Tax back for business

Hundreds of thousands of UK small business owners may be due a sizeable tax rebate from HMRC, according to a number of tax specialists. Any company that owns commercial premises has a high probability of receiving a capital allowances tax windfall to the tune of thousands, or even tens of thousands of pounds.

Research from accountancy firm Deloitte confirms that in nine cases out of ten, capital allowances reports will uncover a tax rebate for the owner of a commercial property. To date, it is claimed that the rebates have been recovered in the region of  £25,000 net for smaller UK commercial property owners, with the biggest tax rebate more than £10 million net. Because claims can be made historically, estimates suggest that there is £65-£70 billion of net tax rebate lying unclaimed in the UK's commercial property stock.

Smaller businesses that own commercial property are most likely to be due a rebate as their accountants will often not understand the intricacies of capital allowances and how to uncover them. For obvious reasons, HMRC isn’t shouting about it from the rooftops, either.

Many accountants appear to be too embarrassed to approach their clients about the issue, as this is something they should have alerted them to years back. The truth is that often these allowances are too complex for smaller accountants to understand but a cheque from HMRC would be a real boost at present.

APA

Sweden 8, Norway 2, Finland 3, Denmark 2 ad England 1

The weekend saw PAs from across Scandinavia travel to Stockholm for an APA PA Professional training session at a famous corporate hotel and spa. With the extra ‘entertainment’ of England playing Norway late afternoon and the Eurovision Song Contest in the evening spirits were high and competition between the countries was well-fuelled.

Fortunately the PA training provided more than enough physical and mental challenge and by the time the football kicked-off friendships overcame rivalries.

Gareth Osborne joined Anders Magnusson to talk team dynamics and managing leaders under stress and for the end of day refreshments and euro singing. The Swedish contingent was euphoric about their nation’s success but it was a bad day for Mette and Kristanna from Norway who saw their country crash out in both events; even finishing lower than ‘The Hump’.

For all PA training dates, locations and details email training@paprofessional.com

APA

Diploma sunshine

As the summer sun reached London a new group of PAs completed their programme for the APA Diploma in Personal Assistance (DipPA) in the glorious surroundings of the Meliã White House Hotel near Regents Park.

The final stage of training for the diploma is a combination of validation of prior learning, a series of scenario-based team exercises to test understanding and the last teaching sessions ahead of the final skills test. Again the course was found to be challenging but rewarding and gave attendees valuable tools and techniques to use for the benefit of themselves, their businesses and their bosses.

“This was another strong group and reinforced my belief that PAs are special people and their skills massively misunderstood, not by their bosses but, by others around them,” said Gareth Osborne who mentored this group. “They are increasingly an integrated element of the success of any organisation and vital in enabling their boss to achieve his or her strategic goals. As their real duties become better understood the so will their status and reward. I never cease to be impressed by their talents and diversity.”

Pictured (L-R) are three attendees: Karen Lovatt (from Abu Dhabi), Nasreen Burke and Samantha McElhill.

APA

Fun, fun, fun

APA has joined a call to urged government to reinvigorate its efforts to tackle sickness absence on the back of publication of the EEF/Westfield Health 2012 annual sickness absence report, which includes the UK’s largest private sector business survey of sickness absence.

The overall absence rate remains unchanged from 2010 (2.2%) as has the average working days lost to absence at just over 5 days per employee..

The issue itself has become increasingly significant with 55 per cent of companies expressing concerns in regard to short-term illness and unmotivated employees. However, only 5 per cent of companies currently monitor the cost of presenteeism.

APA Director General, Gareth Osborne said: “With the economy still suffering from weak or no growth we need to improve our economic performance and this requires the engagement of staff. I believe the climate is depressing and it affects workers across the board. Employers have to work hard to make work fun, it is tough but they have to remember there are only four reasons to come to work; money · money · fun and money. If we are deficient of three elements we have to work enormously hard to make work enjoyable.

APA Members can find details in the Members’ Area of the website on ‘How to make work fun’.

APA

Young talent abounds

It’s always good to work with new and aspiring PAs but this week’s London group of ‘PA Apprentices’ has been especially pleasing and bodes well for the future of the profession. Everyone attending was hungry for knowledge, tips and best practice and Liz Clayton FAPA DipPA joined the group to share her experiences and tips to maximise the potential of their respective bosses. Uniquely APA introduced a short 1-2-1 session for each attendee with Liz to enable them to share problems.

