Tag: virtual meetings

How do our Virtual Assistants provide ROI? Part 2

Calculating the return on investment (ROI) in the months after taking on a Virtual Assistant is more than a financial exercise for UK Estate Agents. It has more facets to it than only determining a growth in the number of properties sold before and after they joined – or calculating their impact on annual turnover.  When you evaluate ROI on a more holistic basis there are multiple factors to consider. Ultimately, all of these – financial or non-financial – have been proven to impact positively on a company’s bottom line.

Here are the financially related facets to consider when evaluating the source of ROI your company will enjoy through taking on a bespoke VA through VA Central.

Financial returns on investment

Saving money

  • Saving on upfront recruitment costs: Not having to pay recruitment costs when growing your team lowers annual business costs.
  • Not having to pay employee benefits and compensations: Not having to pay employee benefits reduces monthly cost-to-company.

Containing costs

  • Cost-effective rates: Paying for a half or full day package in which the hourly rate for your VA equates to the National Minimum Living Wage regulates annual salary costs (making growing the team affordable).

Increasing capacity

  • Time is money: Freeing up the Agency Principal and Estate Agents’ time so that they can take on more properties, spend more time nurturing client relationships and closing deals will increase turnover.

Increasing efficiency

  • Streamlining workflow: Having experienced VA’s onboard who will automate and streamline workflow has been proven to increase efficiency and level up Estate Agents’ service offering. This further capacitates Estate Agents to service the socks off their clients, increase their fees and grow the business.

There are benefits to be enjoyed where there is an indirect correlation between the cost of growing a team and ROI. What is tremendous about these non-financial gains (such as satisfied and engaged team members and a happy work environment) is that they also have a calculable impact on the company’s bottom line.

Non-financial returns on investment that impact the bottom line

Work-life balance for the boss

    • Having a talented, trustworthy team makes all the difference to being able to balance personal and work life – and to take well-earned time off knowing that your business will continue to thrive in your absence. Returning refreshed and full of energy will make all the difference to quality time spent growing your business.

Work-life balance for the team:

    • When a team has the optimal number of people in it, every member is empowered to give of their best without burning out. Team members can also take a well-earned break and in times of crises cross-skilled colleagues can pick up the reins for their affected teammates. There is sufficient thinking and operating time to be able to go the extra mile, be creative and innovative – and to be proactive in stepping up client service levels. It is these things that lead to more clients being landed and more properties being sold.

Healthy employee morale:

    • While employee morale upholds individual productivity, team morale is also important – it supports collaboration and enhances efficiency in team projects and goals. Fostering team morale is down to quality leadership, ongoing communication, regular recognition and reward, and the team being aligned with company values.

Taking on the right Virtual Assistant makes financial sense

Virtual Assistants are an exceptional resource for Estate Agents looking to improve their operations and increase revenue. Studies have found that, on average, businesses that employ the services of an experienced Virtual Assistant, can reduce their operating costs by up to 78%. Plus by working with a Marketing Virtual Assistant who manages branding and marketing efforts, Estate Agencies can access specialised skills that can help the company stand out and attract more clients in a noisy and competitive marketplace.

Remote vs Local: Part 1

What are the costs associated with taking on staff?

Estate Agents in the UK are right to be hesitant in taking on additional full-time employees, even if extra hands are greatly needed in the business because of the time and costs involved. They know that the expense of taking on a new employee entails more than just the person’s salary and benefits. Additional costs cannot be ignored when crunching the numbers to ensure it is financially feasible to grow a team.

Here is an overview of 5 cost categories to include when considering the financial outlay for a full-time staff member:

  1. Recruitment costs

Traditional recruitment agencies can charge 20-30% of the starting salary, which for a role associated with a salary of £25,000 per annum would equate to 5,000 to £7,500 in agency fees.

  1. Remuneration
  • Salaries

The average base salary for an Office Worker in the UK is £25,310 per year.

  • Employee benefits

Additionally, employers of full-time staff are also responsible for the following monthly costs for each employee:

  • Employer’s National Insurance Contributions (NICs) of 13.8% on any salary above the National Insurance Secondary threshold.
  • Auto-enrolment pension contributions, the minimum total contribution is 8% in the 2024/25 tax year, with a minimum of 3% coming from the employer and the balance from the employee.
  • Employees’ liability insurance.
  • Payroll costs

There is also time-consuming employee-related administration to consider. There can be overheads associated with the cost of running an RTI-compliant PAYE payroll system to facilitate Income Tax and NIC deductions from your employee’s pay.

