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Quote of the week
Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall.
- Stephen Covey
Here’s a thought. What does “at work” mean for you these days? For growing numbers of us, “at work” is no longer a synonym for “at the office”. Remote working – whether it be working from home, from another city or even from another country – is no longer a novelty. And as more and more organisations make every effort […]
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February already! To quote from possibly the most annoying TV ad of the summer: Wait! What? Trivago-triggered irritation aside, at least most of us will by now have weathered the post-holiday hangover and settled into the regular rhythms of our daily routine. And with that not insignificant challenge out of the way (that adjustment period can be rough), […]
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2020 already! Who isn’t reeling at that realisation? But adjust we must. So as you settle back into your usual work routine, we have a suggestion for you. Don’t. You see, this year we’d like to kick things off with a challenge (fear not – it’s nothing too wearying or worthy. We feel that fatigue too, you know.) Our proposition […]
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Partridges in a pear tree? So 18th century. We figured twelve panic-quelling pointers on the best way to navigate Christmas chaos would be a much more useful gift. Read on, then, for the twelve days of Christmas, PEP-style (singing optional): no-repeat;center top;; auto On the first day of Christmas… Take a breath. It may sound counter-intuitive – but stop. Instead […]
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Driverless cars. Robot citizens. Facial recognition. For those of us who remember when VCRs were a novelty, the world has undergone quite the technological transformation (post-millennials, stop your sniggering. Your time will come.) And nowhere is this more apparent than in the workplace. Whether you’re simply coming to grips with the latest version of Office 365 or enthusiastically embracing advanced […]
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Take a look around your workplace. In the faces of your colleagues, what do you see? The answer we’re looking for goes beyond “a clear need for coffee” (however accurate that assessment may be). Hopefully, what you’ll see amongst your workmates is a remarkable diversity across age, culture, gender, ethnicity, sexuality and more. And as our workplaces become increasingly diverse, […]
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Has your day got away from you yet? If so, we’re not surprised. It’s a common complaint, observes PEPworldwide managing director Kathryn Anda. “Despite people’s best efforts to plan their day ahead, all too often they find themselves overtaken by ‘reactive’ issues or other interruptions,” she explains. “Add these to everything else they’re trying to manage, and it’s no wonder […]
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Succumbed to Seasonal Affective Disorder yet? Even if it’s not quite that dire, we don’t blame you if you’re feeling more apathetic than enthusiastic. Mired as we are in the desolate depths of winter, it’s all too easy to hit snooze (both literally and figuratively). Resolutions? What resolutions? Well, we’re here to give you a (gentle) wake-up call. We may […]
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In need of a little couples therapy? Now before you volunteer too much information, it’s best we clarify that the relationship counselling we’re offering is strictly work-related. Specifically, what we’d like to explore is that most crucial of working relationships: the one which develops between an executive and their EA. So execs, we’d like you to consider this: is your […]
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Come across the term “VTO” yet? If you haven’t, you soon will. Because establishing a VTO – or Volunteering Time Off – policy is rapidly becoming one of the fastest-growing trends in the modern work environment. Building on the concept of corporate social responsibility, VTO policies encourage employees to participate in volunteer activities and support charitable causes – but, crucially, […]
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First up, a follow-up: have some of those high-achieving habits taken hold? We refer, of course, to our previous post, which you will recall identified the key habits of high flyers. Well, stand by for a second look at the secrets of success – but this week, we’re getting even more specific. Our specialist subject? Sales – and the essential […]
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Here’s a thought. When someone begins a sentence with: “When you’ve got a minute…”, does that make you laugh hysterically? Well, we hear you. And with this in mind, we thought we’d take a fresh look at that time-honoured topic of time management. Because although there’s a lot of advice out there, the irony is that no one has the […]
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Here’s a thought. When someone begins a sentence with: “When you’ve got a minute…”, does that make you laugh hysterically? Well, we hear you. And with this in mind, we thought we’d take a fresh look at that time-honoured topic of time management. Because although there’s a lot of advice out there, the irony is that no one has the […]
