Piggyback to Success

Six of Britain’s top entrepreneurs have offered to help small companies build their business proposals about better value services to a government ‘Dragons’ Den’-styled panel.

The entrepreneurs will coach representatives from small and medium-sized enterprises that have submitted successful ideas for innovative and cost-saving government goods and services to the recently launched online Innovation Launch Pad.

The mentors will include Jon Moulton, founder and managing director of private equity firm Better Capital, and Mike Lynch, co-founder of software start-up Autonomy. SMEs from every industry are invited to submit a 500 word proposal on how their goods and services could help save the government money or deliver better outcomes. Civil servants will vote for the ideas judged to have the greatest potential. The chosen business representatives will then present their ideas to a panel of senior government business officials, following coaching by the entrepreneurs.

Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude says, ‘We want to make it easy for small businesses to tell us their ideas, as they will have a vital role to play in helping us to find new, innovative and more cost effective ways to improve services to the public.’

APA

Not-so-smart Phone

With their expensive taste in gadgets, iPhone users may appear to have ample disposable income, but almost one in five owners of the must-have phone admit that their main bank account is always overdrawn.

This is around double the national average, with one in ten Britons admitting to being constantly in the red. In comparison, 54 per cent of those who own a phone that uses the rival Android operating system and half of BlackBerry owners say they are never overdrawn.

The figures were revealed in a survey that found financial status and salary can be linked to what type of smartphone you use. Those who use an Android or BlackBerry are also more likely to earn more than those with an iPhone.

The YouGov poll found that 10 per cent of BlackBerry owners earned more than £50,000 a year, but only 5 per cent of iPhone users reached this salary bracket.50 per cent of iPhone users earn less than £20,000 a year, compared with 38 per cent who own a BlackBerry and 27 per cent of Android users.

The Android has overtaken the iPhone as Britain’s most popular smartphone with 28 per cent of those polled owning a device powered by Android, compared with Apple’s 26 per cent. Only 14 per cent of the 2,000 people questioned said they used a BlackBerry.

Anne Droid, APA

Women will be biggest winners with new flat-rate payment

A new flat-rate pension is expected to be worth at least £155 a week for each individual, it emerged this week and Ministers will soon press ahead with proposals for the most radical reform of the state pension system since its inception.

The new system will provide a guaranteed level of support greater than the amount people currently get through the basic state pension and means-tested pension credit. Women, who often do not receive a full state pension as a result of taking time out of work to look after children, will be the biggest winners as a result of the flat-rate payment.

But it will only be available to people reaching the state pension age from now, rather than existing pensioners. It had been expected that it would be about £140, but because it will not come into effect until 2015 or 2016, inflation will push the figure up.

The current full state pension is £97.65 a week for an individual, but is topped up to ensure a minimum income of £132.60. For a couple, the full state pension is £156.15 or at least £202.40 when pension credit is added. This will also rise under the new system.

APA

Death of a business legend

Business legend Edward Stobart, whose trucking empire is so famous it has a 25,000-strong fan base, has died aged 56.The Cumbria-based business was started by his father named Eddie; who out lives him.

But it was Edward who saw it grow from a fertiliser delivery firm into one of the biggest haulage companies in the country, employing more than 5,000 workers and running 2,250 distinctive trucks and creating such a distinctive brand that it is known worldwide.

Mr Stobart sold the company to his brother William and his business partner Andrew Tinkler in 2004 and had since dabbled in other business ventures.

Last night Theo de Pencier, Chief Executive of the Freight Transport Association, said: “The haulage industry owes him a debt of gratitude for the way he brought a personal and human touch to the sector and helped earn public respect." APA also salutes his achievements.

APA

Marginally Better

GDP growth contracted 0.5 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2010, revised from the 0.6 per cent decline previously published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

GDP at the end of last year is now 1.5 per cent higher than in the fourth quarter of 2009. The ONS also altered business investment figures for the last three months of 2010 to show no growth when compared to the previous quarter. However, business investment was 12.2 per cent higher than the same period in 2009.

David Kern, chief economist at the British Chambers of Commerce, acknowledges that the figures for GDP growth are ‘marginally better’ than the previous estimate but says they do not alter the ‘broad picture’. While output among the production industries has been revised up to 0.8 per cent in the latest quarter, with output in the manufacturing sector rising 1.1 per cent, output in the service industries fell by 0.6 per cent.

Gareth Osborne, Director General of APA said: ‘We are encouraged to see a smaller decline in services than was expected, but the sector’s performance is still disappointing. ‘The UK economy is clearly still facing many challenges in the months ahead. The most significant impact comes from the stalled property market and we believe it will be another five years before we see a real upturn in that area.’

APA agrees with BCC’s call to the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee to not increase interest rates ‘prematurely’ in order to avoid the risk of an ‘economic setback’.

APA

What PAs are saying about APA training and qualifications

Pictured (L-R): Tara Chase, Aimie Stephens, Lisa Fawcett & Sam Herridge

“As an experienced PA looking for a recognised qualification, I am really pleased to have been introduced to The Association of Personal Assistants (APA) and have subsequently joined at Fellow Grade.” “I attended Day 1 of The Diploma which brings a valued credibility to the role of PA which is often misunderstood and undervalued. The course content is both enlightening and directly transferable to improving my daily performance. I am looking forward to Module 2. A stimulating and enjoyable day. Thank you APA.” Tara Chase, RPMI

“I thoroughly enjoyed the first module of the Diploma Programme and came away feeling very motivated and inspired. PA’s are a real asset to their manager and to the business and for me this module really brought home the importance of our role. I’m really looking forward to implementing some of the ideas we discussed and improving the way I work.” Aimie Stephens, TRACKER

“I found yesterday very inspiring, I think there is a whole world of opportunities for PA’s, they are able to do so much more than just manage calendars and send emails! I thought I was the only one who felt like this, but meeting the other girls yesterday, they too feel the same. I want to be able to show my full potential and take on more challenges.” Lisa Fawcett, Transport for London

“A great course to learn new ways of approaching your work and your relationship with your boss. Very useful for stimulating new ways of thinking.” Sam Herridge, ELEXON

APA

PA in Parliament

In her recent visit to the House of Commons to meet Minister for Housing and Local Government, the Rt. Hon. Grant Shapps MP, Laura Richardson discussed the important role played by PAs in all sectors of employment and the need for affordable housing for lower salaried employees in the UK. During the discussion the Minister reported forthcoming announcements which were subsequently revealed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in this week’s Budget.