  1. Employee entitlements

Employees are entitled to the following non-working days with pay:

  • Holiday pay, which includes their leave entitlement plus bank holidays. UK holiday entitlement equates to about 6 weeks’ salary.
  • Sick pay, for which employees pay eligible employees £99.35 per week for 28 weeks if they claim Statutory Sick Pay.
  • Maternity/Paternity pay, for which you may need to pay employees up to 52 weeks.
  1. Training and onboarding

Whether in-house or through an outside company the average cost to a UK business of training new employees is about £1,000 per employee.

  1. Overhead expenses

To properly equip a new in-office employee, overhead costs will be incurred. These once-off or repetitive costs can include:

  • Suitable office workspace
  • Office furniture
  • Computer equipment and software
  • A phone line
  • Extra insurance
  • Travel expenses
  • Increased utility expenses
  • Office consumables, including stationery and refreshments

Take on a Virtual Assistant from VA Central – it’s cost effective!

A growing number of Estate Agents across the UK have found that outsourcing a bespoke and custom-matched Virtual Assistant from VA Central is the best choice when growing their business. We are continually adding to an international talent pool from which skilled and experienced candidates are selected. Our clients benefit from our VAs having a minimum off 3-5 years role-appropriate property industry experience and having gone through a thorough vetting process so that only the best candidates make the cut.

Here is an overview of the same 5 cost categories when taking on a Virtual Assistant from VA Central:

  1. Recruitment costs

There are no recruitment costs.

  1. Remuneration

We offer highly cost-effective half-day and full-day packages that equate to an hourly rate in line with the Minimum National Living Wage. Click here for more pricing information. [https://vacentral.co.uk/pricing/]

  1. Employee entitlements

Our clients do not pay sick leave or maternity/paternity leave.

  1. Training and onboarding

Our Virtual Assistants are provided with ongoing training workshops and personal development at no extra cost to our clients. There are occasional instances where clients may ask for their chosen VA to be provided with specific, paid-for training.

  1. Overhead expenses

The beauty of taking on a Virtual Assistant – or a whole team of them – is that there are no office-related costs. Our Virtual Assistants work from their home office and come with their own up-to-date computer systems – and they work in UK office hours.

Our VAs generate a positive return on investment

A great benefit of taking on a Virtual Assistant from VA Central is our practice of carefully matching each VA and client. The right VA in the right position has been proven to support team engagement and communication, help in streamlining workflow and lower staff turnover – all of which positively affects our clients’ bottom line. Our great track record in VA placements is a result of the care we take to match skills with job requirements and match VAs with our clients’ work ethos and company values. Our experienced Client Success team all have well-honed people-instincts that support their match-making skills.

Be sure not to miss part two of this blog that explores more ways our Virtual Assistants generate a positive return on investment.

How VA Central is Transforming UK Estate Agencies

The pandemic brought on a ‘race for space’

In what has been called a ‘race for space’, the arrival of the Covid pandemic in 2020, saw the UK property market take off – in spite of predictions of a slump. During this property boom, even hard to sell houses were being snapped up. The outcome, according to the Lloyds Banking Group1, was that at a national level, average UK house prices grew by +20.4% between January 2020 and December 2022.

For Estate Agents to conduct business as usual during lockdown, two things had to happen. In-office support staff had to work from home. And property software providers had to ramp up the development of digital solutions to facilitate remote work and client interaction. Advances in PropTech have since vastly enhanced many estate agency businesses and streamlined processes.

Post-pandemic problems

However, even with the post-Covid downturn in the UK’s domestic property market – and the subsequent equilibrium leading to a predicted upturn – three problems have arisen within Estate Agency’s “new normal”.

  1. Technology has ramped up the need for speed and fitting more into each working day.

Yes, technology is an essential tool for automating workflow and facilitating seamless client communication. But it also means that clients have the marketplace at their fingertips 24/7. Prospective clients start their house-hunting online, giving rise to the need to market online, respond instantly to client enquiries and a whole host of other responsibilities that are added to each Estate Agent’s working day.

  1. Talent is hard to find.

Even before the pandemic radically changed employees’ expectations and the working environment, a looming talent gap was noted as one of the most pressing concerns facing UK companies. UK-based Estate Agents are particularly hard hit in this regard, as industry-related skills and know-how are hard to find.

  1. Remuneration costs are on the rise.

Today, with the cost of living on the increase, not only have salary expectations skyrocketed, younger employees are looking for faster career progression. They are taking on more senior roles without sufficient experience behind them and may quickly move on, changing jobs after a relatively short period of time.

Filling the talent gap – affordably

Award-winning Estate Agent and Mentor, Sanjay Gandhi, from Moss Properties and his Operations Director, Bronwyn Schmidt, quickly spotted the critical need to build an expanded talent pool from which UK Estate Agents could source a wider range of experienced support staff to grow their business.