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Visionary. Innovative. Aspirational. We hear these words all the time, especially at an executive level. There’s another word, though, that’s equally important – but perhaps not quite as prevalent: Action. Because what we’re encountering more and more frequently are organisations with plenty of ambitious objectives – but few of the precise, future-focused plans required to achieve them. The result? A […]
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Ok, managers. You may recall that we kicked off this blog series on essential management tools by asking you this question: “Are you winning?” So now, as we bring our series to a close, what we’d like to know is: has your answer to this question changed at all? Obviously, we’re not expecting four blogs to work instant miracles for […]
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Consider this. When you’re crazy busy (and, let’s face it, who isn’t?), what’s the first thing you try to reschedule? If it’s your regular one-on-one meetings with your team members, then you’re not alone – it’s an all-too-common occurrence. “One-on-ones are often not valued as highly by managers as they should be,” observes PEPworldwide managing director Kathryn Anda. “Consequently, they’re […]
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Here’s a quick question for you. Think about the particular task you are working on right now. Are you really the only person in your team who can do it? Control freaks, the impossibly impatient and everyone who agonises over assigning tasks – this one’s for you. Because the next essential tool that we’re adding to our manager’s kit is […]
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Be honest. Who doesn’t quietly cringe at the prospect of team-building exercises? Well, relax. Because although this post – our second on the essential tools and skills every manager requires – focuses on creating a more cohesive team, you’ll be relieved to know there’s not a single trust activity or obstacle course in sight. Rather, this is all about effective […]
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Calling all managers. Are you winning? Ok. Was your answer to that question a resounding, fist-pumping “Yes!”? Or was it a little more difficult to answer? It’s come to our attention that far too many managers – whether junior, senior, first-time or even seasoned leaders – are struggling behind the scenes with some pretty common challenges. And without sounding too […]
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New year, new to-do list. Is it already looking interminable? We hear you. Because while it’s great to start the year by making a note of all your on-going must-dos, the problem here is the “on-going” bit. “A to-do list is psychologically defeating,” observes PEPworldwide managing director Kathryn Anda. “You cross two off, but you add three on – it […]
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Welcome back, everyone. Feeling suitably rested? Refreshed? And, if you took note of our previous post’s book recommendations, possibly even well-read, too? One of those books – Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business – stands out as particularly relevant as another year begins. Those of you who ticked this off […]
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Fancy a side of self-improvement with your Christmas siesta? There’s light at the end of the tunnel, people: that summer break is almost upon us. Joy to the world! And as you make your final preparations for the holiday ahead, we thought we’d sign off for the year with something a little different from our usual posts: a carefully curated […]
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Ok, people, listen up. There’s no way to sugar-coat this: there are only five Mondays left until Christmas. And – breathe. Because as alarming as that realisation may be, we’re here to help. We know that at this time of year, while it’s more important than ever to eliminate all those little inefficiencies, it’s also more difficult than ever to […]
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Ok, people, listen up. There’s no way to sugar-coat this: there are only five Mondays left until Christmas. And – breathe. Because as alarming as that realisation may be, we’re here to help. We know that at this time of year, while it’s more important than ever to eliminate all those little inefficiencies, it’s also more difficult than ever to […]
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Sup, fam? Your instinctive response to that greeting is likely to differ according to your age. If your reaction was less one of recognition and more one of “Pardon?”, don’t worry – you’re not alone. However, we’re not here to translate. First of all, our rapidly advancing years preclude any expertise in this area. And secondly, by the time this […]
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Sup, fam? Your instinctive response to that greeting is likely to differ according to your age. If your reaction was less one of recognition and more one of “Pardon?”, don’t worry – you’re not alone. However, we’re not here to translate. First of all, our rapidly advancing years preclude any expertise in this area. And secondly, by the time this […]
