There was a lot to see at last year’s Office show. If you missed any of the excitement, here is PA Life’s pick of the products, venues and services on offer, such as Event Prop Hire (pictured), which can theme any event, whether it be a corporate function, product launch, exhibition stand or private party. In addition to rental stock, it…
read moreToday’s office environment is more hectic, more stressful and more demanding than ever before. PAs are at the forefront of this, often having to work for two or three bosses, taking on a variety of diverse responsibilities and managing projects and teams. In the midst of all this, professional training – and especially IT training – can sometimes fall by…
read moreThe term personal branding has become a hot topic in the last decade, but what does it actually mean and how does it relate to personal assistants? Do you sometimes feel other people seem to get all the best opportunities? You work hard, try your best but you always have the feeling you are not getting what you deserve? Why…
read moreTough times call for everyone to dig deep at work, but a new survey reveals that tensions between office workers and bosses might be at an all-time high. We’re all guilty of an occasional work grumble, but it seems this is on the increase in the current climate. More than half of UK office workers have had a falling out…
read moreA broad knowledge base and the ability to learn from others are essential skills that many successful people share, according to former Special Assistant to President Clinton and White House Director of Events Laura Schwartz (pictured). “I have found throughout my career and especially in my years at the White House that all great leaders and successful professionals have a…
read moreAs I get to visit a fair few restaurants in my capacity as PA extraordinare, I can vouch for the fact that, sadly, many of them seem to have been fitted out in a bland, identikit type of way – interior design 101 if you will. Imagine my delight, then, when I was invited to dine at Mamounia Lounge in…
read moreThe personal assistant role is now a career pathway for many, as office professionals develop their multi-tasking skills, become excellent time managers and act as the second brain of their boss. PAs require skills in anticipation, forward planning and strategic thinking. During the 1980s, research into women in the workplace by Professor Susan Vinnicombe at Cranfield School of Management resulted…
read moreYou can’t put a price on experience, but a celebrity PA can apply her knowledge to help other PAs deal with their own bosses in all different industry sectors. Nicole Holgate finds out how. PA Access All Areas launched in 2012, delivering training to assistants at all stages of their careers. Using their combined 25 years’ experience as celebrity PAs, Josephine…
read moreIt would appear that many of our fellow PAs across the pond have an incredibly heavy workload, as some of them have resorted to hiring assistants to run their personal errands. This just proves that you don’t have to be a celebrity or a high-level executive to afford such a luxury. Run Around Betties, a Southern California-based company, makes it…
read moreOne prevailing industry trend is the demand for improved technology and innovations that will help PAs do their jobs more effectively. Adam Fidler looks at a piece of kit that is transforming the profession. I would imagine you’ve heard of the “iPad revolution” – where many people now rely on tablet computers in their day-to-day personal and working lives. A lot…
read moreWhen Lisa Ditchburn tells people what she does for a living, she is often asked if she wears a sparkly spandex leotard to work. “Magician’s assistant” certainly sounds like a fun, if somewhat frivolous, role. “It’s a conversation starter,” she comments. However, in the four years she has spent at Marvin’s Magic as PA to founder Marvin Berglas, she has proved it’s not…
read moreWith PAs expected to multi-task more than ever, one of the key duties that falls under their remit is booking business travel. PA Life teamed up with PrivateFly to analyse their buying habits – Colette Doyle evaluates the results. Think of travel and what comes to mind: a sun-drenched beach with an exotic cocktail in one hand and the…
read moreCommunications technology in the modern age is advancing at an exponential rate and changing the way we communicate, both personally and professionally. With social networking and the ability to communicate with anyone anywhere in the world at our fingertips, the need for face-to-face communication would appear to be diminishing. However, the value of meeting in person looks set to continue…
read moreAt the recently held Office Management & PA Show, PA Life Editor Colette Doyle led a debate between four PAs from vastly different sectors. They discussed openly what they felt about the profession and shared their thoughts on the future development of the role. To open the debate, Doyle asked the panel how they felt about the possibility of remote…
read moreAs we progress through life, our likes, dislikes and habits change. The way we like to dress and visually present ourselves changes too. Our beliefs and thinking continue to develop as we mature emotionally and physically, and again, this is reflected in our choice of clothes and dressing style. How we like to look at work today is typically very…
read moreJournalist, author, presenter and media personality, Janet Street-Porter is a woman of many talents – and even more opinions, as PA Life editor Colette Doyle discovers. When she gave a keynote speech at International Confex earlier this year, she joked it should be subtitled “How to get your own way in business”. That she likes to get her own…
read morePA Life presents an A-Z of current office trends and favourite workplace items to ensure you stay one step ahead of the crowd. Adaptability One theme of a modern workspace is adaptable working, or flexi-time as it is also known. Despite an ongoing debate among employers over the importance of arriving at an office each and every day, many businesses…
read moreIn a recent feature, PA Life explained essential steps for hosting an event abroad. Nicole Holgate investigates some of the team-building activities to tackle once you get there. Paris is a central business destination, thanks to its excellent worldwide transport links, yet it still manages to be considered one of the most romantic cities in Europe. Companies can combine these factors…
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