A lot of people seem to think a Virtual Assistant is someone who is pretty much an employee, even possibly a temp. That’s not the case, and it’s a limiting way of thinking about the relationship. Your Virtual Assistant is a collaborator who can use their skills, knowledge and networks to help you achieve more in your business.
There are many reasons that thinking of a Virtual Assistant as an employee is unhelpful. Firstly, there are a whole lot of tax and compliance reasons. So, if you are using your Virtual Assistant as an employee, then you may end up being fined, or found liable for superannuation payments. If you haven’t already spoken to your accountant or done some research on the difference it’s important you do so. If you don’t know where to start, I’d suggest the Australian Tax Office Employee or Contractor Tool. There’s a lot of information on the ATO website about the difference, and it’s worth making sure you get it right.
My second reason for disliking the idea a Virtual Assistant is a temp or employee, is the lack of respect it gives the work we do. You may (understandably) think that you can do everything that we do and find it hard to see the value. But I’d challenge you to work with a Virtual Assistant for any length of time and keep that opinion. Your Virtual Assistant will be able to do a lot of the things that you do more efficiently and with a higher quality.
What your Virtual Assistant will add to your business is someone who can handle the administrative tasks in your business, without close supervision. Your Virtual Assistant will help your business project a more professional appearance. Perhaps most importantly, your Virtual Assistant will give you access to skills, knowledge and a network of other Virtual Assistants. That means, you can provide a whole lot of additional service with a minimum of fuss. You need someone to answer phones 24/7? We can tap into our networks and find Virtual Assistants in various time zones to take care of it. You need something transcribed in a hurry? Our networks can provide…
Another important thing a Virtual Assistant can bring to your business is the knowledge they’ve learned as a business owner. The more businesses I work with, the more I find we have a lot of the same issues. Often, I’ll find that if one client is having a problem, either I’ve been there myself, or another client has. Sometimes, just knowing you’re not the only person going through something is a huge help.
Finally, your Virtual Assistant is as invested in your success as you are. If you don’t succeed, neither will they. If you fail, they will lose a valuable client as well as a source of income. It’s important to us that our clients succeed, thrive and continue to work with us.
So remember that your Virtual Assistant is a collaborator rather than an employee and get more from the relationship.