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Remember the last time you experienced the smug satisfaction of being genuinely, even prolifically productive? That feeling’s just not that common, is it? Because let’s face it, everyone battles with some sort of unproductive behaviour – whether your own or someone else’s – which ultimately prevents you from reaching your productive potential. This week, in the last of our posts […]
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So. Did you figure out how you make your company’s “boat” go faster? If you didn’t read our previous post on productivity, this question may seem a little random. (We recommend a quick read of it here.) But if you did, you may recall that we concluded with what we hope was a thought-provoking question. Do you understand your company’s […]
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We know what you’re thinking. But before you park this piece because you’re confident you know all there is to know about productivity, think again. Do you really? The New Zealand Productivity Commission recently released a report on measuring and improving productivity in public services. (Now, the thought of this report may make you feel less like being productive and […]
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Daffodils. Lambs. And, if you live in Auckland, rain. See where we’re heading with this? Yes, it’s that time of year again. Spring is almost upon us. And we’re excited, because it affords us the perfect opportunity to revisit one of our favourite topics: the delights of a seasonal declutter. Think of this as getting into shape for summer, PEP-style. […]
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Managed to mitigate some of that meeting madness? That’s great! But we’re not done yet. In our previous post, we challenged you to ditch the mindset that every meeting is a must. Now we want to ensure you’re getting the most out of every meeting you do attend. This is all about what you do before and after the main […]
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Bombarded with back-to-backs? Manically trying to make meeting after meeting? Stop. Because it may just be that you don’t need to manage quite so many meetings after all. Yeah right? Read on, unbelievers. We’re here to point out that not only is it possible to push back rather than be pulled in to yet another committee, working group or discussion, […]
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Flexibility, scrums, sprints…you could be forgiven for thinking that an agile working approach is more about bootcamps than business. But fear not. In our previous post, we provided the ideal warm-up: an explanation of agile working and its benefits. And this week, we’re going to show you how PEP principles can ready you for a successful transition to an agile […]
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You’ve embraced flexible working in all its forms. Hot-desking? Remote working? Already across it? Excellent – because we now have another methodology to add to the mix. Stand by for the latest concept to enter the workplace vernacular: “agile working”. Increasing numbers of organisations – both in New Zealand and worldwide – are adopting an agile working approach. However, in […]
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It’s been said that the only constant is change (thank you, Heraclitus of ancient Greece – clearly, this issue’s been around for a while). So when it comes to coping, are you an early adopter? Or more of a reluctant one? If it’s the latter, you’re fighting a losing battle. Whether it’s in the form of new technology, restructuring or […]
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Who doesn’t enjoy a good sequel? After our post on the wonders of OneNote – the PEP collaboration tool of choice – we had a lot of feedback requesting more detail about how this tool works. So we thought we’d make like Hollywood and follow up with an ‘Episode II’. Obviously, we can’t provide quite the action-packed entertainment of a […]
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So you let a deadline slide by. No big deal, right? Actually, that ripple effect – and no matter what you tell yourself, there’s always a ripple effect – may spread further than you’d like to think. “One of the key challenges faced by our clients is how one person’s behaviour can affect the productivity of others,” says PEPworldwide:nz managing […]
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Ok, managers – here’s a question for you. Do you consider dealing with a diverse range of personalities one of the most pleasurable perks of your job? Thought so. And if you took us up on our suggestion (see our previous post) of taking a closer look at your team’s conflicting characteristics, you’ve no doubt realised just how challenging this […]
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We’ve all optimistically purchased something described as “one size fits all”. But how often does that turn out well? Exactly. And it’s the same in the workplace. For managers trying to enable their people to achieve their best, certain strategies will work better for some than for others. That’s why we’ve been reading up on author Gretchen Rubin (The Happiness […]
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Managing to prioritise? Or is workload-induced panic leaving you paralysed instead? We all know the importance of prioritising. It’s certainly a topic dear to our hearts (you may have picked up on this). However, what we’ve observed more frequently of late is that people are under so much pressure that they’re defeated by even the simplest decisions. “It’s no longer […]
