Seven steps to eliminate paper from your workplace
Eight years ago we went 100% wireless and paperless. I have never looked back. I made the decision after reading a success guide from the Google CEO. I was becoming increasingly irritated with the state or our office and all the clutter that was amassing – most of which was paper-based. Not to mention the waste, cost and environmental conscious. I also found that some members of my team got into the habit of printing everything. Print, photocopy and file. Repeat. Because a printed email is clearly very useful to nobody ever. I also noticed that if you give people paper they will find a reason to use it. They will print something onto it, photocopy something onto it or write onto it. These ‘uses’ all come with hidden costs to the bottom line, the planet and the office aesthetic. Remove the paper and you remove the root cause.
Age is just a number! The benefits of cross-generational teams.
This guy is learning something new every day and I love it. The explosion of generations and the fusion of different life experiences within our team creates amazing ideas and boosts creativity. This is because we all look at problems and briefs from different perspectives. It also massively helps with developing messaging and media targeting – again, due to cross-generational input. I have to admit some of the things I have learnt during team chats over lunch and drinks I find rather amusing... Little did I know that ‘Grime’ is music not dirt, and ‘Sick’ means good not vomit. There is an app for most things – ‘I have an app for that’. Oh and ‘Fast Fashion’ does not mean models running down the catwalk. Something new which I heard recently is that ‘Ghosting’ does not have anything to do with Halloween or the supernatural.
Ghosting in the public relations industry
Winston Churchill famously stated “When the eagles are silent, the parrots begin to jabber". Proof that ‘ghosting’ (basically; ignoring someone) has been around for a while. Ghosting is becoming more prevalent in business. I think this is because the behaviour is now common-place and wrongly ‘accepted’ across digital dating and social media. There is a whole tranche of people, spanning different generations, who now decide to simply ignore rather than respond. Here are some of my thoughts and experiences on this topic.
Paws for thought: pets in the workplace boost morale + productivity
Office pets are becoming more commonplace. Businesses in all manner of industries now realise just how valuable it is to have a pet-friendly culture. Research reveals it is good for employee wellbeing, it is an attractive staff benefit and it can even have a positive impact on your bottom line.We welcome small furries in the MANDATE office. From Ollie the Maltese terrier, Sascha the Shar Pei and even Lady Lulu and Mr Ozwald the house cats, we fully embrace animals of all ages, breeds and species. We’ve seen first-hand the positive impact it makes in the office and we would not have it any other way.
The best of both worlds. London and the Chilterns
I have worked in central London for most of my PR career – including London Bridge, Soho and Mayfair. But I have always loved living in Buckinghamshire. I grew up here, I went to school in Beaconsfield and all my friends and family are nearby. I also enjoy the fantastic restaurants and sense of community that we have here in beautiful Bucks. Being out of Zone One has many perks for the PR professional, the PR consultancy and ultimately their clients.