Administrative Assistant's Update

NOVEMBER 2015 2 Administrative Assistant's Update is published once a month by Thomson Reuters Canada Ltd. Director, Carswell Media: Karen Lorimer Publisher: John Hobel Editor: George Pearson george@adminupdate.ca Associate Editor: Jennifer Lewington jennifer@adminupdate.ca EDITORIAL OFFICE (519) 271-6000 Administrative Assistant's Update Thomson Reuters Canada Ltd. 1 Corporate Plaza, 2075 Kennedy Road Toronto, ON M1T 3V4 CUSTOMER SERVICE (416) 609-3800 (800) 387-5164 FAX (416) 298-5082 (877) 750-9041 carswell.customerrelations@ thomsonreuters.com Contents copyright. All rights reserved. © 2015 Thomson Reuters Canada Ltd. Contents may not be reproduced without written permission. Brief extracts may be made with due acknowledgement. Annual subscription: $189. Publications Mail Registration No. 40065782 GST# 897176350 UPDATE Administrative Assistant's E D I TO R ' S N OT E George Pearson Workplace accessibility: Some personal stories One of the most cherished activities at Administrative Assistant's Update is listening to the experiences and aspirations of administrative profes- sionals. You are our target audience and our inspiration. A lot of what we cover relates to professional development. But key to our coverage is reporting on your work and life experiences. This month we focus on work- place accessibility. An estimated 795,000 Canadians with disabilities are unemployed despite being able and willing to work, according to the Institute for Work and Health, whose research is busting myths about the cost of workplace accommodation. Sadly, a federal government labour market analysis presented to a par- liamentary committee found the aver- age annual income for persons with a disability is about $27,000 compared to $38,000 for those who are not dis- abled, with disabled women earning even less on average. In Ontario, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, introduced 10 years ago, is being phased in by 2025. On January 1, 2016, employers of 50 or more people will be expected to have a workplace accommodation plan for individual employees. In British Columbia, the province aims to be the most progressive in the country on disability issues by 2024. We decided to look at the experiences of administrative professionals with disabilities and progressive employers. With help from the Association of Administrative Assistants and Deloitte, we were introduced to two administrative professionals who illustrate the employment challenges faced by those with disabilities. But they also exemplify what happens when they find work as administrative professionals: they become valued employees. At AAU, we know the two administrative professionals profiled in this issue are only some of the stories of courage, determination and professional success out there. Disabled or not, do you have a story you would like to share with AAU readers about overcoming workplace challenges, breaking barriers or achieving success in developing your professional profile? Contact us at info@adminupdate.ca. Promoting organizational co-operation Too often an organization's components, rather than comple- menting and supporting each other, seem to work at cross purposes. This is the contention of Yves Morieux, senior partner and fellow, Boston Consulting Group. In a recent LinkedIn post ("How To Activate Smart Simplicity In Your Organization"), Morieux says, "The only way to manage the new business complexity without getting complicated is to improve co-operation." Since many administrative pros are called upon to manage their executive's one-on-one and group meetings, they could be in a posi - tion to note how their separate ac- tivities or goals may intersect with or complement one another. At the very least, they could share with the boss their knowl- edge of what employees are think- ing and doing, something that often escapes notice when execu- tives are focused on loftier levels. One of Morieux's Six Simple Rules: "Understand what your people do so that managers understand the context." Understanding the context in which others operate, including their current goals and resources, Morieux maintains, can help pave the way to co-operation.

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