Book now at training@paprofessional.com - it really pays.

Final results are in

Results are in, ahead of the holidays, for the last UK APA Diploma programme of the year. The December cohort of five senior PAs all scored a pass in their Diploma test and can all now add the designatory letters DipPA to their signature blocks.

APA DG, Garth Osborne said: “This was a particularly strong group of PAs and they bonded and participated well in the final two-day session of the course (incorporating the final test). They felt the course was challenging and worthwhile and was designed to reflect the needs by PAs of their status and experience.”

“We already have a number of PAs signed up for 2012 and look forward to training and qualifying them to this very high Diploma standard. We have trained around 500 PAs in 2011 and expect to train may more next year.”

Places are filling quickly for January, February and March and members should book early to reserve a place.

APA

Pictured (L-R) are Diploma holders: Claire Verrall, Jayne Pearson, Anuszka Elland, Ann Haynes and Joanne O’Rourke.

Season's greetings

The head office staff and roving team of APA send the warmest season’s greetings to Members in the UK and around the world. May your holiday be peaceful and relaxing and may you, and those around you, enjoy good health and happy times.

APA will be working with a reduced staff from 19th December until 3rd December but will be accessing and replying to essential emails throughout the holiday period. The office will be closed from Thursday 22nd to Tuesday 3rd January 2012.

Please feel free to use the following addresses to contact us:

gareth.osborne@paprofessional.com

training@paprofessional.com
membership@paprofessional.com

APA looks forward to supporting your career in 2012.

APA 2011

I've started, so I'll Finnish

APA Training has finished on a high with its final qualification programme of the year, for the prestigious Diploma (DipPA), taking place in Sweden this weekend.

Course leader, Anders Magnusson said: “The Diploma has been exceptionally well received in all of the Scandinavian countries and we anticipate even greater take-up in 2012. APA’s DG, Gareth Osborne, has long been recognised as an innovation guru in this region and has worked with private sector and Helsinki university partners to embed the PA programmes in plans for business development. We have delivered a number of courses in Sweden and Finland and our first in Denmark in 2011. When we deliver an Oslo programme in January we can genuinely suggest APA has region-wide coverage.”

Gareth Osborne said: “Scandinavian PAs have all the challenges and frustration UK PAs face. With outstanding knowledge of English they are great to teach and benefit enormously from the knowledge we share. We plan to take a group of UK PAs to meet them next year.”

Pictured (L-R) are: Julia Turenen, Alice Karlsson, Aada Salo and Ida Makela. Missing are: Emma Kinnunen and Olivia Gustafsson.

APA

Never a better time to book training

“I know from experience that the hardest person on the team to buy for is your PA. As a good Boss you have probably bought many a small thank-you throughout the year (the odd bottle of perfume from travels abroad and oodles of chocolate) but Christmas is always difficult.”

If your Boss is struggling for ideas (or worse, asks you to get yourself something!), you couldn't do better than suggest they enrol you for a professional qualification with APA. The ‘PA Professional’ programme is a great starting point for experienced PAs and if s/he is feeling really generous with the company’s funds (and it is tax deductable) then ask them to commit to the full Diploma and get some letters after your name. You can always mention the perfume as an after-thought!

Gareth, APA

Office? A thing of the past by 2021

Workers in the UK expect that by 2021 offices will face extinction as technology enables mobile working, says a new study.
 


Some 58 per cent of the office workers surveyed as part of the research believe that companies will no longer require an office space to do business in ten years. The study, commissioned by Virgin Media Business, reveals that 56 per cent of employees expect to see a marked reduction in the amount of time they spend travelling to and from work or to meetings.
 


Nearly two-thirds, or 63 per cent, hope that one device will be all they need to work, offering access to everything they require in not only their professional but also their private lives.
 


Mark Heraghty, Managing Director of Virgin Media Business, says, ‘This is a trend that we’re already starting to see across the UK, with mobile working tripling in the last year alone. ‘As employers search for more agile and effective ways of running their businesses, we’re increasingly finding that firms are swapping expensive office spaces in favour of a virtual workplace, where all activities can be conducted remotely.’
 


Some 83 per cent of the workers polled say they are more productive now than in 2001, as smart phones and cloud computing make it easier to work out of the office.

 
APA

Working for professional status

This week has seen 8 more PAs undertake training towards professional qualification and status with APA. Five PAs completed Module 2 and sat the final test (assessment) for the award of their Diploma (DipPA) and three more started Module 1 for completion of the Diploma in the New Year.