Sanjay and Bronwyn understand that to be successful, freeing up valuable time and saving money is every Estate Agents’ imperative. They founded VA Central in 2020 to provide each of their UK-based Estate Agent clients with access to a global talent pool whose salary requirements are affordable – in line with the National Living Wage. Every VA Central client gets to take on the best Virtual Assistant to suit a variety of needs from among top quality, English-speaking candidates who reside in a parallel time zone.

How VA Central is transforming UK Estate Agency

Our Virtual Assistants have emerged as a game-changer for more and more UK-based Estate Agents – saving them time and money while supporting their business growth. As our clients’ needs grow, we assist them scale though taking on additional Virtual Assistant support. In this way, the business can adapt quickly to meeting changing demands.

Here are 7 more ways in which VA Central is transforming UK Estate Agency:

  1. Providing experienced, specialist professionals

There are many experienced specialists who prefer working as Virtual Assistants, loving working in a first-world market and earning pounds. The outcome is that our bespoke VAs fill a wide range of specialist roles, bringing passion and many years of experience to their work. Our recruitment team has identified industries in which staff have transferable skills, applicable to Estate Agencies. This further enhances our talent pool.

  1. Containing costs

Taking on a Virtual Assistant, or two, has been proven to be a more cost-efficient alternative to employing in-office support staff.  Estate Agents save on overhead costs such as office space, equipment and employee benefits, while still benefiting from the support that their Virtual Assistants provide as committed members of the team.

  1. Levelling up efficiency

Our Virtual Assistants are specialists at what they do. Though experience and focusing on specific routine tasks they take a fraction of the time that a busy Estate Agent would have to invest in handling administration, operational tasks, marketing, social media, bookkeeping and more.

  1. Enabling technological advancement

Virtual Assistant are technology savvy. Their automation of tasks and updating processes helps to streamline workflow. AI is a tremendous tool in the hands of our VAs as they put it to work in conducting intelligent research and analysis, optimising marketing campaigns, creating impactful social media content and even creating 3-D virtual property walk-throughs.

  1. Helping business growth

With a bespoke team of Virtual Assistants handling important routine tasks, Estate Agents are freed up to identify and focus on their top priorities – the work listing and selling more property. Expanding the team can transform an independent Estate Agent who sees themselves as working solo into a leader who is running a saleable business.

  1. Supporting our VA team through ongoing training

We don’t place VAs and walk away. Our team of VAs is supported through ongoing training and workshops that keep them up-to-date and well-equipped to be the best they can be. There are occasions when clients request that we provide particular training to their VA.

  1. Promoting work-life balance

Our top-quality Virtual Assistants work either half or full day and are bespoke to each client, making them a trusted member of the team. It is this teamwork that makes it possible for our clients to take much needed time off, knowing that the day-to-day work within their business is in good hands.

Read our blog on Cost Effective Staffing to learn more about how taking on a Virtual Assistant provides all the benefits that having exceptional employees brings – without having to bear added costs beyond their monthly salary.

1https://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/media/press-releases/2023/halifax-2023/three-years-on-how-the-pandemic-reshaped-the-uk-housing-market.html#:~:text

Three distinct benefits that VA Central provides over other outsourcing solutions

Have you ever worked in an environment where one individual in the team is a nice person but clearly bluffed their way into their job – they don’t have the right skills – or where a person is good at their job but has such a poisonous personality – through grumbling, gossip or spite – that they cause havoc with team relationships. Both these situations can derail efficiency and productivity at a tremendous cost to a company. The costs are felt in lost revenue through inefficiency, fixing mistakes or bad service that loses clients. They are felt in having to pay recruitment costs to replace an unsuitable person and then spend time training someone new.  Plus they are costly in terms of damaging team morale.

Our mission at VA Central is to recruit Virtual Assistant who become valuable, long-standing team members who help each of our clients’ companies to flourish and grow. It’s the reason we take extra care to ensure that our candidates have the right skills and experience – and positive personal attributes that match each clients’ unique culture.

Here are three ways our clients benefit from the quality of our bespoke service:

  1. Well-matched, bespoke Virtual Assistants

Every one of our bespoke Virtual Assistants is sourced with a particular client’s needs and culture in mind. Our meticulous selection process involves first getting to know each of our clients and understanding their needs. Only then do we set about sourcing the best candidates for the job. We put the top three candidates forward for a client interview and there have been several instances where the candidates have been of such a high quality that a client decides to employ more than one of them.

  1. Skilled and experienced professionals

Only experienced candidates with the right skills make the cut. Successful applicants who make the shortlist are those that have the right tertiary education plus 3 – 5 years’ prior experience working in the role we are looking to fill. We have many instances where senior candidates are keen to work as Virtual Assistants in a first world market. These are highly qualified individuals who are passionate about their work and who are delighted to earn an hourly rate in keeping with the UK’s National Minimum Living Wage.

