Itโs that time of year again, where we get our loyal readers to air their thoughts on the PA Life brand and what theyโd like to see more of. We also wanted to find out what our readersโ job roles entailed spanning their choices on sourcing business travel and corporate gifts, to finding venues and booking hospitality. Read on to find out our results.
PA Life
Itโs been 12 months since the last reader survey, and what a whirlwind those have been. During that time the magazine has undergone a redesign and has boosted its online offering with more video content and original features, with a key focus on professional development.
These articles have proved most popular with our readers, with 53 per cent of you citing that you found them most useful, this was followed by topics on expert advice at 35 per cent and personal growth at eight per cent.
PA Life has a presence across numerous social media platforms, including Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram, and 39 per cent of you revealed that youโd like to see more topical polls to get involved with online. 38 per cent would like to see more podcasts, while newsletters and videos closely followed at 35 per cent and 16 per cent, respectively.
When asked if you prefer the printed or digital edition of PA Life, print proved more popular by one per cent, coming in at 29 per cent, while digital ranked at 28. It was reassuring to see that 43 per cent of readers use both platforms to keep up to date with all the relevant news and features in the industry.
The PA Life Club has continued to grow and it looks set to expand even more, as 65 per cent of you claimed that you would be interested in joining in the near future.
Already offering exclusive FAM trips, masterclasses and meet-ups, 48 per cent of you would like to see the addition of more masterclasses throughout the year. One PA revealed: โLast year, my department held 16 events, along with numerous lunches and dinners, and several of these venues have been sourced through the Clubโs showcases.
โThese include Cafรฉ Rouge, Strada and Guoman Tower Bridge. Thanks to the PA Life Club and its events at relevant venues, Iโve been able to source not only these spaces, but others, for great lunches, dinners and seminars.โ
Corporate hospitality
Finding the next corporate day out often falls into the hands of the companyโs assistant. Whether that is a day at the races, a team-building activity or a private dinner, a PA is usually tasked with sourcing the ideal location and organising the event.
Our data goes to prove just that, as 86 per cent of respondents stated that they book corporate hospitality.
67 per cent of you choose to book your hospitality on an ad hoc basis, while 19 per cent book this up quarterly to help get ahead of their workload. However, the party size you look after fluctuates every time, with groups of people ranging from one to five to over 15.
Business travel
Whether itโs booking flights overseas or a private chauffer in the UK, 69 per cent of respondents said that they have purchasing power over their companyโs business travel. Itโs something that takes up a significant amount of time for many assistants, with 76 per cent citing that they book business travel weekly, while for 21 per cent looking after travel is part of their daily routine.
Price is one of the main factors our readers consider when booking travel, at 70 per cent, with 81 per cent of assistants opting for commercial flights rather than private charter. With 35 per cent booking international trips, keeping to a budget is crucial.
Purchasing power
PAs play an invaluable role in most businesses, organising internal and external events, while also managing their bossโ lives, as well as their own. Itโs no surprise to find out that 84 per cent of our readers, a mixture of PAs, EAs and office managers, have purchasing power.
52 per cent are responsible for booking hotels, restaurants and private dining, 28 per cent manage business travel and seven per cent are tasked with finding a suitable team-building activity.
Of those who do not have purchasing power, 59 per cent revealed that they have some influence over senior buyers in the business, proving just how central any assistantโs role is in a workplace.
