On Thursday, April 21st it is the Administrative Professional’s day for the 28th time in the Netherlands. On that day many secretaries, administrative assistants and PAs will receive well-deserved extra attention. Perhaps even a bouquet of flowers or a gift… When it first started in the Netherlands in 1989 the business day was totally different than now. If you were trained to be a secretary in the ’80s you still had typing lessons on an “old fashioned” typewriter. With carbon paper! With all of the digital advances the “secretary” of today needs a radically different skill set. Working with a […]
Meet to the max, with flexible meetings!
Telecommuting is standard in more and more businesses. Perhaps you and your colleagues can already decide where and when you work. If not, would you like to work more flexibly? Here in the Netherlands, the Law for Flexible Work should help. This law has been in effect since the beginning of this year. If your Dutch company has more than ten employees, then you have the right to ask permission to telecommute. The new law fits perfectly with the swelling trend for more flexible work hours of the last decade. In addition, here in the Netherlands there are almost 2 […]
6 apps to help survive in the office jungle
Sound familiar? You have a business appointment but your navigation doesn’t recognize the address. It happened to me yesterday but luckily Googlemaps brought me through the traffic chaos and quickly to my destination. Also handy in Dutch traffic: Flitsmeister. Say goodbye to speeding tickets! Luckily the highway isn’t the only place where apps can be a lifesaver. I use them often to navigate through the office jungle. Some of my favorite apps include: 1. Trello Do you also juggle several projects at the same time? Why not use a digital tool that provides greater perspective? With Trello separate tasks are […]
Paperless office: changes that allow trees to blossom
Dutch businesses make an average of 74,7 million copies per day. Do you have any idea how many trees that is? An astonishing 9500! 8000 A4s can be gained from an average tree (10 meter long, 30 centimeter wide). Per year, worldwide almost 8,8 million hectors of natural forest disappear due to the production of paper, wood, soy and palm oil. Luckily some organizations are dedicated to the protection of forests. One initiative here in the Netherlands is the National Festival of Trees, or Dutch Arbor Day (Nationale Boomfeestdag), that will take place for the 60th time on March 16th. […]
Fast-track decision making with digital meetings
This weekend I suddenly flashed back to life before the internet. My son was working on a school project at the kitchen table with no books in sight. The library? No way, of course he found all of the information online. It was different back in my day. First you would look up the correct book in the card catalogue at school or in the library. And at home you’d dive into the encyclopedia. You know, Wikipedia, but in book form? You copied the relevant materials and then made the report. With pen and paper or a typewriter…and lots of […]
Are your meeting documents safely locked away?
It is clear from the top 25 worst passwords from 2015 that many people struggle to choose a strong password, or they consider it unimportant. 123456 was the most popular Dutch password once again. Unbelievable, right? Even comedian Don Friesen uses the topic for a sketch. Strong passwords We use elaborate alarm systems to safeguard our homes, and have extra anti-theft protection on our cars, but online security is often neglected. Strong passwords are vital since hackers are getting increasingly ingenious. This is particularly crucial when you hold paperless meetings. When all of the confidential meeting materials are in the […]
Paperless meetings? Here’s how to convince your manager!
As your manager’s right and left hand, you continually keep several balls in the air. Your work day is packed full. You relieve him or her of work, plan ahead and accomplish a great deal. In short: you continually unburden your manager or team. Every moment of time savings is welcome then, right? Wouldn’t it be wonderful, if you could optimize all of the tasks concerned with meetings? With paperless meetings as a tool you can make this dream a reality. Time savings You haven’t heard of digital meetings before? Then perhaps you lack a clear picture of them. Image […]
Don’t tumble into these 5 meeting pitfalls!
Family friends booked their summer vacation already months ago: a boat trip on the Amazon. This has been their dream destination for years. After all of the commotion over the Zika virus, though, they decided to postpone the trip. They are concerned that not all of the details about the virus are known. This provides an unsafe feeling: so many hazards and risks that they cannot oversee. I’d do the same, after all prevention is better than cure! The same is true with meetings. If you are aware of the following pitfalls, you can avoid a lot of meeting pain. […]
