In PA Life magazine’s Inside the Role column we report real life workplace stories and lessons from EAs and PAs. One of the most challenging scenarios inside the EA role is your professionalism is tested, requiring great judgment and self-trust to resolve the situation…
Here, a senior EA shares her experience, and how she managed the testing situation
Starting a new role is usually filled with optimism. You have new systems to master, new colleagues to build relationships with and the quiet satisfaction of making yourself indispensable.โฏ In one position early in my career, that sense of excitement slowly gave way to something far more challenging and ultimately formative.ย
A few months into the role, small but unsettling incidents began to occur.โฏ Items on my desk appeared to have been moved overnight.โฏ Equipment malfunctioned without explanation.โฏ Important documents went missing.โฏ At first, I assumed stress, oversight, or coincidence, after all, professional environments are busy places.โฏ
But the incidents escalated.โฏ One morning, it became clear that cables had been deliberately interfered with, causing critical systems to fail and resulting in lost information.โฏ Even the contents of my confidential shredding bin had been disturbed and topped up with coloured paper (documents I had left as bait).ย
What made the situation more concerning was that another colleague, who had joined the organisation at the same time as I had, was experiencing similar issues.โฏ At that point, instinct outweighed optimism.โฏ Rather than reacting emotionally or making accusations, we documented incidents carefully, escalated concerns appropriately and focused on protecting business continuity.ย
Shocking revelationย
With permission, discreet monitoring equipment was installed. The outcome was shocking. The individual responsible was someone in a position of deep organisational trust: the HR Manager (not involved in our recruitment).ย
The emotional response was complex,โฏanger,ย disbeliefย and sadness all at once.โฏ However, the greatest professional challenge came afterward.โฏ The explanation given was that the behaviour stemmed from unresolved grief following the retirement of the staff members we had replaced.โฏ Therapy was offered to the individual involved and I and my colleague were invited to mediation.ย
When you are inside the EA role, emotional intelligence and tact is often required
This was a moment thatย requiredย tact and emotional intelligence.โฏ I chose empathy in the room, recognising the human element of the situation, while alsoย maintainingย clear internal boundaries.โฏ As EAs and PAs, we are often the steady presence during organisational turbulence, but professionalism does not require self-sacrifice.ย
The experience forced me to reflect deeply on culture, leadership and personal values. While the situation was being โmanaged,โ it was no longer in an environment where I felt psychological safety or trust could truly be rebuilt.โฏ Shortly afterward, I was headhunted for another role and chose to move on.ย
Lessons learnedย
Looking back, the lesson I share with others is this: skills and discretion will get you through many challenges, but judgment tells you when it is time to leave.โฏ Resilience is not only about enduringย difficult situations,ย it isย also about recognising when your talents are better invested elsewhere.ย
Have a story from your role as an EA or PA, or an Office Manager to share?ย
Emailย editorial@palife.co.uk with subject โInside the Roleโ.ย
We will publish it here, and if availability permits, in one of the upcoming PA Life print magazine issues too. We guarantee anonymity, unless you ask to be named.
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