Four out of five PAs feel their skills and expertise are under-utilised by bosses, according to research by OfficeRecruit.com.

It found that 39% of PAs surveyed state their bosses ‘sometimes’ make the most of their skill set, however, a further 39% state their job ‘never’ requires that they work to the best of their ability.

The research found that respondents are clear in their desire to challenge the traditional tea, typing and telephone constraints of the PA role.

It found that 48% of PAs believe that if their bosses had a better understanding of the role of a PA, more interesting tasks and greater responsibilities would come their way. Conversely, 36% felt they could better hone and utilise their skills if only their boss would give them a clearer brief of what was expected.

The study found that 20% of respondents believe today’s PAs are better trained, more time efficient and present a tangible business value, while an additional 13% believe there are greater expectations on PA’s than ever before.

Jim Ryan, managing director at OfficeRecruit.com, says: “Having a bird’s eye view of the business and offering everyone new challenges based on skill rather than title will improve the role everyone can play in the company.”