Reed Learning delivers training for more than 100,000 individuals a year and is a favourite for executive assistants and PAs looking to develop skills. They surveyed the UK’s PA community about their learning preferences and ambitions.

When asked to rank which skills would make the biggest impact on their performance, 47.7% picked project management. The need to use Microsoft Outlook tools effectively and understand the principals of project management was seen as a way to handle the varied activities that PAs are asked to coordinate and manage.

Second in the ranking of needed skills was networking, chosen by 37.5% of the respondents. The ability to network internally, externally, virtually, and in person was seen as a vital part of the role. Other popular choices were managing conflict, positive thinking, and assertiveness.

"The days of the stereotypical PA are over. It’s not just a stepping-stone role or a gatekeeper for the company decision makers," said Jon Buttriss, Managing Director at Reed Learning. "Today’s career-driven PA needs a wide range of management, personal, and business skills. Our survey shows that the demands on a PA or office administrator require continuous skills development."

The survey, which was completed online by 320 PAs and office administrators, revealed the following:

• 47.7% of respondents ranked project management the skill they would most like to gain to improve their work;
• 37.5% ranked networking skills as most needed for performance improvement;
• positive thinking, assertiveness, and confidence were ranked third (37.5%) in the list; 
• at 23.4%, skills to manage conflict and difficult personalities were ranked fourth out of a total of eighteen options.

Other questions showed a strong preference for face-to-face training (72%) over other types of skills development and the wish to undertake training courses that are split over several months, to put newly formed skills into practice and build on real life experiences.

"The smooth-running of any business relies on the confident performance of its administrators and assistants," said Reed Learning’s Jon Buttriss. "The PA’s job has become one of the most varied in the office environment. With a global view, a business outlook, a confident personality, and a way with people, the best PAs deliver an enormous amount to an organisation."