Companies worldwide are not looking for hard workers but intelligent workers. Firms worldwide are looking for professionals who are extremely good at what they do, even if they can be hired just for a particular project. Therefore, the freelancing business is seeing a boon these days. Many companies prefer to work with multiple virtual assistants instead of a set of full-time employees.
It is because by doing it, they get the freedom to hire only for specific tasks, which are accessible in the pocket. Some even believe virtual assistants are better than full-time employees.
No! We are not shooting arrows in the dark. There are several statistics that are in line with the above statement. Truelist.com says virtual assistants can save up to 78% of operating costs while being 13% more productive.
Not just that, due to the immense benefits that virtual assistant services companies bring with them, the freelancing industry is seeing steady growth. In fact, a study by Orbis Research says that the freelance industry is expected to grow by over 15 percent annually until 2026.
So, one thing is clear. Virtual assistants are in high demand. Companies prefer hiring several virtual assistants simultaneously. You can also hire them individually or bulk from virtual assistance firms like MyTasker.
But hold on! Can managing multiple virtual assistants simultaneously be a challenging task? Well! It is not a piece of cake, and some challenges here and there are regular. But if you find it difficult, you might be doing something wrong.
So, stay with us as in this blog, we will tell you some common mistakes you might be making while working with multiple virtual assistants. You will learn the benefits of hiring multiple virtual assistants for business owners and some points to remember while managing multiple virtual assistants. Keep reading to become a pro.
Don’t Make These Mistakes While Working with Multiple Virtual Assistants
It’s a good idea to hire multiple virtual assistants for your business as it lets you share your workload, and the expertise is guaranteed. But if you are making the mistakes listed below, you might not use virtual assistants to their full potential.
So, read the whole blog and cross-check if you are making these mistakes. If you are, rectify it immediately to save your business.
Hiring VAs for the First Time & Hiring Many
No! it is not at all recommended.
Hiring more than one can be lethal if you are hiring a virtual assistant for the first time just on a trial-and-error basis.
You are prone to make mistakes if you have no experience handling virtual assistants. Virtual assistants don’t come for free. They charge for the services they provide. It is good to hire a virtual assistant for a small business or a start-up. However, for a beginner, hiring more than one can be a task.
So, it is recommended to hire one virtual assistant at a time. Build rapport with that assistant, practice, hone your managerial skills, hire the second one, and so on.
Not Hiring According to Their Expertise
Like a regular employee, a virtual assistant is also a human being, not a superhero. Although most of them are jack of all trades, their expertise lies in one task.
For example, if you hire an eCommerce virtual assistant, you can entrust them with tasks like social media marketing and content writing. But won’t it be better to hire a social media marketer and content writer?
After all, you are hiring more than one virtual assistant, so why not hire them for jobs that match their skills? If you are not, then you might be wasting your money and their talent.
For that, you need to do some research. You need to scout talent and look correctly. You can start by shortlisting the resumes and portfolios. You can even hire from firms like MyTasker. Hiring a virtual assistant firm will save you significant time on shortlisting and training.
Not Letting Them Get Used To
Well! The virtual assistants are highly trained and are subject matter experts. They know their work well, but you cannot expect them to know everything about your business.
So, it is always better to introduce them to your staff members after you hire them. You can have an orientation session where you can tell them about your business and your company's working style.
You can also introduce them to your other virtual assistants. It’s always good to know who you are working with. Also, give them some time to get used to their surroundings.
Not Making Them Feel Part of a Team
It’s a scientific fact that working as a team rather than an individual improves productivity which is suitable for any business.
Indeed, VAs work virtually, but even in a virtual setup, making your virtual employees feel wanted and a part of your organization becomes essential.
No one is asking you to give the same benefits to the virtual assistants as your regular employees, but giving the same treatment can promote a healthier relationship between you and your VAs.
One way is to simultaneously have a daily or weekly scrum call with all of them. This way, they will feel a part of your company as well as a part of the team.
Mixing Up Tasks
It’s not a mistake; it’s a blunder.
You must always keep track of who is doing what. Avoid giving similar tasks to all of your virtual assistants. So, delegate the tasks properly. Distribute tasks wisely and according to their expertise.
You should always give your virtual assistants tasks they have been hired for. It will avoid the repetition of tasks.
Not Making Wise Use of Technology
It’s easier to track tasks when you use the technology wisely.
These days, Google Sheets and Google Docs are available along with several project management tools.
You can use them to record the tasks and delegate them properly. Not only that, you can keep a record of the performance of each virtual assistant.
Not Giving Rewards
Now, rewards do not necessarily have to be monetary. They can be in kind as well.
A good word about the excellent worker in daily meetings is to keep them motivated and stay with you for longer.
To keep your VAs motivated and engaged for longer, you need to give some rewards to your virtual assistants.
Dependency On One or Two ‘Favourite’ VAs
Let’s accept the fact. We all have biases. As a manager or working professional, it is natural for you to prefer one or two VAs over the others. It can be dangerous for your business.
If you have a bias, you will likely depend on your ‘favourite’ virtual assistants. You may sometimes ask them to carry out tasks they are not hired for.
This way, you will likely exhaust them while the other VAs get paid for doing nothing. If you continue with the practice, you might lose your best workers.
If you rectify these mistakes immediately, you can reap immediate benefits too.
Benefits of Hiring Virtual Assistants
This is a widely accepted fact that hiring virtual assistants is beneficial for every business. And if you have multiple virtual assistants and you know how to manage them well, then you can expect to:
- Cut your operational costs: Yes! Virtual assistants don’t demand a salary or other benefits. You pay for each task and hence save money. You don't need to create an infrastructure if you outsource all functions to multiple virtual assistants. You can also work remotely.
- Productivity: Virtual assistants can do more work in less time. They don’t go on coffee breaks. They are extremely good at what they do and get the work done no matter what. After all, it’s their source of income.
- Time management: If you know how to manage your virtual assistants effectively, you can save yourself some time that you can dedicate to your core areas. Since you have delegated tasks according to their expertise, you can expect good work.
- Profit: The more, the better. Cost-cutting, productivity, and time management will ultimately lead to an increase in your profits.
- Peace of mind: Not everything can be calculated in terms of money. When you know that you have the right people to work for you, you can relax and keep the stress at bay.
However, it’s not all hunky dory, and one must remember that there are two sides to a coin. So, there are certain things that you should keep in mind while working with multiple virtual assistants if you don’t want your plan to backfire.
A Word of Caution
Like every business activity, hiring and working with multiple virtual assistants will cost money, time, and energy. So, one must invest wisely. So,
- Always keep your budget in mind: Study your own business and then decide whether you need a virtual assistant. If yes, then how many should be sufficient? Always consider your budget and hire accordingly. Hiring too many virtual assistants for no reason can be expensive. It can drain your finances.
- Don’t create unnecessary friction or competition: It’s good to give rewards but always be impartial when judging your virtual assistants' work. A good worker should be appreciated, but you don’t need to sing ballads praising one VA in front of others. It may demotivate others. Also, never have a ‘favourite’ assistant.
- Make full use of every VA: It’s extremely important to delegate tasks properly and use the virtual assistants to their full potential. After all, you are paying for the services. So, either don’t hire if not needed or get the work done from all those hired. Don’t let one VA sit idle while the other one toils.
Summary:
Want to hire multiple virtual assistants and work with them effectively, don’t make common mistakes like mixing up tasks, hiring unnecessarily, and depending on favourite virtual assistants to reap benefits like cost-cutting, increase in productivity, and profits.
If you are looking for virtual assistant companies working for the UK, US, or Australian clients, visit MyTasker today.
