At PA Life we?re devoted to bringing you the very latest news, tips, advice and recommendations on a whole smorgasbord of topics that we hope are of interest to you in your professional lives. Since our most popular stories seem to be those that provide suggestions on how to engender a better working relationship with your manager, we thought we?d…
read moreTry as you may, things don?t always go to plan at work and emergencies arise. One of the most sought-after skills in a PA is the ability to remain calm under pressure, so instead of hiding from the situation, take control with these top tips. It won?t go away Ignoring a problem or allowing a colleague to fix it when…
read moreThe art of selling may not come naturally to everyone, but by embracing business psychology techniques your workforce can become an extension of the sales team. The outcome? A boost to revenues and more motivated employees, says Bryan McCrae The 80/20 RuleWorking on Pareto?s Principle, 20 per cent of existing clients will bring in 80 per cent of revenue. Surely,…
read moreGreen has become the new black, as corporate social responsibility now tops business agendas. Elia Nicolas explains the advantages to making your event a green one The task of promoting your company?s green goodwill through hosting an eco-friendly event is becoming increasingly important in today?s economy. More people are becoming aware of the impact that global warming will have on…
read moreLooking for a new job, whether you?re in the market for a change or have found yourself suddenly unemployed, is stressful at the best of times. The constant uncertainty, anxiety over interviews and the sting of rejection is enough to send anyone into an emotional spiral. However, there are ways to deal with the situation without losing your mind. Establish…
read moreThere tends to be a significant amount of employee scepticism surrounding the benefit of attending meetings. However, Jonathan Bradshaw argues that a meeting can be an incredibly powerful and effective business tool Set and share objectivesWe?ve all been there ? the typical office meeting where a number of random staff (generally too many) are asked to attend. No objective is…
read morePAs shouldn?t lose sleep over registration arrangements, worry about the room layout, or panic over Powerpoint presentations. A recent survey shows that an event?s success could actually be measured by the quality of the refreshments. Conference Cambridge, the official free venue-finding service for Cambridge University and its colleges, as well as hotels and other unique properties in the city, has…
read moreUK companies are squandering thousands of pounds every day simply by holding unnecessary internal meetings that waste workers? time. According to a new survey, many managers are unaware of smarter ways of working, meaning that employees are often dragged away from their work and into useless over-long meetings for hours at a time, with an obvious detriment to productivity and…
read moreIn the wake of Marissa Mayer?s controversial blanket ban on Yahoo! employees working from home, Barnaby Lashbrooke makes the case for virtual assistants carrying out their role remotely. Huge advances in technology have made working away from the office easier than ever before, as an increasing number of small businesses start to embrace the concept of remote assistants. Over the…
read morePrivate aviation is no longer the preserve of the mega-wealthy ? an increasing number of corporate clients is choosing to hire or buy aircraft as a viable alternative to using scheduled airlines. Colette Doyle weighs up the different options on offer The phrase ?private jet? evokes an image of ?ber-luxury, VIP treatment and copious amounts of bubbly that is rather…
read moreAre you running on empty? Juggling a to-do list that?s longer at the end of the day than it was at the start? Unable to relax, even at home? Here are some tips for getting your life back on track. ? Pinpointing the source of your stress is the first step to managing it. Are you working for several bosses…
read moreDue to the very nature of the role, PAs face new challenges all the time and no two days are the ever the same. From taking calls to managing your boss?s diary, there is a huge range of tasks that you?re charged with handling. Become more efficient effortlessly by familiarising yourself with these technological tools to stand out as a…
read moreAdmin professionals play a crucial role in ensuring a business runs smoothly, from sorting the post to booking travel. Efficiency is key when it comes to completing tasks, so there is a certain set of skills every PA needs. Become proficient in these and you?re sure to succeed. CommunicationInterpersonal skills are vital for management assistants, as they are often a…
read moreThe issue with cybersecurity is firstly how little people understand the risks they take online and the second is how little they appear to care, writes Simon Freeman. This is a toxic combination of cultural shortfalls that will see cyber crime grow to the point where we will either need to abandon the internet as we know it today, or…
read moreThe power of influencing others is essential to success in all areas of business and important to the smooth and successful accomplishment of a PA’s duties. Influencing includes the ability to negotiate to reach agreement and to persuade others in our work environment to take the action that we feel is most suitable to the situation, but also depends on…
read morePA Life has previously looked at some ways in which it is possible to manage our modern technology to ensure that it improves our efficiency and productivity without causing unwanted interruption or becoming a distraction. But sometimes phones and computers become more than a distraction when we become over-dependent on our gadgets. The constant stimulation and instant information we get…
read moreThe PA’s role is fast diversifying, with involvement in events having become a fundamental element of their daily work life. PA Life recently partnered with agency Top Banana to find out more in the #PAEventTips survey As PAs gain greater recognition within senior leadership teams, managing events has developed into a significant area of responsibility. Around 63 per cent of…
read moreAll too often, the training opportunities in a company are limited to a few days of induction. But the world of the PA is busy, demanding and fast-changing; you may sometimes need a boost, be it by building fresh confidence and enthusiasm, expanding your skill set, or gaining the latest technical updates. You may feel you need a career boost,…
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