  1. Well-supported through ongoing training and development

We believe in life-long learning – for ourselves and our team of Virtual Assistants. Our clients benefit from our team of VAs being provided with ongoing support through regular training and personal development initiatives. There have been instances where our clients have requested bespoke training for their incoming VA – and of course we have been happy to upskill their VA accordingly.

And there is a fourth benefit. Our clients find it invaluable to take on a Virtual Assistant who lives and works in a compatible time zone so that the whole team’s working day is in sync. Our Virtual Assistants live in a time zone that is only an hour (or two in summer) different to the UK. They enjoy keeping UK office hours. The outcome is that in every way that matters, our VAs are present and working alongside the team, competently handling important routine tasks to free up their boss’s valuable time.

Effective Communication with Your Virtual Assistant

What is the difference between teamwork and collaboration?

Teamwork happens when people work together toward achieving a common goal. The key difference between teamwork and collaboration is that while teamwork entails the individual efforts of team members to achieve a goal, collaboration involves a team of people sharing their ideas and skills, working together to achieve a common goal.

Why are teamwork and collaboration so important?

Teamwork and collaboration are both essential to a company’s success. Each team member has unique talents and skills. When these are shared for a common purpose, it can give a company a profound competitive advantage.

Research agrees that teamwork and collaboration bring these three benefits:

  • Working in a team encourages personal growth, increases job satisfaction and reduces stress.
  • People are more likely to take calculated risks that lead to innovation and creativity if they have the support of a team behind them.
  • Collaborative problem-solving leads to better outcomes.

Integrating VAs into your existing team

Integrating your new Virtual Assistant into your team seamlessly is all about being properly prepared for their arrival. Here are 5 tips for a making your new VA’s entry into the company worthwhile and welcoming:

  1. Prepare your existing team

It makes sense that bringing in a new personality with new attributes and capabilities will have an impact on the existing dynamic of the team. Communicate what the new person’s role is and provide information on their background and skillset to get the team excited for their arrival. Use the new person’s onboarding to introduce them and provide insights on each team member.

  1. Assign an orientation partner

Having someone appropriate to answer simple questions is a great way to make sure a new person settles in quickly. Then your new VA won’t have to feel spare about interrupting a colleague. A “buddy” can also provide insights that go beyond run-of-the-mill orientation and so should be both loyal and familiar with the company culture.

  1. Pre-set up protocols and procedures

Ensure you have things like an email address and logins ready – and that your new VA knows in advance what to expect when they get to work on their first day.

  1. Make onboarding a priority

Onboarding should be a priority in your new Virtual Assistant’s first few days of work – including introducing them to their colleagues – and followed by any systems training that is required.  If your company does not have a formal induction programme, ensure you have prepared training manuals and company information to assist your new team member throughout their startup period.

  1. Establish which are the best communication channels

You can help your new VA get to grips with which communication channels to use in different circumstances by creating a short and succinct internal communication process document that outlines the purpose of each communication tool and taking them through work in progress to bring them up to speed and illustrate how each of them are put to use. This will help them to be productive right from the get-go.

Strategies and tools for effective remote collaboration

Enabling remote team collaboration requires bearing in mind exactly what your remote workers are being asked to accomplish, workwise, and understanding the practicalities of connecting team members. Here are 3 strategies to engender collaboration in your remote team:

  • Make sure your communication is always clear

The worst culprit in derailing remote collaboration is a lack of clarity. If your team finds it difficult to collaborate on joint work, it may be because an assignment was briefed unclearly, or because getting together was difficult due to conflicting work schedules. (Or your busyness may have made you a bottleneck.) To avoid these hurdles set clear upfront project guidelines, communicate the project scope clearly and use online project management tool to make sure everyone has updated information and to track progress.

Prepare by asking yourself questions like:

  • What are the project goals?
  • What information does the team need to accomplish the task?
  • Where will this information be held?
  • By what metrics will you track progress?
  • What collection of remote collaboration tools can you provide to support them?

For example, give the teams access to your diary to see your availability. Or set up a shared calendar as to when they can contact colleagues for additional support. That way, they will feel comfortable seeking clarification when needed.

  • Make the most of video conferencing

Working remotely can easily alienate colleagues from each other. To overcome this, schedule regular team video updates to build camaraderie. Scheduling regular meetings will helps create a routine for the team. Regularly seeing each other means that they will be more likely to feel comfortable collaborating. Ensure the team knows they can always jump on spur-of-the-moment calls, much like they would pop in on a colleague at the office.

There are several platforms that can help:

  • Google Meet
  • Zoom
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Slack

 

  • Use a project management tool

Project management software is the key to eliminating roadblocks and completing crucial tasks on time and well. The best thing about them is they reduce the chances of tasks slipping between the cracks. Project management tools show at a glance who is doing what and what progress they have made. They have the useful facility to include detailed instructions and comments, and to upload pertinent documents under the umbrella of the project. So a team member with a question can easily find the information they need.

