Just imagine: never having to take minutes again! How great would that be? Sorry to burst your bubble. Taking minutes is, and will likely always remain, a necessary evil. You know as well as anyone, that proper minutes--including clear lists of decisions and action points--ensure that the subsequent meeting flows faultlessly. Unfortunately, we cannot erase the necessity of taking minutes, but the following tips will help you to take them much more quickly! Here are 6 tips for efficient meeting minutes-taking. Tip 1: Clear agenda With a clear agenda, you simplify life significantly. It saves a lot of irritation. If the […]
Paperless meetings: to each his own…meeting tool
Many organizations that have prioritized maintaining a paperless office also seek a digital-meeting tool. It is no secret that there are several ways to build such a tool, for instance, with SharePoint. You can share documents, take notes and compile summaries. And yet, optimal paperless meetings require more functionality. That is why we are eager to address the question we commonly hear: “What is the real difference between iBabs and SharePoint?” Our list: 1. Clear overview per action point We meet to make decisions and define action points. What is more convenient than to have the option to register them […]
Celebrate Administrative Professional’s day! Go paperless.
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 […]
