The weather reports are leading us to believe we should be preparing for another heat wave, so we’re predicting lots of after-work drinks in the garden. Before you check out for the weekend, let’s find out what your fellow PAs were reading this week.
1 6 ways to write productive emails
According to the Radicati Group, workers worldwide collectively sent 112.5 billion emails each day last year, and the average employee receives 122 work messages a day. That’s a lot of time spent keeping your inbox clean. Fast Company recently asked productivity expert Chris Bailey how to write productive emails, and these were his top tips.
2 PA profile: Amy Marsden
“I’d always wanted to work in finance,” says Amy Marsden. “It’s quite difficult to get work in finance as a PA; these are the jobs that people always want because they are well paid, demanding, varied and there is seemingly prestige with legal and finance PAs. As corporate goes, they are the type of roles that you know you have good candidates for – the PAs that look after the CEOs of these kind of businesses are generally very well regarded.
3 6 effective ways to manage your boss
As a PA, your job requires you to keep track of your own time while helping your executive be more effective. It’s a juggling act that all assistants have to learn to control during their career. Here are six handy hints to help you manage your boss.
4 You shouldn’t have to pull a sickie to have a mental health day
Businesses need to stop penalising employees when they legitimately take days off for the good of their mental health, and should even introduce ‘mental health home days’ to encourage loyalty, support and good communication in the workplace, according to cognitive psychologist and business neuroscientist Dr Lynda Shaw.
5 Guest blog: Tomorrow’s assistant – The Changemaker
What does the future look like for assistants? How will the role adapt to the ever-changing business world? Nick Fewings, Creator of the Team DyNamics© model and expert trainer – who spoke at our June PA Life Training Day – discusses his view on tomorrow’s assistant in a two-part series.
6 App of the week: Pocket
Welcome back to our weekly spotlight on helpful apps. We focus on a variety of products that are useful for work, personal use, or both, providing our own thoughts on the apps and what you can do with them. This week we look at how to maximise your reading time with Pocket.
7 PA accused of stealing £25K from Viscount Petersham
Naomi Tamzin Barrett was employed as the personal assistant to Viscount William Stanhope and his wife Candida Bond, a former fashion model who was once the face of Chanel. She is alleged to have used a company credit card provided by Stanhope’s firm CMG Events to go on a £25,000 shopping spree across the North East.
8 6 questions interviewers ask to test if you fit the company culture
When it comes to preparing for an interview, we all know to brush up on speaking about our skills and experience. But a job interview is also designed to help both parties decide if their personality matches the organisation and vice versa. Here are six questions managers will ask you to test if you fit the company culture, according to MSN.
9 How Pokémon Go could be affecting employees
Pokémon Go is inspiring the unlikeliest of players to take to the streets and walk for miles in pursuit of rare, virtual reality characters. And it’s not simply a game for the young – 40% of adults who have downloaded it are aged 25 or older.
10 The afternoon slump hits at 2.22pm
A recent survey has found that the afternoon slump hits at exactly 2.22pm for 2000 office workers. That’s the point at which they start to feel tired, distracted and unproductive.