Pictured (L-R) are: Laura Wainright, Jenni Arnold, Amy Johnson and Deb Kerr were amongst the 12 junior PAs on the course.

Perhaps one of the most powerful tools taught on the programme is the APA 1-2-3 system for email management and all agreed that it would allow them to focus on the mail that matters. Amy Johnson AAPA said: “We a e inundated with unsolicited emails and it takes a lot of time to weed out the rubbish. Gareth gave us a series of easy to remember tips to reduce the volume and increase the importance of the ones that matter most. I think the course will help make my life easier and give me more time to look after my boss.”  Jenni Arnold added “It was brilliant, the best training I have ever had.”

Gareth Osborne said: “This was one of the liveliest groups ever; full of passion, enthusiasm and a will to get it right for their boss, or bosses to be. I would employ every one of them!”

APA

Technology Stinks

Technical problems including email and internet failures have been voted the most stressful office issue for workers.

Some 31% of office staff find internet and emails breaking down the most annoying occurrence, according to a new survey. An unrealistic workload came in second with almost 18% finding that there aren't enough hours in the day to get through their tasks. 14% said that a bad commute is the most stressful part of their working day, coming third in the poll.

A spokesperson said: 'Many of us don’t realise how stressful the office environment can be as it just melts into the fabric of everyday life. It’s no surprise that internet malfunctions came top of the list. In today’s technology-driven age so much of what we do is totally reliant on being online we often feel lost and frustrated without it.'

Other items on the list included compiling end-of-period reports (11%) and people being late for meetings (9 per cent). Eight % went out on a limb to identify their boss as the most annoying thing about going to work, with 6% citing demanding clients as the main reason behind their working frustrations.

APA

New CEO @ CIPD

CIPD has today announced the appointment of Peter Cheese as its new chief executive.

He will take over at the helm of the institute from July 2nd, is best known for his long career with Accenture, where he was Global Managing Partner, responsible for the Talent and Organisation Performance Consulting Practice. Since leaving Accenture in 2009, he has pursued a portfolio of board level business interests, academic work, public policy engagement, consulting and platform speaking work.

Peter takes over from Jackie Orme, who announced in January that she was to stand aside for health reasons. APA wishes Jackie well and applauds an outstanding track record of achievement for CIPD under her stewardship.

Peter said: “I am excited at the opportunity to lead the CIPD in these pivotal times for business and employment. Now, more than ever, we need an HR profession that can help people and organisations to be the best that they can be.”

APA wishes Peter Cheese well and hope to have an ongoing relationship with CIPD and all HR practitioners.

APA

New Research Fund

Science Minister David Willetts is poised to announce a new £100 million investment fund to support the establishment of research partnerships between universities, businesses, charities and philanthropic donors. The Research Partnership Investment Fund will be open to universities in he UK looking for investment in long term capital projects which leverage in significant private funding.

Institutions will be given the opportunity to bid for between £10 million and £35 million per project, and should be able to demonstrate that that they can attract at least double the amount given in private investment. Each application will be judged on whether it represents good value for money, and how much it will build on existing research capabilities.

The Minister said: “Collaboration between universities, charities and industry is vital for our economy, and attracts significant private investment in our world leading research base. The new Fund will bring together leading institutions and organisations. It will support excellent projects, which could include the purchase of high cost equipment through to stimulating the development of a new research campus and encourage innovation, drive growth and job creation.”

 
APA supports the government’s ongoing commitment to innovation, technology, research and the universities.

APA

K9 stunts

I’m not usually a lover of talent shows but I have to say this evening’s final of Britain’s Got Talent not only proved that fact but also knocked the typical Royal Variety Performance into a cocked hat.

It’s great to know we can still muster a show with such diversity, ability and charm. Every act performed wonderfully and made me wonder what talent we have in the ranks of our membership. Could there be a case for ‘PAs have talent’ – why not write in and let us hear about your performance skills. I know for sure that Dalya Bernstein FAPA can knock out a good tune as she proved at the recent ExecSec Summit to entertain her peers.

Ashleigh and Pudsey were outstanding and worthy winners but frankly it was a tough call and everyone deserves a chance at stardom – perhaps they all need a good celebrity PA.