Laura said: “This was not my first visit to the Commons but it was my first as the ‘PA of the Year’ lobbying on behalf of APA and its Members. I enjoyed the exchange with the Minister; he listened attentively and clearly understood the role played by PAs, he thoroughly endorsed and shared our passion for their importance.

The following Housing measures were announced this week.

• Bank levy to fund 250m to help first time buyers buy newly built homes
• New Government-backed shared equity scheme to help 10,000 first time buyers

APA welcome the announcements but encourages the government to introduce reductions in income tax to make more disposable income available to fund housing costs for first time buyers and especially young professionals.

APA

APA's Budget Review 2011

Announcing his second Budget today, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, has sought to signal that the Coalition Government’s economic policy extends beyond deficit reduction and includes a plan for growth, while also setting out a range of measures to relieve the pressure on taxpayers.

Amongst the major announcements was a further 1% cut in corporation tax; moves towards a simplified taxation system; support for first time buyers through the introduction of a shared equity scheme; and likely to be the most popular of the measures, the introduction of a Fair Fuel Stabiliser and an immediate 1p cut in fuel duty.

The statement lacked the drama of the Coalition’s first Budget last June, which set out its intention to all but wipe out the deficit by the end of this Parliament. Its political significance cannot be underestimated however, at a time when public dissatisfaction is rising in line with the rise in petrol prices and inflation and with the Chancellor already under pressure after the 0.6% contraction in the economy in the last quarter of 2010.

APA is generally happy with the proposals made and especially welcomes attention to the needs of new, young homeowners and the measures to support and fund small business.

APA Director General, Gareth Osborne, said: “Given the extremely difficult climate I believe the Chancellor has created an intelligent and pacifying budget with sufficient good news to offer some assistance to many sectors of the economy, without doing anything too rash. All-in-all a pretty this is a fair attempt to maintain a general belief in the Coalition’s strategy for recovery.”

APA Members can find a full review of the Budget by visiting the Members' Area of the website and selecting the News Section. This also provides a link to the full Budget document.

APA

More women in the boardroom

Gareth Osborne, Director General of APA, has welcomed the publication of Lord Davies' review, Women in the Boardroom, which calls for firms to adopt voluntary targets in order to achieve a minimum of 25% female representation on boards by 2015.

Gareth said: "Everyone involved in the governance of British firms now needs to step back and recognise that there needs to be a fundamental shift in established perceptions of what a great board member looks like. That is the only way we will ensure we get to and beyond the 20% target swiftly and in a sustainable way.

“Jackie Orme of CIPD put it well when she said that meeting Lord Davies' objectives must be about more than skirts on seats. Board members should continue to be appointed on merit - but the definitions of what constitutes 'merit' has to be revised. We need to get better at drawing from non-traditional sources and the benefits of that approach will extend far beyond getting more women around the table. It holds out the prospect of generating a vibrant new generation of board members, capable of challenging orthodoxy, banishing group think, and generating more sustainable growth for their firms.”

"By seizing this opportunity to challenge established norms, we'll do so much more than just ensuring women are allowed to make up the numbers. Lord Davies has created a platform we can build on - but everyone involved in the governance of our biggest firms now needs to step up and play their part."

APA

Its growth Jim but not as we know it

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) forecasts growth for the economy in 2011, but warns that the pace of recovery will be slow. The knock-on impact of December’s bad weather has stifled enterprise and the business group now expects this year’s GDP growth rate to be 1.8 per cent, down slightly from an ‘already sluggish’ 2.0 per cent.

Although risks remain, the CBI maintains its view that the risk of a double dip recession is low.
Fears of a return to negative growth were heightened by official figures suggesting that GDP shrank by 0.5 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2010.

John Cridland, CBI director-general says, ‘The early estimate for GDP growth in the final quarter of last year came as a surprise to everyone, suggesting that underlying growth may have been weaker than previously thought.’ He adds that next year may bring better fortunes. ‘We must wait and see just how weak it was, and how much was down to December’s bad weather, but we do expect growth in 2011, albeit rather anaemic and sluggish, which will accelerate during 2012.’

APA

Business Advice – SMEs know best

New business owners prefer to do their own research rather than relying on information made available by the government according to a survey by software company Sage of 1,510 UK businesses. Just 14 per cent view business advice from the government as something they would depend on.

Less than a quarter of business owners (21 per cent) think the government is doing enough to provide sufficient support for those starting a business. As a result, many have resorted to their own desk research to get the information they need, with 40 per cent of respondents relying on internet searches, while 34 per cent mostly look to newspapers, journals and magazines for business information and advice.

Paul Stobart, CEO of Sage Northern Europe, says, ‘The resilience of SMEs in the UK is quite remarkable. Despite red tape, lack of access to capital, and a nervous economic environment, the SME is coming out fighting, determined to invest in and grow their business.”

Gareth Osborne of APA said: “Sage is right to praise small business tenacity but things have always been the same. Government shouldn’t be telling new businesses what to do; it should simply be directing them to appropriate professional bodies. APA can provide all the professional advice PAs need if they chose to start their own business and if they are providing services outside the profession then they should look to other similar bodies for help.”

APA

PAs at the heart of government

APA has today called on BIS, the Government Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, to recognise the important role played by PAs, as the principal supporters of business leaders, across all sectors in the UK.

Ahead of the launch of its Annual Business Leaders Survey APA Director General, Gareth Osborne, reiterated to Government the important role played by PAs in the effectiveness of every organisation, he said: “Our survey, now in its fourth year, has consistently shown that a great PA can increase a CEO’s personal organisational effectiveness (productivity) by as much as 45%. And, given the huge differential in remuneration, demonstrates why a PA is such a major asset to Directors and Senior Managers. Every leader should have one.”

