Executive Assistant Jobs have been becoming more diverse in terms of skills and responsibilities. One of the patterns in recent years is the move towards Executive Assistants providing varied business support to their executive manager. This means that Executive Assistants need to diversify their knowledge base. One of the areas of growing interest is HR, as Executive Assistants are finding themselves supporting their managers with regard to HR managerial requirements for the team. Therefore, we will look at the most common HR Responsibilities for Executive Assistants.

Common HR Responsibilities for Executive Assistants

  • Induction

Human Resources has a responsibility for the key legal areas of an employee’s induction. These include contracts, staff handbooks, agreements, compliance training and many more responsibilities. However, HR will aim to work with the management team to ensure that the employee is welcomed and that the new employee settles into work and the team. This means that the Executive Assistant is very likely to need to take part in the management’s side of the Induction.

Executive Assistants may find themselves greeting new employees, taking them to meet colleagues and key stakeholders, sending out welcome emails, coordinating training, ordering IT equipment and more.

  • Recruitment

Executive Assistants may work on the Recruitment process. This can include liaising with recruitment agents, working with HR, booking interviews, coordinating job adverts and much more. Some Executive Assistants may also attend Interviews. Therefore, this is often one of the areas of HR that can use the most time of your manager.

  • HR Administration of the Team

The recording of team sickness, training and leave calendars is often carried out by the EA. However, many companies are adopting more integrated HR systems like Workday, PeopleSoft SAP, Zoho or other similar programmes. This is often automating certain administrative tasks that belong to HR.

Executive Assistants may also assist in processes related to disciplinaries, grievances and resignations. This may mean that you will handle correspondence relating to these areas. This means that we will need to respect the sensitivity in this area.

Other Executive Assistants may get exposure to sensitive HR issues like planned restructures, promotions and demotions. An awareness of the sensitives and correct response to major HR issues is an important area for an Executive Assistant to have confidence.

Two other areas that Executive Assistants may find themselves getting varied levels of exposure to are the Training and Development and Performance Management side of HR.

The IEAA is offering a Human Resources Course for an Executive Assistant that can help EAs who have HR responsibilities gain skills and knowledge of the subject.