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Be honest. Does that whole “team player” thing sometimes get a bit – well, tiring? We hear you. Sometimes a team effort involves a whole lot of the “effort” part and not quite enough of the “team”. We all know that collaboration is key to creating teams that work efficiently and deliver successful results. And let’s not forget that effective […]
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Non-stop. Jam-packed. Back-to-back. Do these terms sound familiar? Well, they shouldn’t. We know you have a million things you need to achieve today. But we’re here to remind you that scheduling periodic pockets of downtime into your day is just as essential – if not more so – as everything else on your to-do list. It may sound counter-intuitive, but […]
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2018 has just barely begun, and interesting trends in this year’s human resource management field are already becoming evident. As businesses strive to create productive and satisfying work environments, employee engagement remains the top focus. Frequent Employee Performance Feedback As always, communication is a crucial factor. Studies show that the more an employee understands what is happening with their company […]
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Desk. Pantry. Wardrobe. Garage. All potential caches of clutter. If you’ve accumulated enough accoutrements to see out the apocalypse, this one’s for you. And even if your living and working spaces are more minimalist than a monk’s, read on. Because with the ever-increasing deluge of information we receive these days, it doesn’t take long before even the most disciplined of […]
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Did “manage my time better” make it onto your list of New Year’s resolutions? If it did, join the club. A basic Google search on “new year’s resolutions” brings up the issue of time management time and again (sorry). And if this didn’t make it onto your list, perhaps it should. Because as tired as this term is, chances are […]
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How many times have you been interrupted today? Frustrating, isn’t it? And if you consider that it takes around twenty minutes to regain your focus after every interruption, then it’s pretty clear to see that interruptions go well beyond personal irritation to have a significant detrimental effect on your – and consequently your company’s – productivity. So what’s to be […]
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Managing to make progress on those new year’s plans? Or just managing? The start of a new year can be as chaotic as the close of the previous one. Everyday issues crowd in and suddenly, all those awesome resolutions you had at the ready get relegated to the back of the queue. If your year has started with a bang […]
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Still hanging on to your post-holiday high? That’s great – because with energy levels up and enthusiasm at its peak, now’s the perfect time to ready yourself for some New Year’s resolutions. And we’d like to put the emphasis on “ready” – because in our experience, even the most optimistic ambition is achievable with the right preparation. With this in […]
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Starting to feel a little more jaded than jolly? We hear you. And we hope that our pre-Christmas planning advice has helped you to manage at least some of the mayhem. Hopefully you’ve prepped, purged and planned ahead. Organised your inbox? Even better. Reader, you’re almost there! But before you switch off the office lights for the last time, we […]
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Is your inbox already inducing exhaustion? This time of year is not called “the silly season” for nothing. All those communications can quickly spin out of control as everyone rushes to meet deadlines and clear desks before Christmas. As stress levels rise and survival instincts kick in, it’s no wonder so many of us choose a “flight” over a “fight” […]
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Feeling more Christmas fear than Christmas cheer? A wee heads-up: there’s less than five weeks now until Christmas. And if that realisation leaves you feeling more frantic than festive, don’t panic. We’ve put together a few pre-Christmas planning tips to ensure that you not only make it out of your office in time for your holiday, but that you leave […]
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re you crazy about your company? Or does it just drive you crazy? And if it’s the latter – what are you going to do about it? Fortune magazine recently released its annual list of the 100 best companies to work for, with Google topping the rankings for the sixth year in a row. And it’s easy to see why, […]
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o on, admit it. We’ve all got something – a work project, a gym membership, occasionally our children – that we quietly fantasise about abandoning. And if one particular project doesn’t quite make it over the line, it doesn’t really matter, right? Actually, it matters more than you’d think. A recent collection of studies performed by two professors at Northwestern […]