Desribing the training as challenging, Claire Verrall said: "It was a great experience." And Anuszka Elland who always enjoys meeting other PAs said in a message to cohorts: "It was really nice to meet you all and hope you have recovered since yesterday's trauma! I feel exhausted today!"

Pictured (L-R) are: Claire Verrall, Jayne Pearson, Anuszka Elland, Ann Haynes, Joanne O'Rourke. Then: Vicky Fryer, Shelley Hulka and Kristine Eglite.

Gareth Osborne, Director General, who delivers most of the Module 2 training himself said: “It is good so many great PAs find our programmes challenging, there would be absolutely no sense of achievement or reward if they were, like many courses, just a walk-in-the-park. APA sets and maintains an exceptionally high standard, and some fall, but most rise to the opportunity and leave elated. We recognise that PAs can’t take long learning periods away from the office so we make our courses intensive – yet achieveable.”

APA

Public sector strike fails to disrupt training

When we first heard that the recent public sector strike was schedule for a day APA was running a training course in London we feared the worse. Fortunately PAs are made of sterner-stuff and despite some essential drop outs; mostly due to childcare arrangements, the current ‘PA Apprentice’ course ran with great success.

The strike failed to delay arrival, delivery or departure and the course went well.

APA

Pictured Left (L-R) are: Danielle Cliff, Holly Denny and Stephanie Doyne.

The bigger they are the later they pay ...

I don’t often use this forum for gripes but there is one thing that has always annoyed me and it does affect us all. It relates to those large businesses that operate holier-than-thou corporate policies and then abuse small organisations by taking advantages of them, demanding excessive discounts and taking unreasonable credit by paying their bills late.

I felt so strongly about this issue that it became my raison d’être when I was a member of the Cabinet’s small business advisory panel. As a result of this passion I subsequently went on to co-write the recommendation to Government for the introduction of processes to ensure small business gets a fairer crack-of-the-whip.

Again this week I have been wound-up by a number of UK blue-chip organisations that are taking advantage of APA (a classic smaller business). One has overcharged us by £1,000; and dismissed it as an oversight. One has failed to pay an already extended and discounted invoice and one more has suddenly decided to take payment from our credit card (42 days) ahead of providing the service. This thuggish behaviour should not be tolerated and it certainly isn’t here – I will update you if I don’t get suitable apologies – and will definitely stop using the businesses concerned services.

Gareth, APA

Not a pretty picture ...

Chancellor George Osborne has announced public sector pay rises are to be capped at 1% for two years, in his update on the state of the economy. Public sector employment is also forecast to fall by around 710,000 up to 2016 - up from forecasts of 400,000.

Outlining his plans to MPs, based on economic forecasts from the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), Mr Osborne told MPs the UK economy was now forecast to grow by 0.9% this year - compared with 1.7% forecast in March and 0.7% next year, down from the 2.5% forecast in March.

Gareth Osborne said: “The Government seems to be doing what it can to achieve its strategy for recovery but I suspect the problem is like bailing out a holed lifeboat. With effort and luck it will keep floating but the situation is extremely desperate and we shouldn’t under estimate the time it will take and impact it will have. A whole generation is condemned to no work, no money and little comfort. We should all reflect on how we got into this bank-fuelled mess.”

For full details go to: http://www.paprofessional.com/index.php?id=994

APA

Four more join the diploma challenge in Leeds

This week has seen APA return to Leeds, its northern home, to stage the first round of the diploma programme in the city centre for 2012. APA also uses Manchester as a northern base but Leeds seems a popular choice for delegates from across the north-  the NW (including Liverpool and North Wales) and the North East and north Midlands.

Four new, experienced PA delegates from a mix of sectors; the public sector, academia and small business, stated work on the diploma programme by undergoing training in the PA Professional module (a standalone session for PAs with experience in the role or for those wanting a refresher or update or module 1 of the longer Diploma programme).

Pictured (L-R): Dalya Bernstein, Hayley Smith, Annica Murman and Helen Russell

APA

The Notorious Nine

In the wake of two more recent exceptional performances by PAs in the furtherance of their careers, Katie Manning and Catherine Dernulc joined the magnificent seven to create the ‘Notorious Nine’. Nine PAs who are setting the standard for other to achieve in PA-excellence; by passing their Diploma examinations at a ‘Pass with Distinction’ grade.