Collaboration thrives in a culture of trust

With remote work comes a need for trust. This means your measure of work well done will not be based on time management, rather it will be based on the quality of each team member’s well-timed output. After all, the key requirement is that ultimately a project is completed well and on time – and that your team works well together to make the project even better. If all is progressing smoothly, then there is no need to micromanage the team. Instead, focus on helping in problem areas. By investing time in helping your team members to improve, you help their development and show that you value them.

Ensuring Data Security and Privacy When Working With Your VA

The UK’s legal requirement to ensure data security and privacy

In the UK, The Data Protection Act 2018 controls how personal information is used by organisations, companies or the government. The Data Protection Act 2018 is the UK’s implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

  • The GDPR is set around 7 principles: Lawfulness, Fairness and transparency, Purpose limitation, Data minimization, Accuracy, Storage limitation, Integrity and confidentiality, and Accountability.
  • The definition of personal data includes the term “any information” by which the subject of the data is identifiable:

“Especially by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or one of several special characteristics, which expresses the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, commercial, cultural or social identity of these natural persons.”

Why is data security important?

In business, the main purpose of data security is to protect a company’s data that contains trade information or customer data. Unprotected data can be accessed by cybercriminals for malicious reasons and so compromise customer privacy. Data security is important because if a data breach does occur, a company can be exposed to litigation, fines and reputational damage.

Ensuring data security in remote teams

As technology allows organisations collect more and more data, effective governance and access management protocols are essential to scaling data use without losing control. While companies reap the benefits of reduced overheads when taking on Virtual Assistants, remote working has precipitated new cybersecurity threats and risks that could impact negatively on a business.

Training your Virtual Assistants on data security protocols

When it comes to any security, people can inadvertently be the weakest link. One of the most important aspects of data security is education. Educate yourself and your Virtual Assistants about UK data protection legalities and about the latest trends, threats, tools and best practices in data security – as well as drilling them to adopt and maintain secure data sharing habits.

Here are 7 best practices for protecting and sharing sensitive information:

  1. Encrypt sensitive data: Article 32 of the UK GDPR includes encryption as an example of an appropriate technical measure, depending on the nature and risks of your processing activities. If sensitive data must be stored on local computer hard drives, external hard drives, or flash memory drives it must be encrypted using security-approved encryption methods.
  2. Safeguard information to which you have access: Ensure you and every member of your team chooses strong passwords and changes them often. Do not leave paper documents containing sensitive information unattended. You should also update or delete the information as needed, disposing of it securely when it is no longer needed.
  3. Adhere to policy: Everyone in the company should know and adhere strictly to relevant policies. You may be bound by company policy, professional codes of conduct, legal obligations, or ethical standards that govern how you handle sensitive information. Insist that every team member sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that prohibits the improper sharing of sensitive information.
  4. Restrict access: The best way to alleviate internal security breaches is by restricting access to as appropriate to each role. Access control systems allow company IT admins to define who within the company can access which files and networks.
  5. Get consent: Consent means that the subject of the data agrees for you to hold and share the information having understood why the information is necessary, how you will use it, store it and protect it.
  6. Use discretion when sharing: Before sharing any sensitive information (be it with a trusted colleague or vendor) ask yourself why you are doing it. Is it relevant, necessary and essential for a set purpose?
  7. Monitor and evaluate: Put your internal processes to the test to ensure preserving data integrity and security. Keep track of what information is shared, with whom and for what purpose to avoid negative outcomes and trouble-shoot if need be.

Top tools for secure communication and data storage

It is essential to learn about the range of tools available and ascertain which of these is the best for your company – and are the most reliable. Here are 3 common tools available:

  • Firewalls

Your business will experience a constant flow of incoming and outgoing information as team members access your network from multiple locations. Firewalls are an efficient first line of defense as they monitor this traffic. They are easy to implement and offer good resistance against external cyber threats trying to break into your network.

  • Encryption tools

Encryption can protect your communication from being intercepted, modified, or stolen. Encryption is a process that transforms your data into a code that only authorised recipients can decode. Encryption tools include Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), end-to-end encryption apps, or encrypted storage services. These encryption tools can be used for:

  • data in transit (data that you send or receive through your communication tools, such as emails, messages, or calls).
  • data at rest (data that you store on your devices or cloud services, such as photographs, documents, or contacts).
  • Multifactor authentication

Multifactor authentication can prevent unauthorised access to your stored information even if your password is compromised. Multifactor authentication requires you to provide more than one piece of evidence to verify your identity when logging in. For example, you may need to enter a code sent to your phone or email, scan your fingerprint, or use a physical key. It is wise to enable multifactor authentication for your all your IT and communication tools.

