Demand for hybrid executive and team assistants on the rise: report

Collaborative working is pushing offices to require a function team for their coordination needs.

The office professionals landscape is demanding talented workers that can fill the role of an executive assistant (EA), a team assistant, or more commonly a hybrid of both, according to professional recruiting group Hays.

This was reportedly the result of employers adopting flatter organisational structures and embracing collaborative working, which in turn led offices to require a strong support function that can support larger teams and their coordination needs.

“As the role of an assistant and team dynamics change, a hybrid of executive and team assistants is required to be highly adaptable in fast-paced environments and able to be quick on their feet,” said Grant Torres, regional director at Hays Singapore.

However, Hays noted that some senior-level EAs who have worked their way to support C-level executives may resist the idea of the hybrid role. Accordingly, hesitation may be due to views that supporting a team instead of a high-level executive is a step-back for their careers.

“To attract capable assistants, firms have upped their game in terms of offer packages on top of providing flex-working arrangements, allowances for travel and lunch and better internal culture activities. It is important to provide competitive offer packages to the candidate for them to appreciate that the admin support role is important within a firm,” Torres added.