Carly, Laura, Emma, Kate, Lisa, Tara, Emma, Katie and Catherine

Congratulations to them all.
APA

Nothing inspires like a great reception

When I recently walked into the reception area of the headquarters of one the world’s largest hotel-owning groups I was impressed by the friendly greeting, helpful assistance and immediate recognition of my existence (if only my name) that I received from the reception staff. I felt welcome and wanted; no bad way to be relaxed for a first and important meeting with the company. The environment was light, airy, busy yet both professional and comfortable. I felt compelled to mention this as I was received by my host and walked into the meeting room; equally present.

Perhaps I should no have been surprised (given the nature of their role) to read – on the wall behind the reception desk – a company mantra – which read: “Nothing inspires like a great reception”.

At last, I thought, someone who gets the point of a first impression, and the need for great receptionists!”

Gareth, APA

Well done IHG.

Employment Law review

Announcing a consultation on changes to employment legislation, Business Secretary, Vince Cable said he wanted to help firms expand without making existing staff feel insecure. The key items within the consultation are expected to be:

·         a "call for evidence" on whether "micro-firms" can dismiss staff without their agreement and without them being taken to a tribunal if they pay compensation
·         a consultation on "protected conversations", which would allow employers to have frank discussions about poor performance with workers without fear that they could be used as evidence in a tribunal
·         a "call for evidence" on the length of time required for a consultation period on planned redundancies; it is currently 90 days, but the government is considering reducing that to 30
·         a requirement for all claims to go to the conciliation service Acas before reaching employment tribunal options for a "rapid resolution scheme" for more simple cases to be settled within three months

The business secretary also confirmed plans to make people work for two years before they could make a claim for unfair dismissal from April - up from one year at present. APA will be answering the consultation and now asks Members to submit comments to inclusion.

APA

CIPD appoints Sue Upton as Interim Managing Director

Jackie Orme

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has announced the appointment of Dr Sue Upton as Interim Managing Director. Sue will be taking on the additional responsibilities alongside her existing role of CIPD Membership and Marketing Directo. This is a new role, recognising the long-term absence of Jackie Orme, CIPD's Chief Executive, who is undergoing treatment for cancer.

Sue Upton said: "All of our thoughts at the CIPD are with Jackie Orme and her family at this time. We've also been grateful for all the kind messages of support we've received for Jackie. My focus in taking on this interim role will be on working with all of my colleagues to ensure we deliver on the vision Jackie has set for the CIPD and the wider profession".

APA

Qualifications and Association membership pays

APA Director General Gareth Osborne has spoken, via the web, to a Canadian PA audience on the importance of professional qualifications; citing research that showed they could add tens of thousands of pounds to an employee's lifetime earnings.

 An independent study by CCPMO, commissioned by the major UK professional bodies, estimated increased lifetime economic benefit of holding professional qualifications to be highly significant. It also found that membership of a professional body would also result in increased additional earnings. In the case of a PA, the total could be in excess of £64,000 in additional income.

Osborne said: “Research highlighted the immense value added by professional qualifications – for individuals, employers and the wider economy. These qualifications have a multiplier effect as professionals use their knowledge and skills to maximise the learning and performance of the whole workforce. For PAs this means an increase in their own effectiveness (and productivity) and that of their Boss and their department."

He added: "A government's skills agenda cannot succeed without the contribution made by professional bodies and their qualified members. APA works hard to ensure that its qualifications are recognised as the must-have endorsement for a PA’s professional development. This, coupled with the availability of the Middlesex University PA Degree, developed with APA creates, a career pathway for PAs aspiring to be future business leaders."

APA

Catherine makes it nine

Gareth Osborne has today presented the Diploma in Personal Assistance to Catherine Dernulc, only the ninth holder of a Diploma at ‘Pass with Distinction’ grade. This makes Catherine one of a small group of elite PAs who achieved a very high score in their diploma course work, test and work assignments as assessed by the APA Panel of Members who score and mark these awards.

Gareth said: “Catherine performed exceptionally well on the course and the standard of her work assignments was very good. She is an experienced PA who demonstrated a combination of resourcefulness and common sense in finding near perfect solutions to the scenarios set. She has already recommended APA Training to other PAs in the business.”

APA

Pictured (L-R): Gareth Osborne, Catherine Dernulc and colleague Kelly Wise.

Vocational Training Fund for the New Year

Small businesses will be able to bid for a share of a new £250 million government fund for vocational training programmes in the New Year.  The initiative is part of a government scheme designed to boost economic growth and ensure that the UK workforce has the required skill sets.