Last but not least, keep your computer software up to date

While it is likely that UK Estate Agents do not use the latest computer hard and software in order to maximise their use of modern digital tools, it must be said that it is important to avoid using outdated or unsupported computer software that may have security flaws or compatibility issues. Current software and regular updates are essential for maintaining the security and functionality of your IT and communication tools. It may be a pain, but it is also essential to regularly do software updates – these often include patches for security vulnerabilities. It is a good idea to turn on automatic updates to make the process as easy as possible.

Building a Strong Working Relationship with your Virtual Assistant

Your Virtual Assistant should be seen as an integral part of your team – not a “bolt on” employee who works from afar. Due to your VA working remotely, building a strong working relationship will not begin with face-to-face onboarding or being able to pop into each other’s offices to get an update or answer questions. Instead, it will entail structured interaction, using digital communication tools and automated systems. However, what does not vary is that it will be forged through mutual commitment to the success of the business and regular two-way communication.

Building a strong working relationship takes time. It is not passive or self-sustaining – it takes continual input and action. Practically speaking, from your VA’s perspective, their commitment to building a strong working relationship is founded on their dedication to doing their job well and turning in work of a high standard – along with a positive can-do attitude. From the business owner’s side, it has its foundation in a commitment to thorough onboarding and any training needed, followed by regular communication and support – and consciously creating a work environment that nurtures engagement and builds a sense of belonging. One of the main benefits of building a strong working relationship is that it engenders trust.

Creating a positive virtual working environment lies at the heart of maintaining a strong working relationship with your VA – or any member of your team. One of the most positive aspects of taking on Virtual Assistants is that it allows remote members of the team to keep to office hours while also having the flexibility to see to personal commitments. This enabling of work-life balance contributes to a happy working environment.

Here are five tips for building a strong working relationship with your Virtual Assistant:

  1. Prioritise onboarding
  • Start by ensuring your VA understands your core values and the company culture. Make sure to be specific in defining what is desirable behaviour and what is not – and what living out your company culture entails, so that your VA understands specifically how their actions and performance contributes to supporting your workplace culture.
  • Introduce them to the team and provide a potted pen of each of their job descriptions and how their positions may require collaboration.
  • Provide a list of their Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) by which their performance will be appraised.
  • Give them appropriate access to your technology systems, login details and the like, and ensure that your VA is provided with any technical resources to get them up and running immediately.
  • Take your VA though current work in progress and familiarise them with how you use any project management and other software.
  • Hand over a task list that outlines and prioritises their tasks, with milestones, deadlines and predetermined review dates.
  1. Maintain open communication channels

Simple, straightforward and honest communication helps to build a strong foundation. The starting point is to provide your VA with information on your preferred method of communication and the times of day and week when you are and are not available. In the early days it’s helpful to connect with your VA more than you will once they are well established in their role. Once your Virtual Assistant is up to speed, schedule regular check-in meetings to review progress, address any concerns and provide feedback.  When it comes to team meetings, by fostering open communication you can ensure that both in-office and remote employees feel valued and supported.  Encouraging everyone to participate helps to create a sense of community and “being heard” that will contribute to your team’s engagement and future success.

  1. Use online communication tools and platforms for seamless interaction

It is beneficial to encourage communication and collaboration as much as possible in a remote team. Leveraging project management tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, Asana or Google Docs can facilitate seamless interaction with your Virtual Assistant and between team members, bridging the gap between any in-house and remote team members. Used properly, these online tools will enhance real-time communication and collaboration. They make assigning tasks, updating job statuses, providing comments, and tracking progress easy – no matter the difference in time zones.

  1. Provide training and development opportunities

Again, your Virtual Assistant should not be seen as a “bolt on”. Investing in training and development opportunities to grow your Virtual Assistant’s skills and expertise will improve their performance. This in turn will impact on the success of your business. By gaining access to training materials and online courses they will stay up to date with the specialised skills that are relevant to their roles and remain current when it comes to the tools and software they need to perform their duties efficiently.

  1. Celebrate successes and milestones with your VA

Recognition and reward at work has been proven to motivate people and boost productivity. Acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of your VA. Recognising their hard work and contributions will help to foster a positive work environment and will reinforce their essential role in your business’s success.

Overcoming cultural differences

Virtual Assistants can be located anywhere in the world. Like the UK, South Africa is a diverse, multi-cultural nation. The great news is that research by McKinsey1 has found that not only are diverse workers crucial for enhanced creativity, they are also good for a business’s bottom line. Companies with a diverse workforce are 35% more likely to experience greater financial returns than their non-diverse counterparts. When building a strong relationship with a diverse team it is important for business owners to lead by example. For instance, foster an environment of open dialogue where openly sharing cultural insights is encouraged. Your enthusiasm for embracing diversity will inspire your team.

