Business Strategy & Acumen
Issue: July / August 2012

Is flexible working the way of the future?

By - July 25, 2012

Is flexible working the way of the future? This September, Britain will recommence its fight to stop Europe making it difficult for our employees to work more than 48 hours per week. The Working Time Regulations 1998 set out exceptions to the limiting 48-hour working week, and many employers rely on one of the main... Read more »
Business Strategy & Acumen
Issue: July / August 2012

Supporting New Dads in the Workplace

By - July 25, 2012

‘If dads are recognised and supported in the workplace, mums can reap the rewards at home, and at work’, says Helen Letchfield, Co-Founder of Parenting for Professionals. Employees who have just become fathers need recognition and support for the change they are going through. Although they don’t have to make the same life-changing decisions that... Read more »
Business Strategy & Acumen
Issue: July / August 2012

Business as Usual When Business is Unusual

By - July 4, 2012

Being proactive is an Executive Assistant’s characteristic by default, but more is required for successful risk management While participating in the International Disaster and Risk Conference (IDRC) back in May 2010, in Davos, Switzerland, despite being of a discipline not obviously linking back to my profession, I came to my moment of truth. I realised... Read more »
Business Strategy & Acumen
Issue: May / June 2012

International Business – The Increasing Role of Assistants

By - May 25, 2012

Dawn Stallwood provides guidance for Assistants on supporting executives doing business overseas and dealing with documents for international use
Business Strategy & Acumen
Issue: November / December 2011

Why Training Fails

By - November 25, 2011

Training develops skills, but skill alone does not allow an employee to succeed, explains Ann Latham
Business Strategy & Acumen
Issue: November / December 2011

A sustainable workplace

By - November 25, 2011

We’re all in it together When it comes to environmental or sustainable policy, it seems that businesses are making the same initial mistakes that they did when the internet first became available. At that time everyone rushed to create a website and packed it full of information but failed to develop a strategy or to... Read more »
Business Strategy & Acumen
Issue: September / October 2011

Thinking Like An Interviewer

By - September 25, 2011

Understanding the objectives behind some common questions   Anyone who has been on more than a few job interviews has likely noticed that they tend to include variations on many of the same questions. That’s not because interviewers are lazy. It’s because those questions have proved useful in yielding information about why the organisation should,... Read more »
Business Strategy & Acumen
Issue: September / October 2011

Singing Your Praises

By - September 25, 2011

Hilary Jeanes explains what good performance management looks like in practice How do you feel when your performance appraisal is approaching? Do you look forward to it as an opportunity to get recognition and feedback for what you have achieved in the past year? Or dread it, as it tends to focus on weaknesses or... Read more »
Business Strategy & Acumen
Issue: September / October 2011

Lost In The Maze

By - September 25, 2011

Finding the pathway to opportunity with effective organisational structure   In his book, Harvest of Humanity, John Seamands tells a story of a German soldier who was wounded and ordered to go to a military hospital for treatment. When he arrived at the large and imposing building he saw two doors. One was marked ‘For... Read more »
Business Strategy & Acumen
Issue: September / October 2011

Risk is Like Fire – You’ll be Safe but Cold Without It

By - September 25, 2011

Think back over the course of your career. Indentify the times you were bold: changing jobs, moving to a new organization, offering to assist with a project, volunteering to serve on a committee or filling in for someone while they were on leave. What do these and similar events have in common? They all involved... Read more »