It’s been an extraordinary few months since our last issue. As we went to press, the country was heading into lockdown and our lives were about to change beyond recognition.
Five months on and restrictions have lifted somewhat – and now we’re ready to head into what is constantly being referred to as The New Normal. From a work perspective, for some that means continuing to work from home; for others a return to the office is coming shortly. But either way, for many PAs, EAs and Administrative Assistants, it means doubling down on duties and tasks as they help their executives and wider teams to return to business.
And this issue is all about the ‘back-to-office reboot’ – from creating a Covid-safe office, to catering options, to corporate gifting and motivational staff rewards, to booking venues and organising events. All these elements of an Assistant’s workload have changed dramatically – our guides in this issue are designed to provide some assistance.
We also know that, while many Assistants – thankfully – haven’t been furloughed over the past few months, many of them have had to take on additional roles to cover for colleagues who have. As Today’s PA founder Paul Pennant points out in our interview with him, they are also finding communication with execs and teams more tricky, while many are struggling with mental health issues.
Meanwhile, as most of us continue to work from home, what better advice than from Suzy Sanders, Virtual Assistant and founder of VA Alchemy, about how to manage your workload remotely? She is the subject of our PA Profile this issue.
With a number of events associated with PA Life, the team here is happy that the Government has given the green light for business events to go ahead from the beginning of October. In the meantime, we’ve been busy creating virtual events – from networking ‘meet-ups’ to the PA Life LIVE digital conference which we debuted in June. And we’re delighted that we are presenting another LIVE event on September 30th, which will pull together a series of experts to further help you traverse working as an Assistant in the New Normal. Make sure you book your free place via palife.co.uk.
In addition, we’ve teamed up with events industry charity Eventwell to host the digital event Wellness Revival Festival on September 16th. This one-day event will give you the chance to focus on your personal wellbeing, with a series of sessions covering everything from yoga and meditation, to how to increase your confidence and positivity. Again, you can book your place via the PA Life website.
And finally, we’re looking forward to seeing many of you in person at the PA Life Summit. This will take place on November 19th at the Hilton London Canary Wharf and will also play host to the PA Life Christmas Party.
We’re glad to be back and we look forward to seeing you all very soon!
Lisa Carter, Associate Editor