Prime Minister David Cameron says: “I know times are tough, especially for young people, who are trying to get their foot in the door and launch their career. That is why I am determined to do all that we can to give people the very best skills, training and opportunities to succeed, and why despite tough spending decisions we are investing in record number of apprenticeships.’

Cameron says that there has been an ‘incredible take up of these apprenticeship places’ and that the government is taking action to make it easier to take on apprentices, giving employers the power to take control of the training so that the skills they need are met.

APA Director General, Gareth Osborne says: “Skills are central to the UK economy and our long-term competitiveness. We have been lobbying government hard to ensure they understand the role played by PAs in small businesses; where they are the enabling conduit for all executive plans and decisions, we are please that essential vocational skills may be recognised and even funded.”

APA

Sam sweeps the board

Samantha Herridge MAPA DipPA, PA to the Director of Strategy and Development at Elexon Limited, swept the board at the Mayfair PA of the Year Awards 2011 last week. The event was held at the elegant, five-star May Fair Hotel, close to Berkley Square, which was transformed into a glamorous 1930s-style club for the PAs and their invited guests.

London’s leading PAs enjoyed a medley of blues and jazz songs, while champagne was served courtesy of Harrods and watermelon vodka cocktails were shaken and stirred by mixologists.

After a careful selection process, a trio of experienced judges including Erik Brown (Mayfair Times), Tracy Finn (Harrods Corporate Service), and Donna Coulling (PA to Helena Bonham Carter, Sir Derek Jacobi and Rachel Weisz) selected Sam as the winner of the ‘Newcomer of the Year’ award and the highly prestigious ‘Mayfair PA of the Year’ 2011.

APA and all its members applaud Sam for her outstanding achievement.

APA

Photograph from the APA Archieve: Sam with her Diploma

7- 0 to the FA

Last week saw the presentation of Diploma (DipPA) certificates to seven members of the Football Association team at Wembley; who each scored an outstanding success.

APA Director, Emma Kernan-Staines, herself PA to Sir Trevor Brooking CBE, Director of Football Development at the FA said: “It has been a long-held ambition of mine to establish a career pathway for PAs here at the FA. With the support of department directors and the HR staff we now have a programme of progressive development that recognises individual PAs progress along that pathway. I am extremely proud of what we have achieved.”

Commenting on the awards Dr. Gareth Osborne of APA said: “Over a spring to autumn period of 2011 the FA team members have worked tirelessly on their work assignments and they have all scored well in their final Diploma examinations. They were great fun to work with and I now hope some will look towards the Middlesex University PA Degree programme as a future opportunity.” Details of the degree can be found at http://tinyurl.com/cobe7fd

APA

Pictured Left: Emma Kernan-Staines and Right: Gareth Osborne
Pictured with their Diplomas: Sarah Weber, Jordana North, Tania Saunders, Chrystal Nagle, Natalie Thomas, Claire Brewer and Susan Ahmed.

Moaning over

I have a bit of a history for criticising Peter Jones; the High Dragon, for his infatuation with his own celebrity status. I particularly damned his advert for ‘Money Supermarket’; where he was seen riding a shopping trolley around a store shouting ‘wheel’, A crass, ego-fuelled exercise and unworthy of his business expertise and status as an entrepreneurial role model. But things have changed.

At last I am pleased to be able to praise the jolly giant for his sympathetic handing and the easy, professional style he brought to interviewing Michelle Mone OBE (and Richard Reed of Innocent) this week on his new BBC2 programme. It was genuinely inspirational, informative and insightful. Now that’s more like it Peter.

Gareth, APA

(Image courtesy of the Daily Mirror)

Remembering

APA remembers today all those who gave their lives in the pursuit of peace and freedom and sends thanks to those serving in countries around the world to ensure we establish tolerance and understanding and overturn fanaticism; wherever it is found.

APA

Flexibility makes for a family friendly employer

Employers who offer flexible hours and allow regular homeworking are rated the most family friendly by parents, according to Workingmums.co.uk's recent poll of over 2,100 candidates.

According to the results 87% said that offering flexible hours was a key factor in terms of what made a family-friendly employer, whilst 83% said allowing some regular work at home was what mattered. 78% favoured offering part-time jobs and 75% said allowing holiday days to be taken at short notice to deal with emergencies such as sick children was what counted. Childcare help was important for 62% of parents, whilst benefits like extended maternity pay periods, networking and support groups and parenting courses all rated much lower.

