Why did the word secretary go out of favor?

@JLeslie IMHO Politically correct jumped in and provided a more advanced-sounding term. The same happened with “housekeeping” in corporate industries. I nearly went nuts trying to call the “laundry” because it wasn’t listed s laundry. Anyone remember when we had “personnel”? It is simply a politically correct term which serves to confuse some of us who think the “laundry” should be listed as Laundry. These references are from my employ in a Federal Institution. Nuff said.

What is laundry called now? Are you saying laundry is now called housekeeping? I still say laundry for the place that launders clothing. I brjng my clothes to the laundry. Well, I don’t, but that’s what I would say if I had them laundered by a business. Sometimes I say dry cleaners, even if the clothing is laundered.

At hotels housekeeping is the big umbrella term I guess. I think of the word housekeeping as replacing maid service.

Environmental services comes to mind. And Building Management.

Personnel became “Human Resources”. It becomes a politically correct mishmash of terms that, for me, are more confusing. If, however they listed HUMAN RESOURCES and Personnel both in the directory, well that’d be too simple!

“Human Resources” is not politically correct. It is however another symptom of capitalism’s dehumanisation of people.
People are no longer “Persons”, instead they are now “resources”, like wood and iron ore.

My husband majored in Personnel back when it was called that. Lol. He has worked in Human Resiurces practically his whole career.

Do you think secretary was associated too much with women? And, that admin is more unisex?

Well, it sounds classier.

Take me for instance:

NOW I am Vice President of Meager Fecal Operations.

Before I was just the guy who took care of all the shitty little jobs.

The Euphemism Treadmill

http://www.odlt.org/ballast/euphemism_treadmill.html
http://www.thisistrue.com/blog-the_euphemism_treadmill.html

@si3tech Get off your preciousness about being “politically correct.” This is business, not politics.

Secretaries have limited skill sets and responsibilities. As the jobs evolved to broader duties, companies needed a different term of the position.

I haven’t had anyone type anything for me in 25 years. i haven’t had anyone answer my phone and take messages for me in 20 years. And I manage my calendar myself. Who needs a secretary? All we need is an administrator to keep the office running.

@zenvelo I guess I think of secretary and admin as synonymous, and I guess maybe that’s incorrect. I think of receptionists as not doing more than receiving people, but secretaries and admins to me both are assistants helping with running the office. Their tasks can be anything from answering phones, planning travel, scheduling meetings, meeting minutes, paying bills, filing, and more.

Much of the grunt work that used to be done by secretaries has been computerized, freeing up those who we used to call secretaries to do more complex tasks. I think the change in title is appropriate.

@JLeslie Remember, a secretary is not a toy! They used to be like this.

^^Oh Lord. Lol.

Just making people sound mo’ impotant than they are. I had one postion called “Special Markets Administrator,” and another that was called “Customer Service Specialist.” Both seemed silly to me. But it sounded good.