We’ve had a busy week travelling to Leeds for the Conference and Hospitality Show, where we sponsored a PA-focused stream of content featuring the likes of Abigail Jones, Adam Fidler, Stuart Powell and Victoria Eames. It was great to connect with some of the northern-based PA community and we hope to see some of you again soon. We hope those of you with children have been able to enjoy some time off with them. Although Monday is looming ever closer, the sun is shining and this weekend promises to be a great one at last. Now let’s take a look at this week’s most read stories.
1. 7 self-care tips for PAs
Tara Jackson, ex-PA and holistic self-care and wellbeing coach, gives us her top tips for taking care of yourself despite a busy schedule.
2. Bosses must address the needs of PAs, says specialist
Employers are facing a threat to company growth by not understanding the needs of PAs and other staff, according to a new report.
3. Tudor Park welcomes new hotel manager Nick Hawkes
Bearsted-based Tudor Park Marriott Hotel & Country Club has announced hospitality veteran Nick Hawkes as hotel manager.
4. 3 interview questions you want to ask but shouldn’t
Asking questions at an interview is essential; after all, you want to find out just as much about the company as they want to know about you. However, there are some questions you simply shouldn’t ask, according to The Muse. Here are three to avoid, along with alternative queries that make you sound like the ideal candidate.
5. 9 etiquette rules for an open-plan office
Many businesses made the move to an open-plan office in recent years because they thought it would boost collaboration and help productivity. However, some employees find the arrangement frustrating, especially if they work better in silence while their colleagues prefer to have the radio on in the background. Writing for Entrepreneur, business etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore outlined these nine rules for an open-plan office.
6. App of the week: Handle
Handle is a really handy app for desktop and iOS devices (with an Android version due to be released soon) that allows you to organise your inbox and create to-do lists, reminders and calendar notes all in one place.
7. Nominations for the London PA Awards now open
Nominations are now open for The London PA Awards for you to put yourself or a colleague up for recognition. Nominations close on 9 May, so don’t miss out.
8. Top lies Brits tell colleagues to appear cultured
The British public have confessed to lying about which countries they’ve travelled to, what books they’ve read and even food they like in order to impress colleagues and friends.
9. Women more ‘naturally’ suited to leadership
Women in the workplace are more likely to outperform their male counterparts when in leadership positions, according to new research at the BI Norwegian Business School. Examining the personality traits of around 3,000 managers, the results revealed that female leaders regularly scored higher than men in four out of the five categories studied.
10. PA profile: Adam Fidler
Some of you reading this will know Adam Fidler, an International Executive Assistant Consultant who offers teaching, training and self-development of PAs, EAs and business support managers. He is the author and trainer of two of the UK’s most sought-after corporate Executive PA courses ‘From good to outstanding’ and ‘The Strategic Executive Assistant’ which run regularly in London and Manchester. His corporate experience as a Board/C-Suite Level PA/EA in a variety of blue-chip organisations includes Boots PLC, Bank of America and as a Private PA to a high-profile Chairman.