The survey suggested that ‘flexibility encourages full time work and responses recorded that 79% said they would be encouraged to work full time if there was some home-working in their job. 72% said flexible hours would encourage them to work full time and 67% favoured working close to home.

APA fully supports the drive for increased flexibility in the workplace and greater home-working. This is perfectly possible for PAs using all technologies available to them without disruption to the task in hand.

APA

Are your winter strategies evolving?

Businesses should start planning now for harsh winter weather to avoid being caught out by sudden cold snaps as seen during the previous two years, says APA. The organisation is making the warning after predicted an end to the unseasonably mild conditions across the UK by the end of November.

APA warns that SMEs can be particularly vulnerable to the impact of freak weather and should start planning ahead by checking their premises are winter-proof, insurance is up to date, and contingency plans are well-thought-out in case staff can't get in to work. The past two winters have seen Arctic weather cause havoc for British businesses due to the disruption, and, according to early long range forecasts, December is likely to start with severe frosts with the chance of snow for many areas closer to Christmas.

According to data from a major small business survey, 13 per cent said they were ‘seriously' impacted by last winter's bad weather, and 37 per cent said they experienced weather-related problems of some sort. Figures also showed during the winter of 2010 that 34 per cent of workers experienced ‘significant problems' getting to work, with 10 per cent unable to get in at all at some point. Eight per cent of workers were prevented from going in to work at least once because their children's school had closed due to the bad weather.

APA recommends that PAs speak to HR to ensure strategies are in place or should establish their own. Remember, people are our most expensive and most valuable business asset.

APA

A 'Top PA'

Full marks go to Office Angels for a great day at the ‘Britain’s Next Top PA’ awards held on Wednesday this week. The event was professionally coordinated, superbly staged and the six finalists were all worthy winners.

OA had received 182 entries for this year’s competition and, in the first round of telephone interviews, specialist staff had found it difficult to create a shortlist from the strong field of PAs nominated for the award. The final 6 were testament to their efforts and gave the judges; seen below, a tough decision to make  during the full day of tasks, exercises and competence based interviews.

At the awards dinner, held at ‘Gordon Ramsey at Claridge’s’ the same evening, Helen Milligan;, former PA and ‘Apprentice’ runner-up (but we all know she was the real winner) presented the title of ‘Britain Next Top PA 2011’ to Lesley Knight, PA to the Chairman of Chiltern Railways. Lesley had been cited by colleagues for her dedication to her boss, her commitment to managing the team of PAs and facilitating their career development and her innovation within the railways industry.

Lesley was thrilled with the accolade, and said: “It is great to see Office Angels recognise PAs for the work that we do. It is a real honour to be named as winner, especially as there was such a high standard amongst the finalists, and I’d like to thank my manager for nominating me.”

APA members should make a calendar note for September 2012 to enter and win.

Shown are:

(back row L-R): Gareth Osborne, APA (Judge), Jonathan Sheppard, AirFrance KLM (Judge), John McKenna, Jayne Paterson and David Clubb, MD Office Angels.

(front row L-R) Karen Wilkins, De Vere Venues (Judge), Rachel Andrews, Anneliese Ainley, Helen Milliga, Lesley Knight ('Britain's Next Tp PA 2011) and Sally Huxham. 

APA

A ‘Distinction’ for Katie and a triumph for Vic

Anyone who turned down the generous (free) invitation for APA members’ to attend the Hays PA Conference on Friday not only missed an outstanding event but also missed a demonstration of great organisation and polished delivery by the Chairperson, Victoria Darragh FAPA.

All PAs are great organisers but Vic managed to engender a sense of professionalism and fun into the day; which made it quite special. I and all the attendees would like to send Vic and her PA network a round of applause and our admiration. Well done to all involved – especially Hays who funded the event.

One of the highlights for APA was the presentation, by APA Directors Emma Kernan-Staines and Laura Richardson to Lucy Manning who recently attained a ‘Pass with Distinction’ in the PA Diploma (DipPA). Katie is an exceptional PA and joins the PA Elite who hold this very rare Award at this grade. Well done Katie.

Shown in the group are some of the APA Members attending the event: Claire Howard, Joan May, Sam Herridge, Terry Benson, Laura Richardson, Lisa Fawcett, Katie Manning, Jenni Newman, Tina Skilton, Anuszka Elland and Emma Kernan-Staines.