 

1https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/why-diversity-matters

Setting Clear Expectations

Setting clear expectations for your newly appointed Virtual Assistant is of vital importance and should be seen as part of the upfront onboarding process. Establishing your expectations from the get-go will not only support your VA in quickly getting up to speed on the key performance essentials of their new position, it will pave the way for their being efficient and productive down the line and will support their positive engagement with the team.

First make your expectations clear for yourself

It is impossible to build a set of clear expectations with your VA if you haven’t first determined what you need and defined these expectations for yourself.  Here is a simple, five-pronged approach when thinking through your expectations:

  1. What is my objective or end goal?
  2. What steps are there to completing the job?
  3. What is the required timing – and is this realistic?
  4. What does my measure of “good” look like?
  5. Are there any examples I can refer to?

How to set goals and expectations with your VA

Once you are clear you can set expectations for tasks and goals with your VA. Here are 3 helpful hints when establishing what you require:

  • Provide context: Explain why certain expectations are in place. When your VA understands the rationale behind your expectations, they are more likely to engage wholeheartedly with the task at hand.
  • Be specific: Being specific, ideally using clear written communication, helps to avoid misunderstandings by plainly outlining the desired outcome of a task as well as the series of steps needed to complete it. Your expectations become particularly specific when they are connected to metrics such as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). The metrics used must be clearly defined and measurable.
  • Be realistic: It is important for you to understand the time it takes to do each task to set realistic expectations when considering resources and your VA’s capabilities. Overburdening your Virtual Assistant can lead to mistakes, time wasted, demoralisation, a drop in productivity and burnout.

Setting an effective task list

Creating a structured task list provides a blow-by-blow road map to effectively getting things done. This entails listing all the tasks that your VA is responsible to complete.

  • Some tasks on the list will be routine and repetitive.
  • Other tasks will be once-off initiatives.
  • Larger jobs and projects will require first breaking down the task into “sub tasks” or the elements that make up the whole. In this case, a series of deadlines for each sub task can be set toward completing the overall task.

It is important to work together with your VA to prioritise the tasks on their to-do list according to the importance and urgency ascribed to them. Once tasks or projects are underway you can monitor and adjust the task list as necessary.

The importance of regular feedback and reviews

Frequently checking in with your team and providing feedback is an ongoing aspect of practical expectation setting. This will allow your VA to course correct in a timely manner without having to re-do large chunks of work. And it will give you a chance to regularly acknowledge work well done. Regular reviews provide an opportunity for you to hold your VA accountable for their results as measured against your set expectations. Reviews also provide you with a platform for recognition – to help your VA to understand the difference they make to the business.

Tools for delegating and tracking project progress

Project management tools are specially designed to assist an individual or team in organising and managing their projects and tasks effectively. They are the modern-day conduit to efficient project management and task delegation when using the services of a remote Virtual Assistant. A sound project management system will also contain a task tracker that will keep reminding your VA what they must do and by when. It should also have a reporting system. Reports allow you to consistently monitor and communicate a task or project’s scope, timing, budget and progress at any time to anyone who needs to know.

Setting expectations upfront allows your team to be clear on what you expect from them – and what they can expect from you. It serves to reduce speculation and misunderstandings while focusing your team as it clarifies why, how and when you want work to be done. By establishing clear goals and deliverables on the day your Virtual Assistant steps into their role, you will lay the foundation for a happy and productive relationship that has a positive knock-on effect on the growth and success of your business.

How to achieve work-life balance

Today, people tend to see work and their personal lives as equally important. They make conscious career and work choices based on achieving work-life balance. Work-life balance can be defined as the equilibrium between one’s work and personal life, where one aspect does not swamp the other. What makes for work-life balance is unique to every individual.

With the rise in hybrid and remote work, work-life balance requires the dovetailing of work and personal life – or work-life integration – where work and personal lives fit together side by side in the best possible way.

  • For workers, work-life integration is made possible through enjoying a flexible work schedule. It is this flexible work schedule that makes work as a Virtual Assistant so attractive to many experienced and capable VAs.
  • For business owners, by delegating tasks to Virtual Assistants and reclaiming valuable time, they can lead a more fulfilling and balanced life, personally and professionally. Plus it is the key to a growing and thriving business.

Here are five ways taking on a Virtual Assistant can help you achieve work-life balance:

  • Free up valuable work time

A top-notch and experienced Virtual Assistant will take over time-consuming routine tasks like administrative work, project management, bookkeeping, social media management, and so much more. This frees up your schedule so you can concentrate on priority tasks with a strategic business benefit.

  • Improve overall productivity

Assigning tasks to a tech savvy VA will significantly streamline workflow and enhance productivity. With their passion for what they do, dedicated focus, and understanding of the latest digital technology, VAs often complete tasks more accurately and in less time than you would – with better outcomes.

