Planning an unforgettable corporate event starts with choosing a venue that blends inspiration, luxury, and seamless functionality. Situated on the idyllic border of Hertfordshire and Essex, Down Hall Hotel & Spa offers an extraordinary backdrop for residential conferences, team-building retreats, high-level board meetings, and product launches. When booking through our team, PAs and executive assistants […]

PA Life sat down with Oksana Gabriel whose career progression has been phenomenal – she jumped from her first position as a junior assistant to an Office Manager in less than five years… Your strong event management skills and experience won you the Event Organiser Star 2025 award. Congratulations! Has this recognition made an impact […]

Being a PA or EA can often feel like a very individual role – and many companies only keep one PA even as they grow and scale up. You’re likely the person everyone turns to for answers while having very few people who understand what your day-to-day work actually involves. This is why joining a […]

Not every Personal Assistant interview is ever the same, however there are certain things the hiring managers always ask about. PA interviews usually dig deep into your organisational capabilities, communication and stakeholder management skills, and focus on how you act under pressure. You’ll be expected to be computer literate and know some basic tools and […]

Managing business travel is not easy and can involve a lot of moving parts. Flights, trains, hotels, transfers, meeting locations, time zones and last-minute changes all need to fit together, often around an executive’s packed diary and personal preferences. EAs and PAs therefore look for any help they can get to make booking trips for […]

Scheduling a meeting for your team mates or delegates should be simple. But in reality, it can involve multiple emails, conflicting commitments and attendees based in different time zones. For PAs and EAs managing busy diaries, that can quickly become another time-consuming task. The right meeting scheduling tools can take much of this work off […]

The anticipation within the event industry, including event organising EAs, PAs and Office Managers, is building ahead of the CHS Manchester taking place at the AO Arena this week. The image has been edited with AI to incorporate the show graphic on the wall. CHS Manchester will open its doors at the AO Arena this […]

From managing busy diaries and coordinating meetings to tracking expenses and keeping on top of competing priorities, technology plays a huge role in the modern EA’s day-to-day work. The best tools for executive assistants can take repetitive admin off your plate, reduce time spent chasing information and leave you with more time for the work […]

Moving from Personal Assistant to Executive Assistant is a natural next step for many experienced PAs. The move from PA to EA is often about demonstrating that you can operate at a more strategic level, make decisions independently and understand the wider business – not just keep a busy executive’s diary under control. So, how do […]

Planning a conference or business event in Manchester? UK’s second largest city offers a huge choice of spaces, from large-scale conference centres and purpose-built event venues to hotels, cultural spaces and more unusual settings. For PAs and EAs, having plenty of choice is useful, but it can also make the decision more difficult. The right […]

Planning a conference or big company meeting up North? Looking for a venue that will make a lasting impression and tick all the boxes? Leeds, with its diverse economy is an excellent location to host a conference. With good transport links, a thriving business scene and a wide range of flexible venues, the city has […]

Buying gifts for colleagues, founders or clients becomes increasingly difficult as the number of recipients grows. Tracking addresses, preferences, budgets, deliveries and individual gifts can quickly become time-consuming. That’s where a corporate gifting platform comes into play. When does corporate gifting become difficult to manage? Sending a handful of gifts is relatively straightforward. Once the […]

For much of the twentieth century, a senior leader with an executive or personal assistant got much more than administrative support. The private office created a physical boundary. The assistant screened calls, visitors had to get past them, and information travelled through channels that could be filtered and prioritised before it reached the top. Maya […]

Organising a company Christmas party involves more than choosing the venue, planning the menu and ordering the drinks. A Christmas party risk assessment is an important part of the planning process, helping PAs and EAs identify potential risks and put sensible measures in place to keep everyone safe. From venue safety and alcohol-related risks to […]

As an EA or PA, you already know that finding the right meeting space is not just about finding a room that fits the number of your guests. Location, privacy, equipment, technology and catering all play an important part when choosing a place to hold a company event. Whether you’re organising a small leadership meeting, […]

When arranging VIP travel, every detail matters. The journey should feel effortless from the moment the passenger leaves their front door to their arrival at the destination. Private aviation allows PAs to create a seamless experience and manage every element with confidence.  The trip starts with selecting the right aircraft. Light jets are ideal for short […]

For Executive and Personal Assistants and Office Managers nationwide, September fires the starting gun on the Christmas party planning season. And while, in previous years, internal team events have often focused on frequency – a summer off-site event, quarterly team-building, and a mid-budget Christmas party – 2026 feels markedly different.  Tightening corporate budgets, wider economic […]

Corporate gifts can be a great way to recognise employees, thank clients and strengthen business relationships – and not only during the festive season. But without clear guidelines, it can be tricky to know how much to spend and what makes an appropriate business gift. For PAs and EAs, who are often the ones responsible […]