APA

More Diploma entrants

The flow of PAs undertaking the APA Diploma in Personal Assistance (DipPA) is growing every month as it becomes the professional qualification of choice amongst PAs and HR departments committing to PA Training. October has been one of the busiest on record for the professional body with courses running in UK and international locations.

Shown left are the latest attendees at PA programmes starting in the UK and Finland. Shown (L-R) are:

Left: Ann Haynes, Anuszka Elland, Claire Verrall and Jayne Pearson. Right: Ilta Fisk, Lahja Halvari, Elina Karvonen and Maaria Hanninen.

APA

Bespoke and tailored for PAs

Last week saw the first of the APA round of autumn and winter Roadshows around the country with a host of different topics and sponsors.

With the number of women rising to board and executive level [Although still too low], the first event was generously and jointly hosted by the world’s leading cloth suppliers, Holland and Sherry and the pioneer of women’ tailoring, Carol Alayne of Tailoring for Women.

Carol described the hand-crafted process and the benefits of high quality tailoring and kindly compared it to the tailored training courses from APA for PAs. Each intended to exceed the need and last a life time.

Members greatly enjoyed the experience of a contemporary exposure to bespoke tailoring and couture design in the friendly environment of Holland & Sherry’s interim offices in Barclay Square; while there historic offices in Savile Row are being refurbished.

Pictured (left): APA Director Emma Kernan-Staines with Claire Howard, (centre) Lindsay Taylor & Nicolas Guilbaud of Holland and Sherry, Carol Alayne of Tailoring for Women and Gareth Osborne of APA, (right) Members check-out the cloths.

APA

The Diplomas keep on coming

Another group of exceptional PAs have successfully passed their APA Diploma examinations this week and joined the elite group of over 400 PAs with the professional designation DipPA after their name.

Places remain available for Diploma programmes starting in November and December and APA has recently announced (see below) its 2012 series of dates around the country.

Achieving success were (L-R): Tania Saunders, Natalie Thomas, Stacey Grant, Susan Ahmed, Heather Senu, Catherine Dernulc and Maria Marsh and Mary Brannigan.

APA

London and Midland PA courses

Concurrent ‘PA Professional’ programmes where running in the UK last week with delegates from the south coming together in London and from the north in Birmingham.

APA Director General said: October is always a busy month for training, qualifications and other APA activities. Last week it was a combination of training and a one day conference in Taunton, Somerset and this week it is international training in Finland and Germany with a members’ meeting in London.”

APA training and qualification programmes run through October. November and December and some places are still available. For larger businesses and organisations APA can offer tailored programmes and in-house training; as it has for the NHS recently.

Shown left are (L-R): Brit Norman, Helen Goland, Debbie Ansett and Marsha Thomas-Witt.

Shown right are: (L-R): Josephine Kirby, Denise Cassie and Melanie Lawrence.

APA

APA announces 2012 qualification dates

APA has today announced the dates for its PA qualification courses in 2012; there are over 120 dates available to members and non-members alike across the UK, with more than 40 being at training venues in Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Belfast.

The programme includes the PA Apprentice programme. PA Professional to CertPA and the Diploma in Personal Assistance (DipPA) and PA as a Manager programme. All courses are accredited and count as credits towards the APA and Middlesex University BA and MA Degree programme.

APA members receive a highly advantageous saving on all courses, with as much as a £500 + VAT saving (ten times the average membership fee) on the Diploma programme alone

Some dates across the UK are still available for 2011 and booking can be made by calling 07817 776134 or emailing training@paprofessional.com.

For more details go to: http://www.paprofessional.com/index.php?id=984

APA

The equality we didn't want

As the Government's new Pensions Bill get closer to its final reading in Parliament, here’s a quick guide to what's been said, and what these changes could mean for you.

An increase in the State Pension Age - The first key reform in this Bill is the increase in the State Pension Age; this is different from, and not linked to the Default Retirement Age, it is the age at which eligible people begin to receive their state pensions.

How the changes will be brought through - Under the current rules, the State Pension Age for women is in the process of rising from 60 to 65 to equalise with men; and then state pension age for both men and women was due to increase from 65 to 66 between 2024 and 2026. The Pensions Bill is bringing forward the timing of equalisation and the rise in the State Pension Age from 65 to 66 for both men and women.

Under the new legislation, women’s state pension age will reach 65 by November 2018.

The rise from 65 to 66 for both men and women will happen more slowly than the Government had originally planned and will be complete by October 2020.

