Menu Close

CONFESSIONS OF A PA

11.08.2016

Here at Morgan Spencer we really care about our candidates. Recently we went one step further and conducted a large scale survey of our candidates in PA and Executive PA roles here in the city to garner information on a variety of relevant issues.

This produced some very interesting findings to say the least, and provides an excellent insight into the thoughts of the top PAs in London. This is a must-read for all PAs as they will no doubt see elements of their own experience reflected.


The survey included a range of questions around job satisfaction, relationship with the employer and job scope, including both fixed option and free comment answers. Probably the most significant result of note is that PAs are being asked to do more for less. They are by and large taking on more responsibility from their bosses but without the offer of an increase in salary to match these new responsibilities.

In terms of what PAs want from a position, we asked what was most important to them in terms of benefit; pay, employer reputation, good fit with their direct boss, location/environment or the possibility for progression within the role. These all scored surprisingly closely, with company reputation and possibility for progression coming out on top.

Is Your Work Meaningful?

We had an overwhelmingly positive result on this question, where the majority of our respondents stated that they think their work is either ‘extremely meaningful’ or ‘very meaningful’. As we know, the role of the PA is vital, and as with any office support position, is key to the successful and smooth running of the business.

Ever Expanding Duties

One of the stand out pieces of information which became apparent from the results was the volume of extra tasks that seem to incrementally become part of the PAs role; from supporting extra directors to ironing their boss’s shirt. Obviously these are opposite ends of the spectrum and there are a range of other tasks in between but it shows how the role of PA, while having a generally acceptable and defined set of responsibilities, can evolve and grow into several roles all wrapped into one. The survey actually showed us that most PAs want a role that has scope to evolve and take on additional responsibilities, as long as those are positive additions where their skill set is growing as well.

How Challenging is your job?

Around 45% of our respondents found their role ‘very challenging’, with between 10 – 15% finding theirs ‘extremely challenging’. The PAs we surveyed told us that being challenged was actually a very important part of their role, and being able to rise to that challenge is key to them. They preferred roles that had scope for progression, and the prospect of formal training to prepare for and accompany new responsibilities.

How well are you paid?

There was a definite response to this question which indicates that PAs feel only moderately well compensated for their efforts. A very significant 12% felt they are ‘not well at all’ paid for their role. Having said that, the response overall indicates that, while salary is important to PAs, it is not the main motivator. Job satisfaction and feeling appreciated and positively challenged at work is more important.

This summary of the key findings from the survey makes for very refreshing reading as it is real people in real jobs telling us how they feel. There is a wealth of other intriguing information in the survey result booklet, including the results of a 2016 salary survey. If you would like to read more of the findings and see how your salary compares, why not download a free copy?

Posted by: Morgan Spencer