Should I hire a VA or a PA? Part Two

In continuing on from our previous blog. We will now show you some of the pro’s and con’s to look at when thinking of hiring a VA or a PA.

Virtual Assistant: The Good

– You only pay for the hours spent working on your actual work.

– Accurate timesheets of all work done are kept for accurate billings. Unless, charged per project completed instead.

– You are not required to provide a working space with any of the necessities that come with it.

– There is no paid leave.

– You will not have to worry about lateness or leaving early or sitting in traffic. Your assistant is most likely working from a home office, and thus never wastes time in traffic. Or asks for shorter hours for personal reasons. Again, the hours worked are the hours paid for and so any interruptions will not affect you.

– A VA has made this life choice for various reasons. A VA will work hard to ensure that the choice made was the right one and that the goals envisioned at the start are met.

– Able to work any hours, as has chosen flexibility in this career path.

Virtual Assistant: The Not so Good

– You won’t see your VA unless you Skype or set up adhoc meetings.

– You may not realise how much you need your VA and the amount of work you have delegated until the bill arrives. Surprises can usually be planned around with weekly updates on request. Or provide an agreed upon monthly budget upfront. Also, remember that VA’s are often expected to catch-up on a lot of backlog work in the first few months. This will also affect billings.

Personal Assistant: The Good

– Always on the premises for meetings and quick instructions.

– You build up a relationship more quickly, as you spend time together more frequently.

– You are able to delegate anything, as the PA is present and can be given immediate instructions and training or guidance, as needed.

Personal Assistant: The Not so Good

– As long as the PA is at your premises and working a permanent full-time position, they will need the salary to match.

– Never mind the salary expense, employees may also expect bonuses, incentive payments, increases and 13th cheques.

– Some employees ‘fill’ their days with their workload, as opposed to working efficiently and being able to take on more. I.e. the amount of time given for a task; is the amount of time it will always take to complete that task.

– You will need to provide an office space, desk, chair, stationery, computer, telephone, etc. In fact, this list can be endless once you start thinking about it…

– You will need to pay for all leave days taken. This includes sick, annual, year-end office closure, family responsibility, study leave and exam days.

– Whether through fault of their own or not, staff are often late. Or watching the clock for their breaks. Stuck in traffic. Having car troubles. Needing to leave early for something or quite simply not good with their own time management.

– Able to slack off, as the job is safe and comfortable, there is no real risk if there is a guaranteed salary.

– Even when the need arises around month-end or year-end, some staff can’t or won’t put in anything extra.

Look at all your information and business data before making your decision. Each business is different and has different requirements. Each business suits different types of assistance.

Cathy Haumann
Owner | Virtually Admin
Virtual Business Administrators