No matter how much you think you’re in control of your daily business tasks, as soon as your company starts flying, your grip on “control” loosens.
You know as well the next employee that you need help. However, there’s another crucial decision to make: Should you venture into the modern way of doing business through virtual assistance and remote administrative services?
Not all assistants are made equal.
Deciding to hire a VA, an administrative assistant , or remote assistant can be challenging.
Let’s break down the roles, the perks and the differences so you can make an informed decision about your next hire.
Virtual assistants are independent contractors who offer virtual administrative services offshore.
Virtual assistance has become immensely popular and is being leveraged to complete admin tasks as a low-cost solution by small businesses, startups and even large corporations.
VAs are different from a traditional employee who commutes and works in a central workspace. They don’t enjoy the same compensation benefits and tax structure as a full-time office worker.
One of the biggest benefits of virtual assistant services is their contract flexibility. You can hire a virtual assistant for a certain period just to cover the tasks you need at the moment.
Depending on the agreement, you can also choose to pay them by project or by hour. Conversely, typical employees are usually paid at a fixed rate, every day of the month.
For small and medium businesses, hiring remote professionals frees up their time to concentrate on projects that generate revenue. It’s more cost-effective and easier to delegate tasks that are time-consuming to someone who can do them better and quicker.
Additionally, since collaboration transpires offsite, there’s no need to rent an office space or buy equipment. Your VA takes care of their own computer, tools and internet to deliver their service.
Can administrative assistants work remotely?
Yes, they can work even when they’re halfway across the world. They go by the name of remote administrative assistants and they can do the same things as their office-based counterparts—even more so.
A remote admin assistant, often called a virtual assistant, is a professional who supports businesses and individuals by completing administrative tasks from a remote location.
These assistants are experienced and skilled in various business-related services. They also know their way around virtual communication and management tools to effectively collaborate with clients and team members.
The best advantages of hiring a virtual administrative assistant are as follows:
Virtual assistance and remote administrative services offer a cost-effective staffing solution for your organization. You can save money on the usual operational expenses and other expenditures associated with hiring a new employee.
In fact, a report by Global Workplace Analytics suggested that a company can save up to $11,000 per person in a year if they hire virtual teams.
While rumor has it that VAs tend to slack off due to many distractions at home, studies have shown otherwise. Based on the recent survey conducted by CoSo Cloud, about 77% of remote employees have greater productivity while working at home.
Unlike full-time employees, these professionals enjoy a healthy work-life balance. This means they have more energy, take a few sick days and are more motivated and focused on the things they need to do.
The best thing about outsourcing your assistant is that you have the entire world as your hiring ground. You can pick talents without geographical restrictions and hire the one that fits the needs of your company best at lower costs.
Employees who are engaged in their work are loyal and committed to their employers. Guess what? Virtual assistants are more engaged than traditional onsite workers.
Employees who spend 60% to 80% of their workdays remotely tend to be more engaged and satisfied with their jobs.
Remote administrative assistants can handle a wide range of tasks. With the use of technology and modern communication tools like Zoom or Skype, they can collaborate with clients and colleagues seamlessly, no matter where they are.
These professionals' ability to work without being micromanaged makes them appealing to organizations looking to optimize their operations while staying flexible and cost-effective.
Here are the tasks that you can outsource to your remote administrative assistant:
First of all, a virtual assistant and a remote assistant take on very similar positions. They both work outside the office, supporting executives and office staff.
Oftentimes, these roles are treated as the same. However, there are some differences between the two.
A virtual assistant operates remotely while supporting several clients from across the globe. They manage daily business activities like making calls. But more than just the typical day-to-day tasks, some skilled VAs handle specialized chores like web design and content writing.
While a remote assistant works the same way, they typically focus more on administrative tasks like planning travels and other clerical roles.
Though they both thrive remotely, the differences between a VA and a remote executive assistant are quite clear.
VAs are all around. They can have work experience in different domains—from a social media coordinator to a digital marketer.
On the flip side, remote executive assistants have years of experience assisting executives and business owners in an office setting.
Virtual assistants can serve more than 10 clients with varying levels of support if their time allows it.
Since they have to serve holistically, remote executive assistants can only work with two to three clients at a time.
VAs follow a strict schedule that aligns with the needs of their clients. Meanwhile, an executive assistant works from time to time, with specified turnaround times.
A virtual assistant handles tasks with a well-defined endpoint. They follow through on the guidance and expectations set by their clients.
In contrast, remote executive assistants address work holistically. Their support is full-on, working not just as personal assistants but as project managers and business partners.
Before you decide which assistant is better for your current needs, let’s weigh in two important factors that will affect the success of your virtual partnership:
With the boom of remote work, many people are declaring themselves professional assistants.
Whether they are VAs or executive remote assistants, you should ask yourself before opening your doors to them for business: do they have the experience?
Some may have extensive experience, while others are new to the workforce. The role of EAs is more complex; it’s a mixture of business and executive needs. These tasks require administrative skills that are not easily mastered overnight.
That said, experience is a factor to consider when choosing an assistant.
Virtual assistant, remote administrative assistant, remote executive assistant—whatever you choose, the level of engagement is an important thing to consider, especially in a virtual setting.
Remote workers generally work as contractual assistants, which is an attractive arrangement compared to a full-time employee. Nonetheless, virtual assistance and remote administrative services come with a bit of risk.
Since there are no long-term commitments involved, some independent contractors don’t always stick around. They’re more like assistants you hire for project-based work.
Fortunately, this is a complication that can be avoided by hiring a VA through a virtual assistant agency like VAV Remote. We can offer quality remote professionals who are reliable and consistent in their roles.
Hiring an assistant is a major investment that requires your time, money, and trust. When you bring in new talents, you want them committed for the long run, but that’s not always the case with independent freelancers.
Virtual assistance and remote administrative services are game-changers in today’s fast-paced business environment. VAs don’t just tackle office management but also a variety of specialized chores with their seemingly endless capacities.
Choosing the right assistant who perfectly fits your needs boils down to identifying those needs first because every assistant brings something unique to the table. That’s saying that one may work well but not the other.
Whatever remote assistant you choose, we’re happy to help you match with a VA, so you can start transforming your business.
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