APA is proactively promoting the significant advantage of PAs, especially to early-stage new businesses, as Government cuts are likely to causes redundancies in the public sector. Gareth, himself an entrepreneur with numerous successful businesses behind him, said: “Most businesses are started by two people, both having a skill or passion for the purpose of the business (two recruiters will start a recruitment agency). As experts in their field they possess the passion to make the early stage business successful and profitable. They work hard and grow and start to recruit specialist staff who need to be managed, and founders progressively find themselves doing less of income generating work and more of the things they are neither trained for nor good at. The solution is easy, one great PA will take all the day-to-day work from them and handle a range of varied and challenging tasks, leaving them free to be the best in their specialist field.”

‘Great PAs Pay’ is a training course recently launched by APA to show Directors how to recruit, train and use a PA for maximum effect. For further details contact training@paprofessional.com

APA

Sickness cheats

APA is supporting Government plans to conduct a review of sickness absence as part of its shake-up of the welfare reform system.

In an Absence Management survey (CIPD 2010) it was found that the average level of absence is 7.7 days per employee per year, with nine out of ten employers saying absence is a significant cost to their business.

In launching the review the Prime Minister said: “A short spell of sickness can far too easily become a gradual slide to a lifetime of benefit dependency,” and APA welcomes the weight he is throwing behind efforts to solve this seemingly intractable problem. Employers, government, and voluntary and private sector providers need to work together to do more to stop people falling out of work for long periods.

APA will work closely to ensure any initiatives are fair and even-handed and encourages members to share their views on the matter asap.

APA

One Lump or Two?

I like to watch Masterchef on the BBC, and have done for many years. I am particularly fond of the humble potato and its versatility, and enjoy eating potatoes in all their different guises.

I have found myself getting more and more annoyed with the two presenters dislike and disgust when presented with lumpy mashed potatoes.

You could say that mashed potatoes with a few lumps are rustic and more interesting in their texture. Let me know your opinion, and whether you would vote for lumpy or not.

Shelley Young, APA

Credit where it is due

Pictured are: Debbie Walker (L) and Maureen Davis (R) with ‘PA of the Year’ Laura Richardson.

APA has today announced the award of more Diplomas in Personal Assistance (DipPA). The results of three programmes, totalling 11 PAs, were judged earlier this week by a panel of APA Fellows and the successful delegates were informed today.

The Director General, Gareth Osborne, praised all the new Diploma holders for their commitment to career development and hoped that some would go on to enrol for the new PA Degree. Speaking about the Diploma he said: “It is a challenging and rewarding programme and most attendees feel that it will add significantly to their career, the support they give their Boss and the business. The Diploma teaches some state of the art PA tools and techniques and recognises that PAs are managers; managing the business’s key asset, its senior staff. We are always pleased by how well the course is received and work hard to ensure it is relevant and demanding.”

One recent attendee, Mo Davis FAPA DipPA (pictured right) said: “The Diploma has encouraged me to question information presented to ensure correct outcomes are achieved.”

Further information about APA training can be found on the website: paprofessional.com or by emailing training@paprofessional.com.

APA

UK unemployment total rises again

UK unemployment rose by 44,000 to almost 2.5 million in the three months to the end of December, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said. Youth unemployment rose to a fresh record high, with more than one in five 16 to 24-year-olds out of work after a rise of 66,000 to 965,000.

The unemployment rate is now 7.9%, with youth unemployment running at 20.5%.
The number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance also increased, by 2,400 last month to 1.46 million.

Prime Minister David Cameron said unemployment, particularly among the young, was "a matter of great regret". But he stressed that it had been a problem for some time.

The number of people in part-time work because they could not find a full-time job rose by 44,000 to 1.19 million, another high since records began in 1992.

"The latest UK labour market figures provide further evidence that the jobs recovery has gone into reverse as public sector cuts start to bite and the faltering economy disrupts business," said APA Director General Gareth Osborne.

Long-term unemployment also deteriorated, with 17,000 more people out of work for more than a year, to a total of 833,000. Other data from the ONS showed that average earnings rose by 1.8% in the year to December last year, slightly down on the 2.1% growth in the year to November. The figures also showed that unemployment fell in Scotland by 13,000, but rose in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

APA

Redundant Britain

Redundancies look set to rise sharply in the first quarter of 2011 in the public sector as Government cuts bite, according to this quarter's Labour Market Outlook from CIPD and KPMG, but job creation in the private sector offers some hope to the overall employment picture.

The survey of 750 employers indicates that overall employment levels, which have held up relatively well in 2010, are heading for a fall in 2011. The Labour Market Outlook net employment index, which measures the difference between the proportion of employers that intend to increase total staffing levels and those that intend to decrease total staffing levels in the first quarter of 2011, has fallen to -3 from +11 in the past three months.

However, the private sector will continue to generate jobs growth, with manufacturing (+20) and private sector services (+20) providing the majority of the jobs. In sharp contrast, two thirds of public sector organisations (-66) will be looking to reduce the size of their workforces in the first quarter of 2011.

Redundancy intentions have risen to their highest level since the survey began across the whole economy and are highest in the public sector where more than half (52%) of public sector employers intend to make redundancies in the first three months of 2011. More than three-quarters (77%) of local government employers plan to make cuts to their workforces.

APA is mindful of the likelihood that many public sector PAs will be looking for reemployment and has offered help to all Government Departments.

APA

Qualification are popular with PAs

APA training numbers continue to soar and again it has been asked to add new training dates and locations to its already busy calendar of events for 2011. It has been please to oblige. New dates have been added across the UK; especially for the highly popular Diploma in Persona Assistance (DipPA) – which now acts as an entry level qualification for the new PA Degree (BA & MA) with Middlesex University. There is no better time to train and a great PA will give a guaranteed return on the investment.

Contact APA for more details; training@paprofessional.com

Here are some of the recent attendees;

Left - London Diploma Programme (L:R) Hannah Baker, Vina Pancholi, Aisling O’Meara, Paula Clubbe and Dawn Coultard.
Right - Edinburgh Diploma Programme: (L:R) Terri Geering, Aisha Adams, Lorna Campbell, Lyn Macarthur, Phyl Lamont and Maggie Anderson (APA Trainer).

APA

BA raises fuel surcharge again

British Airways says it will increase its fuel surcharge on long-haul flights for the second time in three months.

