Have You Thanked Your Office Guru Today?

People.

Yesterday afternoon I played receptionist here at the station, while our Diane Hooley took a much-deserved day off.

I will tell you RIGHT NOW that nothing makes you appreciate a front-lines-office-staffer more than pretending to be her for a day. Or half a day. Or during a bathroom break. Because it is in that moment that you realize how much random knowledge, how much multi-tasking, how much smiling, how much compassion, how much goodness it takes to do that job.

When I was college student at Indiana Wesleyan, I was hired as a student worker in the Financial Aid Office. My "desk" was at the front beside the receptionist. I learned a lot by osmosis and in the summer, when I worked full time, I just filled in anytime she was gone. By the time I was hired full time as a Financial Aid Counselor after college, I knew better than anyone else in that office how much it took to work the front desk. I knew what an under-appreciated position it was. And I told everyone around me, Anyone in this office can take a vacation day and most people probably won't even know someone is missing. But let that front desk person take a lunch hour and this whole place falls apart.

It's true. They know more about the place than most of the rest of the staff put together. They know where things are stashed - like a new roll of Scotch tape or a replacement bulb for a lamp. They know all the codes and passwords by heart and exactly how to gently pat (or kick) the copier to make it work from tray two. They recognize callers by name - and more than that - they know exactly what is going on in their lives and how to encourage them. They know what every staff member does and where calls should be fielded.

They know how to fill in the blanks for questions people coming in should ask but don't even know they should ask.

And quite frankly - I'd say most offices are under-thankful for their front line people.

Call them whatever you want - administrative assistants, secretaries, receptionists - whatever. They are the ones who make the rest of work smoothly every day of the week and we don't say thanks enough. So today this Mid-Morning staff says to our Diane Hooley:

THANK YOU!!! WE APPRECIATE YOU AND ALL YOU DO AND ALL YOU KNOW.

And I (Bekah) am sorry for any fires you have to put out today because I did your job yesterday. Hugs!

(This is me with Diane Superstar Hooley at the Mercy Me concert a couple of weeks ago!)