How many hours are you working, compared to how many youโre employed to work? Do you have flexible working conditions? And are you contacted regularly outside of working hours? PA Life asked almost 170 PAs and EAs exactly how happy are assistants in the workplace and more. Hereโs what you saidโฆ
Working hours factor in how happy assistants are in the workplace
We asked how many hours youโre employed to work โ and how many you actually work. For those working a standard full-time week, 37.5 hours is how long Assistants are officially contracted to work. However, many of you are regularly working 10 hours more each week, some even more. And one poor (and presumably exhausted) Assistant reported working 80+ hours a week. Give that person a rise โ or another job!
Are you contacted by your executives or employer outside of working hours?
Sadly, but maybe unsurprisingly, the large majority (66%) of Assistants are regularly contacted in the mornings, evenings and even when theyโre on leave. Some respondents could be working with execs in other time zones, of course, but otherwise itโs surely unreasonable for anyone to feel they need to respond to calls and emails outside of standard working hours?
Yes โ 66%
No โ 33%
What are your working arrangements?
I work some days in the office, some at home.
โ 64% I work full time in the office
โ 15% I work full time remotely
โ 9% Hybrid working conditions are surely here to stay, providing a good balance between being in the office to meet with execs and colleagues
โ and having the opportunity to work remotely, avoid the commute and better manage the work/ life balance.
โI work from home and from the office, but my managers and close team members are based in a different country, so even when I go to the office I donโt see them in personโ
โI work at home and out of normal working hoursโ
โI work one day at home, can be flexible if I need more around childcareโ
โMy working arrangements are hybrid, but I choose to be in the office most of the time so that I can speak to my boss as and when requiredโ
โI can choose when I work in the office and when I work remotely. I choose to work mostly in the office, usually four days a weekโ
Are you happy with these arrangements?
As you can see, those who have hybrid working conditions are more likely to be happy with the arrangement.
Yes โ 87%
โYes, before the pandemic I was in the office full-time. I prefer hybrid working and I am more productive at homeโ
โIโm happy with the flexible working arrangements and the ability to pick my office days to suit me and my bossโ
โMy work/life balance is much improved now. I could never go back to five days a week in the officeโ
โIt gives me flexibility and the opportunity to be at home for tradesmen, etc.โ
โYes, we are treated like adults and trusted to get work done, wherever that may beโ
โYes, travel costs are now prohibitive and train times have changed, making the commute expensive and difficultโ
โGood balance of time in the office to connect with colleagues, but get more work done at home without interruptionsโ
โYes, saves money on travel, dealing with crowds on the tube and can concentrate better at homeโ
โYes, as it empowers me to use judgement and flex my time as neededโ
โI live an hour from the office and have caring commitments, so working hybrid suits meโ
โI can work longer without being late homeโ
โFlexi working suits me, due to childcare in the mornings and evenings, although when working at home, work/life blurs into oneโ
No โ 15%
โIโm tired constantly and the commuting is difficult and costlyโ
โWould prefer more days working from home as currently it is four days in the officeโ
โI am mandated to come into the office part of the week, when it would suit me better to come in more if my execs are in, and fewer days if theyโre notโ
Do you have flexible working arrangements? (i.e. not obliged to work 9-5)
Yes โ 52%
No โ 48%
A Brexit Referendum style result here, with almost an equal split between the haves and have-nots of flexible working. Hereโs what those who can flex their hours have to say about the benefits: โI can make up hours where neededโ
โI do compressed hours so can get one day off a week without losing payโ
โI get to pick up my kids from schoolโ
โAs long as the work is done, it doesnโt matter when it is completed. It means I can easily juggle work objectives with home/children commitments and family lifeโ
And those who donโt have flexible working options had this to say:
โI am more productive in the afternoon/ evening so would prefer if I could flex my hours to suit this occasionallyโ
โIt would boost productivity and moraleโ
โIt would help with childcare arrangementsโ
โIt would be amazing! I would be happier to work extended hours too if I could manage it around my personal life and commitments and familyโ
โMore flexibility would allow me to plan my day better and therefore increase efficiencyโ
Do you feel valued by your employer?
Itโs a big question, and an important one โ and it would seem that despite being contacted outside of office hours, and maybe not having their ideal working conditions, the large majority of you (62%) do feel valued.
Yes โ 62%
No โ 22%
Some 168 PAs and EAs took part in this survey. If youโd like to have your say, email editorial@palife.co.ukย with a subject ‘Assistant survey’.
The survey was published in our Summer Issue
