The team at DeskDemon is currently putting together a really super networking event for the autumn, where you can learn new skills, meet new people and have a great deal of fun. The event will be held on a Friday and rumour has it that you may need a passport to attend! The team are not giving anything away at this point - but do keep an eye on the site for details!

"We believe it's extremely important to offer real networking opportunities, both online and offline, as well as providing top web resources for PAs and office professionals," says Jane Olsen, Editor UK of DeskDemon.com. "That's why we aim to offer valuable Reader Events across the UK throughout the year along with one or two really special functions during the year, so that DeskDemon users can come together, learn new skills, share experience, make contacts, and have some fun."

Places will be limited at the special autumn event, so make sure you visit DeskDemon regularly to be among the first on the guest list!

The senior PA at investment bank Goldman Sachs who stole £4.4 million from her bosses has been sentenced to seven years in jail. Joyti De-Laurey, 35, has been convicted of 14 charges of obtaining money transfers by deception and six of using "false instruments" with intent.

During the trial, the PA maintained she had been given permission to take the money, as a reward for her services, but Judge Christopher Elwe dismissed the claim. He went on to describe De-Laurey as "duplicitous, deceitful and thoroughly dishonest".

The court heard that the disgraced personal assistant had been arrested only weeks before starting a new luxury-filled life in Cyprus - she had on order a £150,000 power boat and a £175,000 Aston Martin.

In the denouement of this extraordinary tale, De-Laurey's husband was also jailed for 18 months for money laundering, and her mother, Dr Devi Schahhou, was given a six-month suspended sentence for the same crime.

All change at the Institute of Qualified Professional Secretaries (IQPS): after 31 years Jenny Jerrum has retired as Membership Secretary, and the role has been taken by Jackie Wood, who joined the Institute on 1 June.

Jackie, who lives in Windsor, has been a PA and EA throughout her career. She has worked with various organisations, from small family firms to multinationals, working at executive board and MD level. But Jackie's experience has not only been won while supporting directors; she also spent a year as Membership Secretary of Stoke Poges Golf Club - an ideal training ground for her role with IQPS.

"I feel I have gained a lot of experience through the years of my career and I'd like to be able to help new members if I can," Jackie told ON! Office Networks. "It's very important to encourage those climbing the ladder, and to show what IQPS can offer."

Jackie is a fierce champion of the profession. "I love it," she enthuses. "It's always different, always varied. So often, you go into work planning to do one job, and end up doing 101 other things!" But it's a vital role, she maintains. "It requires many skills, and I'm not sure bosses always realise just how much goes into keeping those wheels turning."

Jenny Jerrum retired from the post of Membership Secretary at the end of May, a role she had held officially since 1993, but Jenny has been associated with the IQPS for 31 years. The relationship began when Jenny started supporting the Honorary Secretary, working from home despite having three young children. Jenny has always believed in keeping her skills up to date, and in 1982 took the plunge and sat the LCCI Private Secretary’s Certificate. Armed with her certificate, she joined the Institute she had been supporting all those years.

She's looking forward to her retirement. "No time to be bored!" she says, "I have my postcard collectors clubs and classic motorcycle club in the evenings, and also my grandchildren." Those of us at DeskDemon who have dealt with Jenny over the years wish her all the very best in her retirement. Happy travels in the campervan, Jenny!

If you think your firm treats its staff particularly well, why not nominate it for an award? The national charity Working Families has announced this year's "Employer of the Year" Awards. The awards cover a range of staff welfare issues, such as being family friendly, offering working men a better deal, and innovation in finding pioneering ways to improve working lives. If your company fits the bill, why not visit http://www.workingfamilies.org.uk/eya and find out more. Organisations of all sizes and in all sectors can apply for one or more awards, as they wish. Closing date for entries is 16 July 2004.

Do you swear at work? Are you regularly late for meetings? Given the excellent communication skills and professional attitude of the majority of secretaries and PAs, we at DeskDemon would assume the answer would be a resounding, "No!". But the rest of the nation's workers appear to be falling into very bad habits.

A recent study by a leading secretarial and office support recruitment consultancy has cast doubt on our British reputation for good manners. Two-thirds of staff polled for the Office Angels study admitted they turn up late for meetings at least twice a week (!), while almost three-quarters said they regularly swear at work. Over half say they've answered texts or taken mobile phone calls in meetings, even though almost all employees taking part in the survey reckoned this was extremely rude!

With little regard for their image, some 33% said they chew gum in meetings, and 28% often start meetings without introducing their colleagues. The stats are enough to make your average well-trained support professional break out in a cold sweat!

And the reason for all this bad behaviour? "Pressure". Oh please! As every reader of ON! Office Networks will know, a calm, professional demeanour with due consideration given for colleagues can only help workflow and communication - thus reducing pressure. It seems some employees need to learn a little self-control and show respect for others in the workplace, before tempers really begin to fray!

Congratulations to five lucky ON! Office Networks readers, who will shortly be receiving copies of the excellent book, "The survivor's guide to business travel" by renowned travel writer Roger Collis. They are: Carol Lewis, a Project Secretary for Technip Offshore UK in Aberdeen; Nichola Craven, PA at Swiss Life UK in Liverpool; Liz James, PA to the Chief Executive at Chas A Blatchford and Sons in Basingstoke; Mary Onoufriou, Office Secretary Support Manager for Telereal in London; and Dawn Lawrence, PA at the Bank of Ireland UK Financial services in Bristol. Happy reading, y'all!

And don't miss the excellent giveaways in this issue of ON! Office Networks…