As a small business owner, there will probably come a time when you find it hard to manage all the work yourself. You have a decision to make on how to get the help you need – virtual assistant vs. employee? This blog post will walk you through the pros and cons of each and can help you decide which way to go.
What we’ll cover
- What is a virtual assistant and what services do they offer?
- What is an employee and what services do they offer?
- How do you choose which is right for your business?
- What are the benefits of having a virtual assistant vs an employee?
- How much does it cost to hire a virtual assistant vs an employee?
What is a Virtual Assistant and what services do they offer?
A virtual assistant, or VA, is an outsourced administrative assistant who may provide a wide range of services, from bookkeeping and office management to marketing and customer support. VAs are typically self-employed and work remotely, which means they can offer their services to businesses all over the world.
What is an employee and what services do they offer?
An employee is an individual who is hired by a company to perform a specific job or task. Employees are typically paid an hourly wage or an annual salary, and they may also be eligible for benefits such as health insurance, bonuses and paid time off. In return for their compensation, employees are expected to perform their duties to the best of their abilities, meet organisation and personal objectives and follow the company’s policies and procedures. They may also be responsible for managing other employees, either directly or indirectly.
How do you choose which is right for your business?
It can be tricky to decide whether or not it’s the right time to take on a permanent member of staff. This is a big commitment because you must be certain that your revenues can cover all your costs, particularly your payroll costs. If your business is growing rapidly, an employee may be the best choice as you can train them up to provide the perfect resource your business needs. However, if you are growing more slowly, you may prefer the flexibility of a freelance virtual assistant where you can vary the hours you purchase depending on your requirements each month.
What are the benefits of having a virtual assistant vs an employee?
As businesses increasingly look for ways to do more with less, the idea of using a virtual assistant is becoming more appealing. Virtual assistants are flexible resources that can be hired on a part-time basis, meaning that you only pay for the hours you need. This can be a big saving compared to hiring a full-time employee.
In addition, there are no costs associated with bonuses, pensions, holiday pay, sickness pay, premises or equipment. And because they work remotely, virtual assistants can be hired from anywhere in the world which may also allow you to reduce your overheads. As a result, businesses can save money and time by opting for a virtual assistant instead of an employee.
VAs are also highly skilled and experienced in their field, so you can be confident that you are getting high quality work. If you are looking for someone to take on some of the admin tasks in your business, then a virtual assistant could be the perfect solution.
How much does it cost to hire a virtual assistant vs. an employee?
A virtual assistant in the UK costs between £25-£30 an hour depending on experience. According to the latest Society of Virtual Assistant’s annual survey, the average rate for a UK Virtual Assistant is around £27 an hour.This is the fully loaded cost to the client – there are no extras to pay.
The average salary for a personal admin assistant in the UK according to Indeed.com is £19,681. On top of this the employer needs to add NIC, pensions, recruitment, training, onboarding, management and equipment which would bring the total cost to around £30,000 in the first year.
If you aren’t sure that you can fully occupy your employee for the hours you are paying them, then you may find it is more profitable to hire a virtual assistant instead.
So, now you have some ideas on how to choose between Virtual Assistant vs. employee, what would work best for your business?
Call or email me today to talk through which type of resource would suit you business right now.