What Virtual Assistants Offer That Staff Simply… Can’t!

1. What Virtual Assistants Offer That Staff Simply… Can’t!

3. You’ve set up your business but now the time has come to build a team to help you get more done and focus on growing your business. It’s an enormous milestone in your business journey and something that should be celebrated! However, there’s a lot to consider when it comes to hiring permanent staff. It takes time and money to get the legalities in place, sort the recruitment process, decide on an appropriate salary based on level, location and industry, arrange for pension contributions and figure out the list of staff benefits you’re going to offer as a business to attract the very best talent. Here are some examples of what a Virtual PA can offer you that staff simply can’t.

4. Extra Flexibility While an employee will usually follow set working hours, a Virtual Assistant has a much more flexible schedule. They can be hired as needed – whatever the hours you need working, you'll be able to ask for this upfront and find a Virtual Assistant (including in the UK) who can work to those hours. You might be able to ask an employee to work overtime now and again, but you can't have them “on call” around the clock. However, many Virtual Assistants work flexible hours anyway and are used to working based on results

5. Cost Savings Hiring a Virtual Assistant can save on all sorts of costs. When you have permanent staff, you have to cover off paying a full-time salary (even when your business is quiet), as well as having to offer paid holiday leave, paid sick leave, overtime pay, taxes, office expenses and office equipment. You don't have to pay for a space for them to work, you don't need to provide them with equipment to work, and there are no hidden costs either. Finally, you pay only for the time they are actually working and for the services they provide, which means you get a 100% return on investment.

7. Access To Other Skills Virtual Assistants come with experience and expertise, and you don't need to hold their hand while they complete tasks for you. They are experts at what they do and often you will even find that they can complete certain tasks better than you can yourself. Most Virtual Assistants have a diverse set of skills. In addition to performing administrative duties, some are also experts in social media marketing, event planning, content writing, and even logistics planning and technical support. As Virtual Assistants work remotely, there is a much larger talent pool available because you can hire them from anywhere in the world. Location is no longer a barrier to finding the exact skills you need – businesses have far more choice and a much higher chance of finding the right fit for them.

8. No Recruitment Hire a Virtual Assistant (at least a Virtual Assistant in the UK) and you’ll find it’s easier than you might think. With many high quality Virtual PA services, their professional VAs have already been vetted and interviewed by the service – saving you some time in the long-run. It’s also important to keep in mind that any Virtual Assistant – whether part of a larger company or not – relies on having happy clients, so ultimately they succeed when you succeed. They’ll naturally understand the importance of your vision and the big picture, and are there to help your business grow.

9. Minimal Turnover When it comes to replacing permanent staff, the average employee costs SMEs £12,000 to replace. When you consider that the average in-house assistant changes jobs every eight months, that’s a lot of chopping and changing to have to put up with! This staff turnover will have a major impact on your business operations and HR costs. So there you have it. A rundown of the main benefits of hiring a Virtual Personal Assistant versus a permanent employee. It’s a big decision that needs lots of consideration but if you’re in the early days of your business, the flexibility a Virtual Assistant provides can often be unbeatable.