  • Reduce work and financial stress

By capably handling routine tasks, Virtual Assistants can significantly alleviate stress. With the assurance that your team is competently handling operational detail, you can focus on what you do best. Virtual Assistants are also an extremely cost-effective way to add more hands to your business, in an era when cost-efficiency is vital to success.

  • Enhance personal time

When it comes to avoiding burnout, paying attention to your personal life (without feeling guilty that you are taking time out) is as important as a manageable professional life. Whether you want to spend quality time with family, pursue a hobby, or take a holiday, a Virtual Assistant can free up personal time and can be trusted to oversee day to day operations while you take a break.

  • Improved wellbeing for all

A business owner’s poor work-life balance can hurt their own employees. Reduced stress and more personal time result in better focus and energy at work and being more present in your personal life. Achieving a better work-life balance will significantly contribute to your overall physical and mental wellbeing – and benefit those around you.

It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that as a business owner you must work as much as physically possible for your business to thrive. Partnering with a Virtual Assistant who will shoulder routine tasks should not be seen as a sign of incompetence, but rather as a strategic move that frees up your limited time. Even better, working with Virtual Assistants allows you to delegate tasks without the added overhead costs associated with traditional employees. Ultimately, a trusted VA will lighten your workload and free up guilt-free personal time without adding to a financial weight that impacts on your much-needed down time.

Creating a Daily Success Plan With Your Virtual Assistant

As a UK Estate Agent, finding ways to maximise efficiency and curtail costs is the key to achieving long-term success. Nothing saves you more time than delegating tasks to a Virtual Assistant. Today’s Virtual Assistants are supremely versatile. If there is a task that can be done remotely, there is an appropriately skilled VA who is able to take it off your plate – from appointment scheduling and email management to market research, CRM, sales and letting administration, social media marketing and bookkeeping.

How can you make the most of working with a Virtual Assistant?

The answer lies in creating a daily success plan that alleviates the need to micromanage your VA while keeping your finger on the pulse of what is happening in your business. Technology is very helpful in this regard, offering a range of online work and project management tools that allow for remote team interaction, project planning, implementation and tracking.  However, in the beginning, extra communication is key.

Here are five considerations when creating your daily success plan:

  1. Clearly define your VA’s role

Know upfront what you want from your Virtual Assistant. Is your VA full or half-day? Decide which of their duties have the highest priorities before guiding them in allocating their time and resources.

  1. Establish parameters for the working day

Establish the times when each of the team – both remote and in office – will be working and available for interaction. This should include the hours they will take breaks or be away from their desks for personal activities.

  1. Have realistic expectations − time is limited

To avoid your VA being overcommitted (which can lead to them being overwhelmed – especially as they settle into the position) work out how much time, realistically, is needed for them to complete each task.

  1. Be flexible

There is much research that supports the idea that the length of a workday is irrelevant. What matters is how people structure their day. People who take regular short breaks are far more productive than those who work without stopping for a break. Flexible work arrangements can offer an advantage to businesses and their people. Employees appreciate having flexible schedules, as it can make it easier for them to achieve work-life balance.

  1. Always rank tasks in order of importance and urgency
  • Prioritise tasks according to importance

If two projects must be worked on simultaneously, but one is more urgent than the other communicate which project is to be completed first.

  • Prioritise tasks according to urgency

If something must be done quickly, but not necessarily immediately, have your VA prioritise it accordingly in their to do list.

When creating a daily success plan, the more procedures and systems you have in place, the quicker and easier it will be for a Virtual Assistant to be effective in taking routine tasks off your shoulders.  For example:

  • Both you and your VA need to establish the hours in which you will and won’t communicate and agree to your response times to emails, texts, and voicemails. This will ensure you are both on the same page with clear expectations.
  • Establish the preferred method of communication, whether this is via phone, text, email or using a project management app such as Asana or Slack.
  • Set regular daily or weekly deadlines for the completion of routine tasks – and schedule any regular tasks to happen at the same time each week to build consistency.
  • Hold a regular team or individual check-in call at a mutually agreed upon time to answer questions, provide input and check on progress.

Once your Virtual Assistant is onboarded and brought up to speed, exercising trust is essential (as it is in any professional relationship). Open, two-way communication builds trust and will serve you well by keeping your Virtual Assistant up to date and aligned with your goals and expectations. It will also provide the opportunity for them to communicate needs and considerations with you. While you may have initial reservations about delegating important tasks to a VA, it is crucial to trust their abilities and the expertise for which you hired them.

In a nutshell, putting an efficiency boosting online management system and robustly upheld procedures in place, supported by regular open communication, will lead to a seamless working relationship between you and your VA.