Employee or contractor? That is the question that many business owners ask themselves when they realise they need support in their business.
So, which is the right option for you?
You might think the logical option is to employ a part-time worker who can really integrate into your business. But, a VA can do that too (and more).
Here are just some of the reasons why welcoming a VA into your team is the premium choice, rather than investing in a permanent employee:
EMPLOYEE OR CONTRACTOR?
What’s the difference?
Well, let's start with a basic overview.
CONTRACTOR (VA)
In our case, the contractor is a virtual assistant or VA. They provide administrative, operational, and creative support virtually via state-of-the-art software systems. As an independent contractor, your VA will have their own workspace that they operate out of, so will generally work remotely for your business.
Your VA will be able to help you with a whole range of tasks like:
Administration
PA tasks like email, travel, and calendar management, as well as minute taking
Content creation and coordination
Social media
Account management
Client interactions
System and process implementation
Document formatting and presentation design
A virtual assistant will invoice you for the work completed, either based on an hourly rate or a fixed fee. Their services are a completely tax-deductible expense.
EMPLOYEE
An employee is a permanent member of your team that works part-time or full-time under a signed contract. They will have specific duties to perform and tend to work onsite at your workplace.
Permanent employees must be paid a set salary or hourly wage and are entitled to a range of benefits like sick leave, holiday pay, public holiday pay, Kiwisaver and more.
As an employer, it is your responsibility to arrange all the tools that your employee will need to perform their role. They will require a workstation which generally includes a computer, phone, access to your software systems and any other resources the job calls for.
The Benefits Of Hiring A VA
COST EFFICIENCIES
The cost of hiring a VA can be significantly cheaper than taking on a part-time employee. For a start, you will only pay a VA for the work that they do. So, if you only have 2 hours of work one week, then that is what you will pay for. Whereas, you will need to pay a part-time employee a set number of hours per week regardless of the workload.
A virtual assistant will usually operate remotely at their own premises (unless you have agreed for them to work on-site with you), so they already have a complete workstation setup with their own equipment. That means there are no setup costs for you - no computers, mobile phones, desks or office space to provide.
As a VA will be invoicing you as a contractor, there are also no payroll-associated costs to factor in.
No holiday pay, public holiday pay or maternity leave to factor into your budget!
GREATER FLEXIBILITY
You know how we just mentioned that you only pay for the hours your VA works?
Well, not only does that save you money, but it also gives you great flexibility. Sure, this week you might only have 2 hours of work that needs completing, but the next week, you could have 20 hours.
With good communication and planning, your VA can accommodate these fluctuating workloads.
They can be on hand with extra support for upcoming projects and still keep things ticking over in quieter periods. This gives you more flexibility than the set hours of a part time employee.
Depending on your needs, you can pay a VA a minimum monthly retainer for ongoing work, or contract them on a project-by-project basis. It is an effective solution for the peaks and flows of business.
ALL THE SKILLS
Part time employees can be very skilled at what they do. But, they are still only one person. When you choose to work with a VA Agency, like the team here at Good Line, you get access to all the skills.
Not only will you have a dedicated VA to handle those important admin tasks, but by aligning with us, you also get access to an expert bookkeeper, graphic designer, social media specialist, minute taker and so much more.
FOCUS AND PRODUCTIVITY
Did you know that the average worker is only productive for 2 hours and 53 minutes a day? That is a concerningly low rate of only 31% of an average 8-hour workday.
And here are some more concerning numbers. It takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds for people to refocus their brains after being distracted. But, the average employee is distracted every 3 minutes! That doesn’t leave a lot of productive work time in the day.
In comparison, a VA will work remotely in their own private office, away from distraction. Our team, for example, is especially skilled in focusing their energy as well. By using time tracking apps, we ensure that when your VA is working for you, they are 100% working on the tasks at hand.
That means, the work gets done quicker and more efficiently, saving you a whole bunch in wasted wages!
COMMITMENT
Your VA wants your business to do well, we promise! Some people are concerned that a VA contractor might not be invested in the development of your business or will not be committed to your success. This is certainly not the case.
In fact, our VAs become an integral part of the business teams they join. Many of them are in strategic roles within our client’s organisations, helping to improve their systems and processes while also bringing the team together in collaboration.
They become the glue that holds a business together and help the team to reach new levels of productivity and achievement.
KNOWLEDGE
In order to service the needs of their clients effectively, good VAs need to keep their skills current.
So, you will find that the best VAs are continually developing themselves professionally. And that's great news for you. You get all the benefits of their renewed expertise without having to fund the cost of the training!
And remember, that all the members of a VA Agency will be undertaking this upskilling. So, you get up-to-date expertise in a huge range of areas.
This is only going to be beneficial for your business.
Think a VA could be a good solution to your employee or contractor debate?
Then, you need a GOOD VA! Here at Good Line, we have a team of expert virtual assistants who specialise in a wide range of administrative and creative areas.
We’d love to provide our skills and expertise to help you make your business more efficient. So, book a time to chat with one of our friendly team now and we can let you know exactly how we can help.
Here’s the link to choose a convenient time to chat.
