A lack of digital skills among the UK workforce is causing problems in the boardroom and contributing to low productivity, a new survey suggests. The average British worker still regularly fails to set up presentations without support from the IT department, according to a survey of IT professionals conducted by independent research agency Vanson Bourne […]

UK employers value more than just work-related skills in young people coming out of the education system and into the workplace, according to a study by education charity Central YMCA, which found that managers also look for certain personal skills. The survey of senior managers at more than 200 businesses revealed that learning new skills […]

What employers want: the transferable skills that will land you a job in 2017, courtesy of the experts at Love Success If you’re hoping to find a new job in 2017, it’s important for you to know what transferable skills you have to offer an employer. Sure, the role you’re going for might require certain […]

While the short-term outlook for employment remains strong, labour and skills shortages are starting to bite in UK sectors that employ a high number of EU nationals, according to the latest Labour Market Outlook from the CIPD and The Adecco Group. The report suggests that despite a near record number of vacancies (748,000 according to […]

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 improve our brain function with Memorado. An intro to Memorado Brain games test our […]

While the ability to multi-task is often seen as something to brag about, research shows it might actually be detrimental to your focus. If you find it hard to concentrate on one task at a time, here are some steps you can take to re-train your brain from psychology professor Daniel Levitin from McGill University […]

At this time of New Year’s resolutions, active holiday expert Neilson released the results of a 2016 survey that reveals the average UK adult hasn’t tried a new activity or hobby in five and a half years, despite 80% feeling positive effects on their wellbeing when they do. Adults said they felt excited (38%), proud (24%) and […]

While your time out of the office is sacred and you should definitely embrace the freedom, a San Francisco State University study shows hobbies can increase your work productivity by up to 30%. Tech and lifestyle news site The Next Web (TNW) has outlined the three best hobbies for improving your performance at work. Playing […]

PAs and EAs have been busy already this morning at PA Life Training Day at the Grange Tower Bridge Hotel. Speakers for the first half of the day include Lindsay Taylor from Your Excellency, who’s visiting to represent the IAM; Personal Impact Specialist Jodi Goldman; Adam Fidler from Adept Executive Consulting; Bob Hallewell from Expert […]

When employers are looking for the right PA candidate, they search for somebody who has business and technical knowledge, but they also want somebody with excellent people skills. These are the five essential soft skills that will ensure career success no matter the industry, according to workplace speaker Antonio Neves. 1 Listening Being able to […]

As GCSE and A-Level results come out and thousands of young people make decisions on their futures, Pitman Training, the UK’s leading independent training provider, releases statistics that get under the skin of the psyche of young people and their attitude toward their careers. Research by Pitman Training reveals that young people are against more […]

Our guest blogger Nick Fewings, Creator of the Team DyNamics© model and expert trainer – who spoke at our June PA Life Training Day – returns with the second part of his piece on the future of the PA. In my last article, Tomorrow’s assistant – The Changemaker, I shared my thoughts on changes within businesses that I […]

Office for National Statistics figures reveal that in 2014, the UK government spent £11 billion on science, engineering and technology, an increase of 0.4% in current prices compared with 2013. This emphasises the importance of digital skills to boost growth in the UK economy. The need to provide high-end technology is not matched with the skills currently […]

Earlier this month we reported on a survey that reveals the most valued traits in a colleague, and many of them focused on how easy it is to get along with them as a person. A recent article by Forbes outlines four soft skills every office worker needs and why. So if you’ve got all […]

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal that 87.9% of adults had recently (in the last three months) used the internet, compared with 86.2% in 2015. Internet usage is increasing throughout all demographics, with women aged 75 and over up 169% in 2011. This displays that the internet is yet to reach […]

Assistants often know more about the business than the team members of those they support. However, sometimes they don’t recognise or appreciate this or the behavioural skills they have. Nick Fewings from Ngagementworks will be on hand at the next PA Life Training Day to teach attendees how to realise their potential – and speak […]

British businesses are not doing enough to boost employees’ digital competence, according to new research commissioned by Barclays. While almost half (47%) of all businesses believe better digital skills would lead to a more productive workforce, investment in digital upskilling remains low at only £109 per employee among medium and large businesses. The survey of […]