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Digital transformation. Artificial intelligence. A Bladerunner reboot. If you feel like you’re struggling to keep up, you’re not alone. So perhaps you shouldn’t. Technology in various forms is rapidly changing the modern working landscape. PEPworldwide:nz managing director Kathryn Anda knows of at least two organisations that are planning to cut jobs in favour of automated technology. “However, until they fully […]
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o how’s the mood in your office right now? Could you answer that straight away? If so, fantastic – we’re preaching to the converted. And if you had to stop and think a little, that’s ok too – we know how busy it gets. But we’re here to remind you that maintaining employee engagement is one of the hottest issues […]
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e’re all pretty familiar with the importance of goal-setting, both in our personal and professional lives. But what if all the focus on a final result is actually causing us to under-achieve? A recent post by American author James Clear piqued our interest. In it, he suggests that goals can actually “reduce your current happiness”. Now, as you know, at […]
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A 30-hour working week? What’s not to like, right? Sweden recently completed a two-year trial in which a handful of companies ranging from start-ups to nursing homes experimented with allowing workers to work six-hour days on full pay. And last year Amazon.com launched a trial of a 30-hour working week option for some teams of staff, offering those employees 75% […]
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ime to ’fess up. Are you an after-hours email addict? France’s new “right to disconnect” law has got us thinking. Isn’t it ironic that the country which gave us champagne and croissants has become a champion of moderation? But more importantly: is similar legislation necessary here? And if such legislation were implemented, would it be effective in banishing burnout? Think […]
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ork/life balance. Nailed it? Then you’re in the minority, because in our experience this particular productivity issue remains a constant challenge. And in everybody’s defence, the goal posts – particularly in our modern environment – are always shifting. So in this week’s post we asked our executives what they think are the biggest challenges for people in maintaining an effective […]
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e launched our new blog series on workplace productivity with an interview with John Campbell, the Group Manager for Business Improvement and Innovation for the New Zealand Customs Service. As we continue our series, we’d like to explore each of the questions we put to John in a little more detail. So this week we asked other executives what issues […]
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promised, it’s time to get personal: we’d like to kick off our brand-new series of posts on workplace productivity with an interview with John Campbell, the Group Manager for Business Improvement and Innovation for the New Zealand Customs Service. As someone who’s passionate about inspiring, motivating, training and maintaining enthusiastic and productive staff, John is perfectly placed to share his […]
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Many of our previous posts have discussed our take on – and solutions for – productivity issues affecting the modern workplace. However, in our next series of posts, we’d like to change the perspective. We’re going to look at these issues from the inside out: we’ve interviewed a number of professionals in a variety of industries for their ideas and […]
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ome across the term “paper independence” yet? If you haven’t, you will soon. And since we’re here to keep you informed about the latest workplace trends, let’s explore this concept a bit further: You’ll notice we don’t use the term “paperless”. “Companies make the decision to ‘go paperless’, but this is very difficult to achieve when you have potentially four […]
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ave our posts inspired you with what Outlook has to offer? Been motivated to conduct an email overhaul? Great! So now that you’re on a roll, what’s next? In this, our final post on PEP participants’ favourite time-saving Outlook features, we’ll explore Outlook’s Calendar and Tasks functions. Here are the key tips that our clients tell us have made the […]
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our previous post, we provided strategies to help you clear your email backlog and set yourself up for efficient mail management. Did you take on this challenge over Easter? Fantastic – because now we’re taking it a step further. In this post, we’re going to identify and explain the specific Outlook features our clients love the most (in other words, […]
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iving in your inbox? We hear this complaint so often we thought we’d provide some more specific strategies on using Outlook to manage your mail. In this post we’re going to focus on clearing any backlog and setting the right systems in place to prevent any future pile-ups. The upcoming Easter break provides the perfect opportunity to show that inbox […]
