There’s a proven link between role clarity and mental wellbeing. And if you’ve ever gone home exhausted from trying to meet expectations that keep changing, you already know why.
When your role shifts with your executive’s mood or every organisational change, your body never relaxes. You’re constantly asking, “Did I miss something?” “Was that mine to do?” “Am I doing enough?” It’s not workload that breaks you. It’s uncertainty.
I recently trained a group of assistants who were stressed to the eyeballs for this very reason. They were under relentless pressure to be perfect, but no one had defined what “perfect” looked like. The rules kept changing. A single missed detail brought blame and shame. And when that happens, people stop collaborating. They stop asking for help. Fear replaces trust.
But here’s the thing – we can change this.
A 2025 PsychNexus Journal study found that even in high-pressure environments, people with clear roles experienced far less burnout. Clarity protects your mind the way boundaries protect your time.
That’s why the Global Skills Matrix matters so much. It gives structure, language, and shared understanding between assistants and leaders. When expectations are clear, wellbeing follows.
The last Matrix survey in 2021 found that 59% of assistants said their job descriptions didn’t match what they actually do, and two-thirds said their leaders don’t fully understand their role. Over the last four years, we have begun to change that story.
And now we’re updating it for 2025, to establish what has changed and to include AI, hybrid working and digital first environments.
This World Mental Health Day, I’m asking you to add your voice.
Complete the new Global Skills Matrix survey. Tell the truth about your role, your boundaries, your brilliance.
Because we need the clarity.
It isn’t a perk.
It’s safety.
It’s strength.
It’s self-respect.
It’s mental wellbeing.
And every assistant deserves that.