From Tuesday, 8 February, passengers will pay at least an extra £12 per journey sector - taking the surcharge to between £75 and £125 depending on flight length and class of travel.

BA said the increase was the result of the rising cost of oil and jet fuel since the last rise in December.

Short-haul flights are unaffected by the changes.

APA

APA has this week launched its first course designed and developed exclusively for Directors and Senior Managers. Titled “Great PAs Pay” the programme plans to demonstrate best practice and share expertise on how to maximise the potential of a personal assistant and work with her/him as a team.

APA Director General, Gareth Osborne said: “In its founding survey APA asked the CEOs of the Top 5,000 UK businesses about the increase in productivity (personal business effectiveness) they attributed to their PA. The averaged response suggested an increase in performance of 35% - a huge result and a fantastic ROI. In working with the 1000+ PAs who have attended our training and qualification programmes we have learned that the Bosses need some direction too and this is our solution.”

On the one day course Directors and Senior Managers will be exposed to a series of unique tools and techniques to assure better use of time, greater adherence to strategic tasks, ways to keep work within the workplace for better work:life balance and how to assign trivia to the trash.

The course will be lead by Gareth Osborne, himself a CEO of both large and small businesses, and he will be joined by notable directors and award winning PAs. He says: “This is not another time management programme this is a detailed psychological evaluation of what will work you every attendee and why. Getting it right will add directly to the bottom line and help reduce the stresses and strains of working life.”

The course costs £499 + VAT and brave attendees are invited to bring their PA with them for just £50 more. They will initially be held in London, Birmingham and Leeds are start in March.

For more details visit the APA website, email training@paprofessional.com or call 0800 107 1030.

APA

Times are still tough but .....

This quarter's Employee Outlook Survey from CIPD illustrates the extent to which employees are concerned about their standard of living, as inflation continues to erode the real value of wages. The survey of 2,000 employees finds almost a third of staff say their standard of living has worsened over the last six months compared to 10% who say that it has improved.

On top of this, more than half of employees report their organisation has either frozen pay (46%) or cut pay (7%). Highlighting the growing impact of spending cuts on the public sector in particular, the survey finds that seven in ten public sector workers have had their pay either frozen (63%) or cut (6%). This compares to 42% of private sector employees who've seen their pay frozen, and 7% who've seen it cut.

There's also a growing sense of realism in the public sector relating to the risk of redundancy. The survey shows that a fifth of all employees (20%) believe it is likely they could lose their job, but in the public sector this figure rises to 31%, up from 25% last quarter. In the private and voluntary sectors, however, redundancy expectations have remained largely static, standing at 17% and 22% respectively, compared to 17% and 23% last quarter.

Gareth Osborne of APA said: "At a time when employees are feeling the effects of financial pressure employers need to deliver consistently high quality leadership and management on the front line. How managers communicate, consult, coach and develop staff is critical. Many leading organisations in both the public and private sectors are already prioritising improving people management capability and employee engagement as they recognise this is central to gaining competitive advantage. These employers are looking closely at how they develop and support managers (including PAs). APA is seeing an increase in PA training this year by companies positioning themselves for recovery."

APA

Guilt free tasty treats needed for the New Year?! A PA to the rescue!

So we’re still in January (just), everyone’s favourite month for detoxing, dieting and generally shunning all the indulgences that we enjoyed so shamelessly in December! But I find that as we near the end of this tough little month, the cravings for treats become harder and harder to silence, yet the guilt at not being able to quite make it to February 1st is also hideous! This year I decided I needed to hunt out treats that were NOT a.) yet another piece of fruit, or b.) a ‘low cal’ version that frankly has such a long list of artificial ingredients that you wonder whether the full fat version might actually be better for you and c.) the full fat version, (not until February at least!)

So, I did a little googling, and lo and behold a PA has come to my rescue! The lady in question is Jenna Barclay, who has held arguably one of the most sought after PA positions in the UK- PA to Tamara Mellon, founder of Jimmy Choo! Not content on resting on her laurels, Jenna has now founded her own business- Up Cakes (www.upcakes.co.uk). Jenna is a nutritional therapist in training, and she became frustrated with the lack of products on the market that were free from refined sugar, dairy, eggs and wheat, but still tasted like the 'real thing'. She began experimenting- making cupcakes, brownies, cookies, biscotti, and other sweet treats that could fit into a healthy lifestyle and now her delicious ‘choc bites’ are available online to purchase. Suitable for people with a number of dietary intolerances, and those of you who, like me, has a sweet tooth that won’t stay quiet, but a conscience that wants to stay a little healthy!

Such a brilliant business idea can only be the work of a talented PA!

Laura Richardson FAPA DipPA
UK 'PA of the Year' 2010/11

Banks fail business again

The government has been accused of failing in new attempts to secure an agreement with the UK's biggest banks over small business lending, it has been reported. According to the BBC, governance issues are jeopardising the provision of up to £200 million to the ailing sector in 2011.

Banking bosses are concerned about targets for lending to weaker businesses, believing such loans may represent a poor investment for shareholders. The news provider said an announcement on the lending programme was expected last week, but negotiations with the banks are now set to continue.

Gareth Osborne of APA said: “The Government has not done enough to force the cooperation of the banking sector. It is time for the Banks to recognise that small business investment is the only way to re-inflate employment and employment is the only long term solution for recovery. Unless they are planning on putting it all on a sure-thing at Ascot (and they tried that strategy with the sub-prime market and lost the lot!) government should toughen up and force the banks to act.”

Speaking to the BBC, Ed Balls, the shadow chancellor said: "At this critical time for our economy and for the prospects of a strong recovery, the banks should be playing their part in supporting small and medium-sized businesses".

APA

PA Pathway

With New Year’s resolutions well-and truly made and lapsed, now is the time for some serious commitment to your career and the future. APA has two solid recommendations for PAs looking to develop, progress and reap greater reward in an ever tightening economy.

The watch word in business for the coming years has to be: ‘productivity’. With companies looking to employ fewer people or achieve higher output everyone will have to be more effective or work harder. To be more effective requires a serious strategy and enhanced knowledge.

For a PA, one of the best investments for an increase in effectiveness is in training and development and there is no better programme to enrol for than the APA Diploma in Personal Assistance (DipPA). Courses are now running monthly across the UK.