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Our previous posts for this month discussed both the essential strategies every manager needs to know and the best ways for managers to motivate their teams. Well, now it’s time to put those theories into the context of real life situations: thank you to all subscribers who have shared their experiences with us. Read on, then, to see what challenges […]
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In our previous post, we discussed two key strategies that enable managers to perform their roles more effectively. This time round, we’re going to explore the best ways that managers can motivate their team members to succeed (and remember, we’d love to hear your stories for inclusion in our final March post). Once again, we’re taking a PEP less-is-more approach: […]
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At PEPworldwide we’ve observed that managers often struggle to, well, manage – to balance the diverse needs of their teams with the specific requirements of their own roles. So this month’s posts will focus on the key strategies that help managers both boost their individual performances and maximise the performance of their teams. We thought we’d kick off the month […]
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The working year (and, typically, the glorious summer weather) is now well underway for most of us, so we thought the time was right to check in, review our previous posts and ensure that our suggestions are proving useful. So please take a few minutes to think about what challenges you face in the workplace and what sort of posts […]
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Bringing your work home with you is never a good idea and, if you’ve completed PEP, this won’t be an issue for you anyway. But if you haven’t already, do consider bringing home the PEP strategies you use at the office – because as our suggestions below demonstrate, PEP’s principles for increasing efficiency go well beyond the workplace. Let’s explore […]
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Easing yourself out of that recliner and back into work? Simply sitting back down at your desk can feel like an accomplishment (bonus points if you’re not holding a cocktail). However, since you no doubt followed our advice on pre-Christmas planning, hopefully you’ve enjoyed a stress-free start to the working year and are already thinking about exactly what you want […]
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asing yourself out of that recliner and back into work? Simply sitting back down at your desk can feel like an accomplishment (bonus points if you’re not holding a cocktail). However, since you no doubt followed our advice on pre-Christmas planning, hopefully you’ve enjoyed a stress-free start to the working year and are already thinking about exactly what you want […]
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Bringing your work home with you is never a good idea and, if you’ve completed PEP, this won’t be an issue for you anyway. But if you haven’t already, do consider bringing home the PEP strategies you use at the office – because as our suggestions below demonstrate, PEP’s principles for increasing efficiency go well beyond the workplace. Let’s explore […]
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Tough day at the office? Working remotely is becoming increasingly popular and for many, working in a traditional office environment is a thing of the past. In fact for some, remote working becomes a necessity rather than a choice: with the news that a number of office buildings in Wellington remain closed after the November 14 earthquake, now seems a […]
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oday is Thanksgiving Day in the States – although it’s possible that the widespread unrest following the US presidential election will continue to blight celebrations for our American friends. While Thanksgiving is not typically a holiday that New Zealanders recognise, perhaps this is a good time for us too to be thankful that – at the moment at least – […]
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may seem early to be thinking about Christmas, but look around: chocolate Santas are already tempting us in supermarkets, save-the-dates are filling your in-box and the usual suspects are releasing Christmas albums (Neil Diamond, we’re looking at you). Don’t leave it until twelve days before Christmas to plan your work calendar around your holiday: now is the perfect time to […]
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alloween’s just round the corner, but forget creepy clowns and sugar-crazed kids: sometimes nothing’s more frightening than a growing pile of tasks you’ve been putting off. Time is arguably our most precious commodity – so why are we so good at wasting it? Because this is what procrastination does: it robs us of the opportunity to achieve something meaningful. It […]
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It’s been a fantastic year of growth and change at PEPworldwide:nz, and we’re keeping the momentum rolling with the launch of our latest initiative: the PEPworldwide:nz blog. Welcome to our inaugural post! erhaps we should begin by saying that we know that the Internet is already crammed with blogs on procrastination, time-saving strategies, tips on email management and more. Obviously, […]
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