Return to Office: Administrative Staffing to Grow in 2024
A transition to hybrid and on-site work across industries has dramatically increased the demand for administrative professionals. Office management, scheduling appointments, meeting planning, facilities coordination, and travel arrangements – tasks that disappeared a few years ago – have returned in full force. More companies like Disney and Amazon and even Zoom are emphasizing the benefits of in-person collaboration, camaraderie, and mentorship.1
Higher consumer spending and continued talent shortages have also led to a boom in inbound and outbound customer service jobs, especially in the consumer goods, tech, and healthcare industries.2
Companies who seek to recruit for these jobs should recognize that flexibility is still highly desired by candidates. Many of these candidates are women who play a bigger part than their male counterparts in managing family priorities at home.3
Employers wooing on-site administrative staff should consider other flexible options like job sharing or a compressed work week. Those are a few trends in administrative staffing in 2024. Below are some more of the top things we’re seeing.
“Company leaders report that an effective customer care experience is now a top prioritiy for the next 12-24 months.”4
McKinsey and Company
Follow Through on Diversity
94% of the nation’s nearly three million administrative workers are women. They work primarily in support roles as indispensable business partners to the teams and executives that they support.5 As demand for office support increases, it’s vital for employers to commit to follow through on diversity and inclusion. Currently, only 16% of Hispanics and 9% of African American candidates work in these roles.6 While more companies recruit for diversity, many are backtracking on DEI initiatives and minority retention is suffering.7
Digital Literacy is a Must-Have Skill with Administrative Staffing in 2024
Beyond crucial interpersonal and organizational skills, administrative professionals today require strong
technology skills. Proficiency in basic computer software programs like Microsoft Word and Excel are certainly expected in candidates but that’s just the beginning. Now administrative staff support
teams by managing data entry in Customer Relationship Management systems as well as using workflow automation and AI-powered Chatbots to streamline scheduling and customer service. Employers seeking to attract and retain top administrative talent should plan to invest in tech training that will boost their skills and productivity.
This article features trends in administrative staffing in 2024 from Addison Group’s 2024 Workforce Planning Guide.
For industry-specific trends and salaries for various roles across 20 metro area locations, download your free guide today!
1 BBC, THE COMPANIES BACKTRACKING ON FLEXIBLE WORK, 2023
2 MCKINSEY & COMPANY, THE STATE OF CUSTOMER CARE IN 2022, 2022
3 NPR, WOMEN ARE EARNING MORE MONEY. BUT THEY’RE STILL PICKING UP A HEAVIER LOAD AT HOME, 2023
4 MCKINSEY & COMPANY, THE STATE OF CUSTOMER CARE IN 2022, 2022
5 US CENSUS, RECOGNIZING THE NATION’S 2.78 MILLION ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS, 2022
6 ZIPPA, ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONAL DEMOGRAPHICS AND STATISTICS IN THE US, 2023
7 HR MORNING, DIVERSITY RECRUITMENT IS HEALTHY, DIVERSITY RETENTION ISN’T, 2023