Shown left are some of the latest delegates (L:R) are: Abbie Reynolds, Carol Rockley and Andrew Barrett.

The second suggestion for career-minded PAs is to start a CPD (continuing professional development) regime – see the APA website for more details.

Gareth, APA

Tough times for those without experience

Commenting on the Government's plans to expand work experience opportunities, Gareth Osborne, Director General of APA said: "The recent recession has been particularly hard on young people. They are now likely to remain at the back of the hiring queue; as more experienced people cut in front, if they don't gain the opportunities to make them more attractive to employers.”

Research by CIPD shows employers are reluctant to hire from groups where they feel basic job skills, experience and reliability are lacking. Work experience is a perfect way to break the vicious circle of ‘no experience means no job’, and gives young people an opportunity to develop and demonstrate the skills and commitment employers need.

APA is committed to working with government to make a success of efforts to get more people off welfare and back into work, and I urge APA members to go out of their way to make use of the new work experience matching service that the Government and Jobcentre Plus have unveiled this week.

The CIPD/KPMG Labour Market Outlook recently found that:

- 16% of employers exclude 19-24 year olds with few or no qualifications from the recruitment process
- A further 4% exclude people with a history of long-term unemployment
- Younger workers with no qualifications and those with a history of long-term unemployment are deemed to perform worse than other employees

APA

Petrol prices leap

VAT and fuel duty increases at the turn of the year have helped to push up monthly petrol prices by their biggest amount in recent times. The average price of diesel is within a penny of the record set in July 2008. The barrel price for oil is $96. And further increases in April are projected to add up to another 6.0 ppl.

Average Unleaded prices have risen by 6.2 ppl from 122.1 ppl to 128.3 ppl. Diesel prices have also risen, by 6.6 ppl, from 126.2 ppl to 132.8 ppl. The price difference between unleaded and diesel has risen to 4.5 ppl.

Northern Ireland recorded the highest price for unleaded at 142.9 ppl. Yorkshire and Humberside recorded the lowest price for unleaded at 122.9 3 ppl. Wales and Northern Ireland recorded the highest diesel price at 133.5 ppl. Yorkshire and Humberside have the cheapest diesel at 131.9 ppl. Supermarket prices for unleaded also rose over the month by 6.5 ppl to 126.7 ppl. The gap between supermarket prices and the UK average for unleaded has fallen 1.6 ppl.

The UK has the fifth highest unleaded price in Europe and the second highest diesel price.

APA will be lobbying Ministers on the massive rise in pump prices over the last 12 months and will be asking the Treasury to look again at the need for further increases in duty. Member's views are welcomed.

APA

PA voted Queen of Comedy

Former PA Miranda Hart has triumphed at the British Comedy Awards, walking away with three titles, including Best Female Comedy Actress.

Her BBC Two sitcom Miranda - which she stars in and writes - won Best New TV Comedy, and the comedian also picked up the People's Choice Award - chosen by viewers.

Miranda said she was "genuinely thrilled" by her success.

Gareth, APA

Train now to be ahead of the rest

With ever tightening budgets, it is not uncommon for training to be one of the first things to go when the going gets tough. But if you look at those with an eye to the future, reality suggests that quieter times are the best to invest in re-skilling your staff.

Shown right are some of the NHS PA staff to recently attend the APA ‘PA as a Manager’ Course; a programme of training designed to help PAs better understand why what they already do is managerial and how to better understand the art of management and employ it for the benefit of their Boss and the business.

Shown (L:R) are: Sue Brown, Sonia Ferguson, Loraine Toynton and Denize Bossley.

So make 2011 the year you establish a PA Career Path and look to APA training programmes and qualifications to enhance your opportunity and reward as we [hopefully] exit hard times.

Gareth, APA

Jobless Britain

The latest figures published today by the Office for National Statistics have shown a rise in the number of people out of work which has increased by 49,000 to 2.5 million in the three months to November last year.

Gareth Osborne of APA said: “This is not unexpected but what is particularly concerning is the growth of 32,000 in the number of 16 to 24 year olds not in work and resulting in an all-time high of 951,000 for this age group. The UK is in serious danger of creating a workless generation of young people; without the chance of a job, training or relevant education.
.
“With the Government claiming to be pro business, pro growth and pro jobs, we will being looking to it to fuel job creation as a national imperative. With the overall jobless totals set to rise further as public sector redundancies start to bite, it is essential that the entrepreneurial (many small business) sector of the economy be enabled to employ people with the minimum of fuss and associated cost. APA will work with Government to identify and support innovative employment programmes.”

APA

Shared parental leave cautiously welcomed

APA has today commented on new proposals on shared parental leave, set out in Nick Clegg's speech to Demos this morning.

It has given a cautious welcome to the proposals and will wait to see the detail of how employers will be affected. APA believes the greatest challenge will come from extending the existing entitlement to paternity leave in a way that doesn't increase uncertainty for employers; something it believes should be resisted at all cost.

It believes that the principle of moving towards a more equal sharing of the burden of childcare between mothers and fathers is good. There is no doubt that women are placed at a disadvantage in the labour market by employers' concerns about the likelihood they will take time off at some stage to start a family. If men and women have similar entitlements to leave following the birth of a child, this should go a long way to relieving employers of these concerns.

“This can only reduce the likelihood that women will be discriminated against when they apply for jobs, for promotion or in finally bringing pay-equality to the labour market. But the devil is in the detail and we need to see the full proposal before we give our total support.”

APA welcomes the Government's commitment to extend the right to flexible working to all employees believing the opportunity to work flexibly increases employee engagement as well as helping employees achieve a better work life balance. But flexibility cannot be total. Employers need to be able to plan ahead with some confidence that they know when individual employees will be available. So the proposal to allow fathers and mothers to take parental leave in blocks, for example, rather than all at once, may be a step too far and needs to be looked at carefully.

Gareth, APA.

Training Boom

APA (the Association of Personal Assistants) has started 2011 with training bookings soaring for the months ahead. In January alone over 50 PAs are booked to attend APA supported programmes and interested is also growing for it’s newly launched ‘APA Accredited’ scheme for company in-house training.

