EMAIL could be banished from Britain’s businesses unless people start using it intelligently and talking to each other more, a new study has revealed. Bosses and their support staff are spending too much time wading through piles of unnecessary, unwanted or even junk mail instead of getting on with the important tasks of the day.

A survey by the newly-launched Association of Personal Assistants (APA), - website www.paprofessional.com - revealed only one in five PAs felt emails made businesses more efficient. More than six out of ten said the sheer volume of emails meant their effectiveness was “seriously impeded” and stopped them doing their jobs properly. A total of 2,340 personal assistants - the right-hand men and women of Britain’s business leaders - responded to the survey.

Gareth Osborne, director general of the newly formed Association of Personal Assistants, said: “Everybody is using email and instant messaging instead of picking up the phone or actually going to see their colleagues.” It is particularly prevalent where people don’t want to discuss difficult topics and simply send a message instead. It doesn’t make for good business practice or clear communication. Emails are easy to misinterpret and regularly lead to niggles or full-blown rows when staff misunderstand the message, seriously damaging office relationships.

“If we don’t get on top of it soon, email will be condemned to the corporate waste bin as a trivial means of communication, said Osborne.” Faye Crisp, a director of APA and a PA herself, added: “Everyone wants an immediate response and increasingly mark their message as urgent and they all attach so many documents that it takes ages to find the truly important information amongst the rubbish. We really do need to start introducing email protocols to limit usage and get people talking to each other again whether it’s by phone or face-to-face.”

The APA is the first professional body to be formed to exclusively represent the interests of personal assistants across the UK. “PAs are the legitimate guardians and gatekeepers of business leaders and as such wield great influence,” said Mrs Crisp. “The modern PA is a sophisticated communicator, outstanding time manager and consummate pacifier of demanding challenges. She/He will often be offering advice or guidance in the boss’s absence and regularly operates close to the top of the command chain.”

The APA estimates there are more than 500,000 PAs, 80 per cent of which are women, working in Britain’s 3.7 million businesses. The organisation aims to represent their interests and ensure they have access to the latest and best practices in their field and to recognise their skills and talents as well as the essential role they play in Britain’s economy.  

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