Gareth, APA

APA on the Queen's Speech

Gareth Osborne, Director General of APA gave the following thoughts on the Queen’s Speech. He said, ‘The proposed review of funding for business could offer some hope that there may be more financial support available on the horizon. The Speech did reveal a new Banking Reform Bill, to be published in June, which will possibly see a loosening of red tape for customers; hopefully individual and business alike.”

“Employment legislation is still applied too tightly in the UK and offers employers little room to manoeuvre. This constrains rather than encourages employment; which desperately needs to be stimulated. Some relaxation is possible without encroaching unreasonably on employee rights.”

He added: “Parental leave measures, which give parents more flexibility makes great sense and will allow them to determine how they use their allowances. However, the government should be careful not to use this as an opportunity to increase levels of leave. Sharing the allowance is fine, but putting heavier burdens on business in these tough times would cause severe difficulty.’

Overall, Osborne believes the government is right to place deficit reduction and economic stability at the forefront of their programme, but he adds, ‘We need to see measures pursued enthusiastically in practice, not just in principle to restore business (and employment) confidence.”

 
APA

Degree Taster

Today saw the realisation of the long-trailed Middlesex University and APA PA Degree Taster Day at the Meliã White House hotel in London’s West End.

Attendees where able to meet the degree course leader, Dr. Paul Griseri, and APA DG, Gareth Osborne as they talked about the development, content and delivery of this highly flexible and achievable degree programmes. It was explained that each programme is discussed with and tailored for each individual participant to ensure it accurately meets their precise need.

Paul gave a practical demonstration of the University’s extremely user-friendly online learning resource; the tool that enables this degree to be studied by PAs working from their office or at home, and he went on to deliver a section of one Module on Corporate Governance. The presentation sparked considerable discussion amongst PA attendees on a wide range of strategic topics and allowed Paul to tackle some challenging questions posed.

Place are currently available for enrolment in September 2012; which gives PAs plenty of time to attend the APA Diploma in Personal Assistance (DipPA) programme and gain exemption from one third of the BA degree course.

PA interested in learning more about the degree should contact APA on 0800 107 1030 or the University at pa@mdx.ac.uk.

APA (with Middlesex University Business School – working together for the professionalization of PAs)

Pictured (L–R) are: Joanne O’Rourke, Jackie Deveney, Leanne Homewood, Dr. Paul Griseri, Sukhi Kaur, Sam Herridge.

Singapore summation

APA Director Laura Richardson FAPA of Elexon Ltd recently flew out to Singapore to take part in the UNI Strategic World of Executive PA 2012 Conference (18-20 April 2012), and was part of a speaker line up that also included two very well-respected and award winning PAs - Victoria Darragh FAPA of Hays and Karin van Peursen from the Netherlands.

Victoria presented on the importance of networking; she gave an insight into how she set up the award-winning Hays PA Network and Karin spoke about the PA profession in the Netherlands. Laura shared her own views on the different roles top PAs perform and, from her own experience in marketing roles, the similarities between a brand manager and executive personal assistant.

The conference attracted some of the very best PAs from all over South East Asia and Australia who have reported gaining great value from their association with their European peers.

APA Members can see Laura’s full report in the forthcoming members’ e-newsletter.

APA

A taste of the future

Recruiters tell us that more and more employers ask for PAs with a suitable degree.

Next week, 10th May, APA will be hosting a Middlesex University Taster day for PAs to get a flavour of the Bachelors Degree in Business Administration for PAs, developed jointly with APA, and what PAs can expect and how, using the latest technologies, MU is delivering the programme for maximum effectiveness.

Attendance is free and the event, to be held at the outstanding Meliã White House hotel in London; opposite Great Portland Street tube, will run from 10.00 am to 2.00 pm and will include a sample lecture by course leader, Dr. Paul Griseri and present a fabulous opportunity for PAs to find out how to enhance their life and career potential through academic achievement.

All those interested should immediately contact shelley.young@paprofessional.com to reserve one of the strictly limited places available.

 
APA

Bad management prevails

New research from CIPD has found that three quarters of employers report a lack of leadership and management skills and too many managers have an inflated opinion of their ability to manage people. In response, the CIPD is urging Government and employers to recognise that just a small increase in capability amongst the UK's eight million people managers would make a significant contribution to productivity and growth.

According to it’s research, 72% of employers report a deficit of leadership and management skills*. However, CIPD's quarterly Employee Outlook survey of 2,000 employees, released today, also suggests that one problem in tackling this skills deficit is that many managers don't know how bad they are at managing people.