APA Director General, Gareth Osborne, said: “This is the busiest start to a year for APA so far and we already have places booked on courses throughout the year but this shouldn’t put anyone off from applying. We are extremely versatile and will put on additional course on where demand is high and even bring in extra quality trainers. I am pleased to see that the public sector is not significantly cutting training for its PAs; but I recognise this might be at the expense of other savings elsewhere. The APA Diploma (DipPA) is the most popular programme and, as it serves to give a prior learning exemption for the PA Degree, and adds to greatest value for a PAs career path.”

Shown left are the latest PA attendees (L:R): Esther Burke, Emmanuelle Waters, Chrystal Nagle, Stephanie Young, Rosie Coomber, Jade Mayer and Nargis Awan (actually HR).

For more details about APA training and qualifications visit http://www.paprofessional.com

APA

Women should prepare better for return to the workplace

Mothers returning to work after a period of maternity leave should ensure they do their research, a female career development firm has said. They suggested that "planning is everything" and recommended mothers are "very clear" on what they want well before they go back to work. And it could never be a better time to heed that advice as business attitudes are getting tougher.

"Start taking action well in advance of returning to work. Speak to your boss and agree roles, responsibilities, work hours and home working arrangements," she stated. "All this can take several weeks, so the sooner you set the wheels in motion the better."

A recent survey by Regus found that the number of firms planning to hire mothers returning to work has fallen radically over the past year. Just over a quarter of small and medium-sized businesses are planning to do so, compared to 28 per cent 12 months ago. The study found that 38 per cent of employers still fear that working mothers may show less commitment and flexibility than other workers. Some 31 per cent of employers believe working mums will leave shortly after returning to have another child.

APA equally advices to prepare, consider all the options that might be suggested and have answers ready. Members can view their rights and other issues in the Members’ section of the website (knowledge Zone, Your Family area).

Gareth, APA

All change!

Apparently we have all heard of the YMCA (now The ‘Y’) but the YWCA doesn’t have the same impact and the organisation has just changed its name for the second time in 10 years - and this time to Platform 51; apparently to appeal to the 51% of the world’s population who are female?

The Young Women's Christian Association was originally founded in 1855 and opened a network of hostels for young women who were coming to London for the first time and for Florence Nightingale's nurses, en route to and from the Crimea. In 2002 it changed its name to YWCA.

As a marketeer I know very well that there are some things that should just be left alone. I still call Aviva, Norwich Union and Accenture, Andersen Consulting but I suppose if I was totally right then Brad’s Drink would never have become Pepsi-Cola. But many organisations (including some professional bodies) will freely admit that changing your name doesn’t always revitalise your fortunes. I doubt APA will be changing in the near future; unless Platform 51 start a trend and we adopt ‘Level 97’ to represent the 97% of PAs who are women.

Gareth, APA

Time for the Bonus Ball

I didn’t think much of 2011 would pass before open season for ‘Banker Bashing’ started again and today’s revelation about bank bonuses has certainly refuelled the fire.

I have to say I found the news coverage, including a live interview by Andrew Marr of the Prime Minister, a little premature; because the actual terms of the bonus is not agreed yet according to David Cameron, but it appears that the Boss of RBS is in line for a bonus in 2011 of £2.5 million. This will be on top of his meagre pittance of £4.5 in basic pay.

Now I can easily argue the case for bonuses in business and agree they play an important part in attracting and retaining high achievers but I have to say I find the RBS proposal excessive. APA members have been writing continuously about the role of the Banks and their part in the current economic crisis. Not to mention the vitriolic way in which small businesses blame them for lack of debt (let alone equity) finance. So how can any bonus be justified in an environment, especially where the British Taxpayer is the major shareholder (in the case of RBS around 84%). As one member recently observed: “For every £1 million in bonuses, another 30 fully tax paying employees at the average national wage could be placed in work. And around twice that at the minimum wage!

In the same breath the PM condemned the ‘vast pit of debt’, which was poetic, given that we normally associate vipers with pits and at least two pits (OK, Pitts) have been prime minister. Perhaps its time to fill in the pits and redistribute the bonuses.

Gareth, APA

Farewell Christmas and on with the serious stuff

I wouldn’t want anybody to think I don’t have any work to do but …. Earlier this morning I opened a box of branded chocolate biscuits, dropped off by a supplier, and handed them around the office. We quickly concluded that they weren’t good and started to question the quality of the chocolate. It definitely seemed inferior to the normal product that we all know and love.

It became such a topic of discussion that we extended our survey to all 12 people in the office and even sent out for a control sample of the regular product from the local shop. Unanimously we have concluded that the Christmas-branded biscuits are covered with a blander, less chocolaty and dare we say ‘cheaper tasting’ variant. So the question arises: “Are we being fobbed off with a poorer chocolate but attracted by the well-known brand?” I would be interested to hear the opinion of others; especially as the ‘Great Feast of Chocolate’; aka Easter, approaches.

Aimee Lewis, FAPA

APA stamps down on VAT

VAT has always been a vodka and tonic for me, so 20% sounds about the right ratio of V to T for a long cold version with ice.

Sadly this 20% relates to the new rate of value added tax and sounds extremely penal to me and not something that APA accepts without issuing a warning to Government that it will definitely have a negative impact on business; especially small business. Now that being said, we all live in the real world and UKG has few options available to increase its income, VAT is its chosen vehicle and we have to accept it. But we can do something to help new members!

In a meeting between Christmas and the New Year APA decided to take action and reduce its joining fees by cancelling the first year registration element to compensate for the hike in VAT. So, from today (04/01/2011) the three membership grades will be charged as follows: Associate £45 + VAT, Member £55 + VAT and Fellow £75 + VAT.

We hope this attracts potential Members to join the family of APA PAs.

Shelley, Membership Manager, APA

10 New Year Resolutions for PAs

The start of the year is a good time to reflect on your business's progress over the past year and plan how you want your career and business to develop in the coming twelve months. Do you want increased success in 2011 or the chance to enjoy the success you've already achieved more? These are our 10 New Year's resolutions designed to help you strike a better work-life balance, so you can achieve a truly satisfying success in this bright New Year.