The Government's change will lead to an earlier state pension age for just under half a million people. It particularly affects women born in 1953 and 1954 many of whom previously faced a delay of up to 2 years before they could claim their state pension.

APA is appalled that UK Government can equalise pensions; disadvantaging women, while they still struggle to address the lifelong wage imbalances between men and women (but then the Minister for Women [Home Secretary, Theresa May], is still focused on cats!).

APA

You're my favourite!

According to a study of more than 1,000 employers by an HR consultancy, almost a third of respondents admit that they ‘favour’ certain members of their staff more than others; due mostly to these employees having a ‘stronger work ethic’.

Of the 31% cent, around18% cent say that their ‘loyalty to the company’ was why they favoured them and a further 11% say they favour them because of their ‘sense of humour in the work place’. 25% said they ‘just liked their personality.’

All respondents were asked if they felt that they had ‘personal friendships’ with any members of their team, to which just under two thirds, 61 per cent, said ‘Yes’. While in contrast, only 27% stated that they were not friends with any of their employees.

 
Gareth Osborne of APA said: “There are very few reasons to go out to work and I always list money, money, fun and money as the first four. People do make friends and definitely have favourites. It’s the reason that some people work more closely than others and justifies why the PA and Boss relationship, in many cases, is so strong. It is much more complex than the HR survey suggests and should be embraced and not avoided at all cost as the report concludes.

APA

Stress-related absences

Stress is, for the first time, the most common cause of long-term sickness absence for employees, according to this year's CIPD/Simplyhealth Absence Management survey.
A link between job security and mental health problems is also revealed in the survey. Employers planning to make redundancies in the next six months are significantly more likely to report an increase in mental health problems among their staff (51% compared with 32% who are not planning redundancies).

There is a particular increase in stress-related absence among public sector organisations, with 50% of these respondents reporting an increase. They identify the amount of organisational change and restructuring as the number one cause of stress at work, highlighting the impact of public sector cuts to jobs, pension benefits and pay freezes. Job insecurity is also reported as a more common cause of work-related stress in the public sector this year (24%) compared with last year (10%) and is higher than in the private (14%) and non-profit sectors (14%).

Overall employee absence levels have remained static at 7.7 days per employee per year. Public sector absence has decreased from 9.6 days per employee per year last year to 9.1 days this year and private sector absence has increased from 6.6 days in 2010 to 7.1 days in this year's survey. The trends in absence levels appear to reflect the relative fortunes of these sectors. Although overall absence levels show little change, the proportion of absence that is stress-related has increased. Nearly four in ten (39%) employers report an increase in stress-related absence, compared to just 12% reporting a decrease.

APA

More PAs in Training

Another group of ambitious PAs entered Module 2 of the APA Diploma programme today and made the first step towards to this prestigious award. This will result in them taking the Diploma test tomorrow and awaiting the result of the Panel of Members convened to judge their entry and commitment during their work towards the Diploma. Results are expected in October.

Show (L-R) are: Tania Saunders, Natalie Thomas, Stacey Grant, Susan Ahmed, Heather Senu and Catherine Dernulc.

APA

Doubling the period for unfair dismissal

British business could save £6 million a year from changes to unfair dismissal laws that will come into effect next year, the government claims. Under reforms announced by Business Secretary Vince Cable and Chancellor George Osborne, the qualification period for the right to claim unfair dismissal will be doubled so that an employee must have worked for a company at least two years rather than one.

These changes follow the ‘Resolving Workplace Disputes’ consultation, which was published in January this year and proposed measures to encourage early resolution of disputes, and are part of the government’s workplace reforms. The reforms aim to increase business confidence to take on more staff and it is felt that the new proposals will see the number of unfair dismissal claims drop by around 2,000 a year.

Cable remarks, ‘Businesses tell us that unfair dismissal rules are a major barrier to taking on more people.’ ‘We have one of the most flexible labour markets in the world, but there is more we can do to give British business the confidence it needs to create more jobs and support the wider economy to grow.’

Over the past 18 months the government has started the Employment Law Review, a review of all aspects of employment law, and these particular changes to unfair dismissal laws will come into force on 6 April, 2012. APA supports the review and any future amendments that make implementation easier and less bureaucratic.

APA

Eurozone sinks further in September

Manufacturing in the Euro-one shrank at its fastest pace in two years in September, a Markit’s business survey has shown. This is the second consecutive month that eurozone manufacturing has shrunk.

