A QUARTER of employers see the role of administration staff becoming more important to the success of their businesses.
A third of organisations polled by recruitment firm Hays said that office support staff make up less than 5% of their workforce – but almost 80% said those workers provided essential support as “the backbone of the organisation”.
The survey also has a message for the UK’s 2.5m unemployed – including more than 240,000 jobless people in Yorkshire – with some 85% of employers saying they will need office support workers with a greater variety of skills in the future.
The survey also showed that 57% of office workers would welcome an industry-standard qualification to help gain recognition for their expertise.
Geoff Sims, managing director of Hays Office Support said: “What individuals really need to do is investigate what skills employers are looking for from their office support workers.
“The survey shows 51% of employers say previous experience of the role is important.
“Other top skills employers look for in office support workers include good communication skills, organisational skills and IT-related skills.”
He said: “Office support workers are often perceived as low skilled, but our research clearly shows that this couldn’t be further from the truth – with three-quarters of employers stating that they have seen an increase in people who are ‘over-qualified’ applying for positions.
“In Yorkshire and Humber, office support workers and office managers have the scope for more responsibility and a wider variety of work.”
But he added: “To remain attractive, office support workers have to keep their skills in tip-top shape and stand out to potential employers.”