- Encourage your Boss to learn how to delegate and then do more of it.
- Help promote your business regularly and consistently.
- Make business planning a weekly event.
- Learn something new.
- Find new business organisation’s or networking group.
- Give something back to your community.
- Put time for you on your calendar.
- Set realistic goals.
- Don't make do; get a new one.
- Drop what's not working for you and move on.

Achieving a healthy work-life balance is like maintaining a good relationship; you have to keep working on it. But if you apply these New Year's resolutions throughout the year, success is more likely to follow!

For a more detailed explanation of these resolutions APA Members can go to the 'You' section in the Knowledge Zone of the Members' Area: http://www.paprofessional.com/index.php?id=857

And an 11th might be: Enter the Hays & The Times PA of the Year Awards 2011 and be rewarded for your success as a professional PA. The Awards launch on 10th Jan 2011 (watch this space).

Gareth, APA

APA wishes all PAs, especially Members, a successful and prosperous 2011.

Gareth & the team

A taxing start to the New Year

Small businesses which fail to keep proper financial records could incur the wrath of HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) in the New Year, it has been revealed. HMRC is planning a clampdown on inaccurate bookkeeping and tax underpayment in 2011 through a Business Records Checks campaign, it has been reported.

According to the agency, 40 per cent of small businesses suffer from poor bookkeeping and these are the enterprises most likely to be targeted by investigators. Existing legislative powers will be used to check out 50,000 small businesses, with fines of up to £3,000 likely for those with the most disorganised financial records.

One Accountant has warned that many small business owners find it a "nightmare" trying to keep up with accounts administration. A spokesman said: "One of the difficulties facing entrepreneurs and small businesses is that they may have to keep records for income tax, VAT, capital gains tax, PAYE and so on. Separate penalties apply for each set of taxes so a small business can fall foul of the rules in several areas. Tax inspectors have little understanding of what life is like in the business world, and therefore expect entrepreneurs to keep records in textbook order.

Companies House recently urged businesses with a tax year end date of March 31st to file their business accounts before the December 31st deadline.

APA supports the need for better bookkeeping but will be writing to the Business Secretary asking him to start with a process of better education for business managers (reminding HMRC that few small business can afford the luxury of an in-house finance manager), followed by simplified processes and greater assistance. Gareth Osborne said: “Raping and pillaging small business is massively counterproductive at a time when the economy is dependant on them to employ more staff; especially redundant public sector staff - with financial know-how. We will be lobbying hard for Government to find ways to improve the reporting and payment mechanisms before they start fining every business in sight.”

APA

The jury's still out

I’m not sure how I feel about the Rt. Hon. Vince Cable MP, Secretary of State for Business, appearing on Strictly Come Christmas Dancing last night. I worry when the serious job of Member of Parliament (let alone Cabinet Minister) is confused with celebrity. I’m not sure I will see beyond the dancer when I next meet him to discuss issues of serious concern to our Members.

Still, I have to say it was better than the Dragons' move towards celebrity and especially Peter Jones’s attempt at acting the fool in his shopping trolley adverts. In his case I now see him as a definite contender for Strictly Orchestral, where he can play the buffoon.

I have always said that meeting Government Ministers is like a sparring session in boxing; you try and get a punch in against some pretty fair defending, you work hard to score some points but generally leave feeling like you have gone twelve rounds against a strong opponent. I will have to brush up on my footwork before my next visit to the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

I would be interested to hear what Members think. The question is: Are we human? Or are we dancer? Check out: http://youtube.com/watch?v=RIZdjT1472Y

Gareth, APA

Watch out for hackers over the holiday period

Companies and home PC users need to be on their guard over the holiday period, amid hacker attempts to compromise their systems. One senior security analyst has claimed that Christmas is a particularly busy time for virus and malware campaigns.

IT security firm Sophos recently outlined the history of Christmas malware and viruses in a blog post, ranging from relatively harmless festive pranks to those you definitely wouldn't want to wake up to on New Year’s Day. The company said hugely destructive campaigns have gradually grown to replace the worms of yesteryear, as malware technology has become more sophisticated. "Criminals absolutely do, every year without fail, conduct campaigns designed to take advantage of people's willingness to search for and click on links relating to the holiday period."

Whether it's going to be through phishing campaigns or sending social engineering emails masquerading as New Year cards, internet users are at risk during this period, they claimed.

They went on to say that apps on social networking sites had "come of age as an attack platform" and are "being extensively abused" due to the ease with which they can be created and uploaded to Facebook. It was noted that it is very easy for third-party developers to create applications and upload them using this website, as the code isn't checked by Facebook before the applications go live.

APA

Lack of energy

UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) feel they are being let down badly by the major utilities companies, a new study has revealed.

In a finding which may alarm the so-called Big Six, 33% of SMEs questioned by the Forum of Private Business (FPB) described the level of service they are receiving as 'poor' or 'very poor'. Many cite contractual issues – including the practice of rolling businesses over on to often more expensive contracts with little warning – as being a major gripe.

Just 11% of SME owners believe utilities contracts are easy to understand, while 35% think it is difficult to switch suppliers and 40% feel that contractual terms and conditions are poor. Some 69% believe it is difficult to keep track of contract anniversaries and switching windows, with 31% relying on renewal letters to keep them informed. Meanwhile, 47% of respondents believe they are paying too much for gas, electricity and water.

Ofgem does not have the necessary powers to protect all SMEs and unless proper levels of service and transparency are established which allow businesses to make informed choices, they will continue to suffer at the hands of utilities providers. There is however one glimmer of hope, under Ofgem's new utilities licensing condition 7A, many micro businesses – those with fewer than ten staff members – can have their contract rolled over for just a single year.

APA

PA Power rules The Apprentice

It is official, the former PA, Stella English, has been hired by Lord Sugar as his latest ‘Apprentice’; proving beyond all doubt that there is no limit to the versatility of someone with professional PA skills.

Mother of two Stella (31) will work as a product manager for the tycoon's computer manufacturing film Viglen after impressing Lord S with her determination and dedication.

She is reported to have had an extraordinary and colourful early life in Thamesmead before calming down and rising through the ranks. Stella now lives in St Albans, Hertfordshire with her fiancée.