Greece, the focal point of the eurozone's debt crisis, saw its output contract for the 25th consecutive month. "Manufacturers are reporting the worst business conditions for over two years, facing a combination of lacklustre domestic demand and falling export sales," said Chris Williamson, Markit's chief economist.

The region has been weighed down as leaders struggle to prove that heavily indebted countries, led by Greece, will be able to avoid defaulting on their debts. This has led to bailouts for Greece, the Irish Republic and Portugal - but the crisis has continued and has weighed on bonds and stocks globally.

Even in Germany, the engine of European economic growth, Markit's survey showed factory activity has come to a standstill.

 
APA

And finally - Belfast

After two years of trying APA has now populated the UK with training locations and has finally delivered its first course in Northern Ireland.

Flying in from Luton to deliver the course, APA DG, Gareth Osborne said: "I am thrilled to be in Belfast and delivering a Diploma programme to a small but highly committed and professional group of PAs. I hope this is the first of many journeys I will be making to Northern Ireland. I have always loved the region and, as a Welshman, am happy that we have finally provided training across the UK."

Attendees were (L-R): Andrea Stewart, Brian Forsythe and Julie Maitland.

APA

New Diploma Awards and Entrants

Recently announced are Diploma awards; for Left: Audrey Stwart, Centre (L:R):Sukhi Kaur, Katie Manning and Jenni Newman.

New to the Diploma programme are : Right (L:R): Mary Brannigan, Jo Hawes, Heather Senu and Catherine Dernulc.

APA

Diplomas for the North and North East

With a busy Leeds City Centre in the background, Gareth Osborne, Director General of APA, presented Diplomas to successful northern candidates from Leeds and Newcastle recently.

Among the group are Distinction awardees Tara Chase and Emma Henry.

See (L-R) are: Karen Wright, Gaynor Butterwick, Gareth Osborne, Tara Chase and Emma Henry.

APA

National Minimum Wage Increase

The National Minimum Wage is the minimum amount that workers in the UK are entitled to be paid per hour.

On 1 October, this will increase by the following amounts:

·    The rate for workers aged 21 and over will increase from £5.93 to £6.08

·    The rate for workers aged 18 – 20 will increase from £4.92 to £4.98

·    The rate for workers aged 16 – 17 who are above school leaving age but under 18 will increase from £3.64 to £3.68

·    The rate for apprentices who are under 19 or 19 or over in their first year of apprenticeship will increase to from £2.50 to £2.60

APA

New retirement regulations from 1st October

The last day employees can be compulsorily retired using the DRA has passed and, from 1 October, employers will not be able to use the DRA to compulsorily retire employees.

In limited circumstances, employers will still be able to operate an employer-justified retirement age but such compulsory retirement ages are, in practice, very difficult to justify.

After 1 October 2011 and in the absence of an employer-justified retirement age, employers will only be able to dismiss an older employee by following a fair dismissal procedure and relying on one of the fair reasons for dismissal set out in section 98 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (such as conduct, capability or redundancy). Employers risk age discrimination and unfair dismissal claims if they do not follow a fair dismissal procedure.

APA

Agency Workers - new regulations apply

Saturday 1st October sees the introduction of the Agency Workers Regulations (AWR). These new regulations will see flexible workers becoming entitled to the same pay and treatment as the permanent staff they are working alongside, once they have been in the same role for 12 weeks.

The purpose of the Directive is to provide temporary agency workers with equal treatment in terms of basic working and employment conditions as if they had been employed directly to do the same job. Equal treatment under the Directive as reflected in the Regulations relates to basic working and employment conditions, those being: pay; working hours; overtime; breaks; rest periods; holidays; and access to training and collective facilities, such as childcare.

Today is a significant day for employers who use temporary workers and the recruitment industry that places them. For after years of tireless campaigning in Brussels and Westminster the Agency Worker Regulations (AWR) finally go live.

In the view of REC (the recruitment industry professional body) and APA, the Regulations are a sledgehammer to crack a nut and may cost UK employers over £2 billion a year in additional employment costs.

Gareth Osborne of APA said: “The implementation of the Directive will have major implications on the costs and use of agency workers and could severely damage available opportunities for workers already facing redundancy. Temporary work has historically been seen as a way back into work – alas, no more.”

“APA members should be aware that from today all agency workers (temps) must be paid at the same rate as the person they are replacing or covering for after 12 weeks of engagement.”

 
APA