really make a statement.

5. Plan a dinner on the house
Browse the ezCater marketplace to locate award-winning restaurants in your area fit for your most trusted admins. Stick this dinner event on their calendar a week prior so they know what’s up and allow them to note their preferences. If it’s a hole-in-the-wall barbecue joint they’re after, plan it. If they’d prefer to unwind with a glass of wine at a delicious Italian restaurant, reserve a table. Either way, this celebratory dinner should be all about your admin. Leave the business talk at home and get to know your team through meaningful conversation.
6. Invest in learning
Gallup notes that employees crave professional development opportunities at work—especially those who regularly juggle three or four different tasks at once. Budget pending, consider sending your admins to relevant workshops and conferences. There are numerous events centered around leadership trends, women in business, or fostering employee engagement through training sessions. All of these ideas to celebrate Administrative Professionals Day and more are relevant to their career and would be a welcomed gift during Admin week. And keep in mind, many workshops and training conferences are now available online, making them even easier to attend!

7. Shout your recognition from the rooftops
There’s no better way to show your appreciation than announcing it loud and proud. If your company has an Instagram, LinkedIn, or Facebook, make a post thanking all of your admins and calling out how much work they’ve done in the past year. Use the #AdminProfessionalsDay hashtag to join the other organizations celebrating their admins.
Coming up with ideas to celebrate Administrative Professionals Day can be tough, and if you’re in a hybrid office situation where some or all of your team may be working remotely, it can be even more difficult. But with careful planning and input from the entire team, you can make it special. Consider a few of these ideas and thank your admin properly for all of the work they’ve done in the past year.
Delicious food perks pair with any celebratory admin event. Plan your next catering meal with the ezCater ordering guide.