Stella said: “I think I've been very consistent in everything that I've done. But I think my mistake is that I haven't spoken up for myself. I'm somebody that has to come up with new ideas and I'm constantly driving things. I'm not somebody who needs to be given instruction. I've got the best record in the process for a reason. I've taken a big risk here. I've got a family to support and I've walked away from a job that I do like. Anything I want I will get, I won't let go. That's a passion that enables you to do things that you never thought were possible.'

So Stella offers consistency, creativity, ambition, determination, an ability to calculate and take risks and passion. These are all traits that APA feels makes any great PA stand out from the crowd. Perhaps we can all learn a little from Stella and hope she does well for Lord Sugar and goes onto great things.

APA

A launch pad for entrepreneurs

The higher education system is "one of the most vital aspects" of the government's ambition for an "entrepreneurial" economy, it has been claimed. According to the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE), the UK's "engine of economic competitiveness" is whatever our universities are able to produce.

The organisation said that as a knowledge-based economy, it is vital to produce graduates who are able to contribute substantially to the economy and society as a whole. The Chairman of the NCGE said the types of entrepreneurs that emerge in a technology-savvy world with global competition will come from higher education. Mr Robertson said that an enterprising attitude is needed right across the university system if the right environment in which to nurture the new breed of businesspeople is to be achieved. He added that the benefits of entrepreneurial attitudes extend further than the private sector.

A Deloitte survey published this week showed that 90 per cent of the UK's entrepreneurial businesses expected to grow their revenues in the next year.

Gareth Osborne of APA said: Entrepreneurship in universities can be only be fuelled if you have entrepreneurial lecturers and sadly that tends to be something of an oxymoron. The UK hasn’t yet mastered the art of professional mentoring and would-be-entrepreneurs need proven entrepreneurs (and not necessarily business leaders) to inspire them.”

We have the perfect demonstration of university-educated versus street smart entrepreneur on the Apprentice tonight; let see who wins! Other than Lord Sugar that is.

Gareth, APA

Self-promotion needed

Women who want to climb the professional ladder need to get comfortable with endorsing their own skills, it has been claimed.

Suzanne Doyle-Morris, author of Beyond the Boys Club, claimed that women in business continue to be discriminated against. She feels strongly that women remain under-represented on every board across every sector. "People often assume that it is male-dominated fields that have this problem," Ms Doyle-Morris said. "An industry could be well represented with women but the more senior you get, certainly to a board level, you get fewer and fewer women," she added.

She advised women to "get comfortable" with self-promotion; something that is especially necessary when starting their own business, and feels that female professionals should take the opportunity to network with senior staff and board members where possible - even during their lunch break.

Earlier this week, the Confederation of British Industry called for more women to be offered executive roles within UK companies.

APA members should see the Knowledge Zone for tips on self-promotion.

APA

London's stirring

London-based business owners are increasingly confident about their future prospects as the economic recovery continues, it has been reported. The latest Confederation of British Industry/ KPMG London Business Survey found that 54 per cent of companies are optimistic about the coming six months, while just 12 per cent are pessimistic.

As such, 68 per cent are looking to expand over the next six months, compared to 58 per cent when questioned earlier this year. Some 84 per cent of respondents said they were benefitting from trading in the capital, the highest figure recorded by the survey since September 2008. The wide skills base and talent pool are viewed as being London's most attractive business strengths, cited by 69 per cent of companies. Access to markets was found to be the second most attractive strength, named by 67 per cent of respondents, up from 45 per cent six months ago.

KPMG said it was "encouraging" that after two difficult years for businesses in the capital, optimism levels are starting to return. Businesses are getting back on track with expansion plans now on the agenda. London has an amazingly robust business community who will be instrumental in getting the UK economy moving and putting us back at the top of the global competitiveness table.

Gareth Osborne of APA said: “It is obvious from the London focus of this report that the rest of the country does not yet feel as confident. If the Bank of England holds firm I am reasonably optimistic that business expansion will return in 2011. I am not as confident that the fortunes of the workforce or the unemployed will improve for some time to come.”

Gareth, APA

Defend against the double-dip

The Bank of England should overlook current inflation figures and keep interest rates low for as long as possible, APA has said today.

APA backs the British Chambers of Commerce claim that the threat of a major setback to economic growth is currently much greater than the danger of a surge in inflation. This was after the Office for National Statistics reported that Consumer Prices Index inflation rose by 0.1 percentage points to 3.3 per cent during November 2010.

Gareth Osborne of APA said: "The marginally higher than expected inflation figures were disappointing, but are still broadly in line with the Bank of England's own forecast and given the dangers facing the economy, we would urge the MPC to persevere with current expansionary policies and maintain low interest rates for as long as possible. We must do everything we can to avoid a relapse."

APA believes the New Year already looks gloomy with VAT increases looming and likely hikes in the price of petrol. Members are asked to feed back unreasonable or exploitative price increases allegedly linked to these and other economic pressures. APA is currently considering its own response and is hoping to find ways to prevent increases being passed n to Members.

Gareth, APA

Year-end working

APA Directors and Staff would like to thank Bloggers and Blog-readers for their involvement, interest and enthusiasm in 2010 and hope you will continue to bookmark this site in the coming year.

For reference, the APA offices will close at 4pm on 22nd December and reopen at 9am on 4th January 2011. During the intervening period emails will be monitored on a daily basis; this will be the best way to make contact.

Seasons greetings from all at APA.

Gareth, APA

Record Year for APA Qualifications

Recent participants have helped make the APA Diploma in Company Direction (DipPA) the most widely acclaimed and attended PA qualification programme in the UK . The Diploma has become the programme of choice for major businesses looking to develop a career pathway for their PAs and for small businesses looking to add valuable skills to their Executive Team. Having recently been accepted as one of the eligibility credentials for the PA Degree (BA in Business Administration for Personal Assistants: Middlesex University and APA), the Diploma promises to be even more popular in 2011.

APA is taking bookings for all of its programmes in 2011, from PA Apprentice, for newcomers, through PA Professional, for the more experienced and returning PA, to PA as a Manager and the Diploma. A full list with details of costs, dates and locations is available on the APA website at www.paprofessional.com and then select ‘APA Training’ on the navigation bar.

Pictured (L-R) are: Michelle Luggar, Siobhan Hall, Laura Richardson, Joanna Oldham and Julie North.

APA