APA recognised this deficiency years ago and incorporated both leadership and management training in its Diploma programme; not just for up-skilling PAs but also to give them the tools to better support and encourage their bosses. Members can see more on this subject in the next APA e-newsletter.

APA

A sticky situation

Now call me Mr. Angry and I don’t often use this space to gripe but chewing gum is starting to take over my life. Within the last two weeks I have had it ‘thoughtfully’ left on the seat I used on a train into London; causing me to attend meetings all day with it stuck to my rear. I escaped the tube recently in Leicester Square to find a myriad of Council workers with high pressure hoses trying to clean thousands of chewed and ejected globules from the pavement in the rain (it becomes a very slippery substance to walk on when it has impacted) and yesterday I ended the day with it stuck to my shoe.

Now, am I just unlucky or are the latex masticators targeting me for some earlier crime against Wrigleys?

For me the best way to control irresponsible chewers is to tax gum; the Chancellor needs the money and the cleaning must cost a fortune, or do as they have done in Singapore, legislate against its import or sale (since 1992). If members have strong views (either way) please let us know.

PS. Does anyone know a way to get it off my suit!

Gareth, APA

Large v. small

Small businesses are still struggling to win public sector contracts despite the government's efforts to make it easier, research finds. The latest figures from a survey of 2,700 companies by the FSB reveal that 40% of small operators believe the tendering process for public sector contracts is too complex, while 37% think they are sidelined by public officials who believe bigger must be better. The findings come despite the government's launch of its Contracts Finder website designed to make it easier for small firms to find and bid for public sector work.

Although one in seven companies had bid for a public sector contract in the last year, 41% failed to secure any business from any of the bids they had submitted. Of those that had won contracts, only a quarter say they had found the Contracts Finder website useful, with twice that number relying on personal contacts and referrals. Two fifths of small businesses still want a simplified tendering process, with 38 per cent believing that public sector bosses should evaluate tenders based on experience and ability rather than on the size and turnover of bidding firms.

APA is calling for all parts of the public sector to agree to the range of measures to support small firms detailed in the Procurement Pledge published by the government last week. APA Director General Gareth Osborne says, “There is some evidence that government is trying to break the large business strong-hold on public sector contracts but clearly more must be done. Without a true culture change across the public sector the initiatives will have little impact.”

APA

Weekend Workout

This weekend saw another in the new ‘APA Weekend Workout' training sessions for PAs from across the UK.

Delegates, with partners, checked in at the Country House Hotel for a full days training on Saturday followed by a joint evening meal and a free day on Sunday for a relaxing late breakfast (served until 2pm) or free access to enjoy the leisure facilities and sporting activities before departure that afternoon.

All enjoyed the event; marking it a massive average score of 9.25 out of ten, and Lara Endicott said: “This was the perfect combination of business and pleasure. The company paid for the training and accommodation but our partners had the opportunity to be nearby, enjoy the social element and relax while we worked. Everyone got on wonderfully together. It was an inspirational way to learn and the training was outstanding.”

Sue Browne added: “I’ve been a PA for over twenty years and have never been made to feel so special before. I will return to the office with a new lease of life

Pictured (L-R) are: Helen Gibson, Sam Grimes, Lara Endicott, Jenny Shipman, Joanne Al Desima, Susan Browne and Anni Helmond.

APA

In love?

APA wants to find out if you love being a Personal Assistant. When you get up and out of bed is it with a spring in your step?  Or do you come across that Sunday night feeling one too many times?

It’s hard not to come across inspirational speakers and anecdotes that tell us ‘if you love what you do then it’s no longer work’ etc. Steve Jobs gave a speech and some advice to the graduates at Stanford College: 

“You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it.”

And as we progress through our working life we are always reminded to check if we’re on track, or do we need to make a change to ensure we’re doing a job that gives us satisfaction, fulfilment and reward.  The School of Life, based near Euston even offers a ‘How to find the job you love class’ to try and help establish what you want from your working life.

Then there is also the fear, am I in the wrong place and just too afraid to make the leap?  Throw in some news headlines telling us about rising unemployment rates and this can increase the fear factor or even leave no option.  If you feel you need an extra push, books like ‘who moved my cheese’ tell us we should avoid getting stuck with ‘old cheese’. This is handed out on the APA diploma course.

So, tell us, do you love being a Personal Assistant?

Katie Manning FAPA