Streamline Your Small Business: Virtual Assistant vs. Full-Time Hire

Running a small business means donning multiple hats — handling admin, operations, finances, personal duties and marketing efforts. 

The ultimate solution? Hiring an assistant. 

But the lingering question is: Do you opt for a Virtual Assistant or bring on an in-house employee?

Here, we’ll explore the options to streamline your workload effectively and discover the best solution for you.

Virtual Assistant vs. Employee

As your business expands, the load of tasks on your plate multiplies. From managing administrative affairs, orchestrating operational functions, handling financial matters, attending to personal responsibilities, to steering marketing strategies — juggling these tasks can become overwhelming.

Recognizing the need for support is one thing, but determining the type of assistance best for you is another. 

Virtual Assistants, the modern enablers of remote productivity, offer versatile support from afar. They adeptly manage schedules, support marketing initiatives and provide multifaceted assistance, all while operating remotely.

Whereas, hiring an employee — whether full-time or part-time — introduces a physical presence to your workspace. While contributing their skills and commitment to daily operations, employees also come with added responsibilities, such as onboarding, benefits management, workspace logistics and potentially higher associated costs.

The choice between a Virtual Assistant and an in-house employee extends beyond filling a role; it’s about aligning with your business ethos, objectives and financial parameters.

Defining a Virtual Assistant

In the realm of modern business support, a Virtual Assistant, or VA, serves as a remote professional providing a diverse range of administrative, operational and specialized services. A VA is an off-site ally, contributing proficiently to your business while working remotely.

A virtual assistant is defined as a professional offering administrative, technical, or creative assistance to clients remotely from a home office or a shared workspace.

Tasks assigned to Virtual Assistants span a wide spectrum, demonstrating their adaptability and versatility. Here are several examples of tasks commonly entrusted to Virtual Assistants:

• • Managing schedules and appointments efficiently.
  • Providing administrative support: data entry, email management and file organization.
  • Assisting in bookkeeping and financial record maintenance.
  • Conducting research for projects or market analysis.
  • Handling social media management and marketing initiatives.
  • Supporting customer service and communications.
  • Assisting in website maintenance and content creation.

By entrusting these tasks to a skilled VA, businesses gain the flexibility, expertise, and scalability necessary to streamline operations and enhance productivity.

Defining an In-House Administrative Assistant

In contrast to the versatile role of a Virtual Assistant, an employee embodies a more direct and on-site presence within a company's workforce. Typically, an employee operates within the premises of the business, functioning as an integral part of the core team.

As articulated by Sparklight Business, an employee can be described as an individual engaged under a contract of employment, either on a full-time or part-time basis. They constitute a permanent workforce, committed to fulfilling designated responsibilities within the company structure.

Unlike a contractor or consultant who might work on specific projects, employees are immersed in the day-to-day operations of the business, contributing to its growth and functioning across various aspects.

Employment comes with additional responsibilities for the employer, including compliance with labor laws, tax withholdings, benefits and often a deeper engagement in the company's culture and long-term goals.

The distinction between an employee and a Virtual Assistant is fundamental, as it shapes the approach a business takes when considering the scope, commitment and engagement level required for a particular role within the organization.

Pros and Cons of a Virtual Assistant

Understanding the landscape of employing a Virtual Assistant involves weighing its benefits and drawbacks. Let's delve into the advantages and disadvantages that accompany the decision to bring a Virtual Assistant into your business fold.

Benefits of a Virtual Assistant

There are many benefits of an assistant, but there are particular advantages of hiring a Virtual Assistant as opposed to an in-house executive assistant.

• • Cost-effective: Get the help you need for your business without spending as much as you would on an in-house employee.
  • Flexibility: Your business may be seasonal, which means there are months when you can have more or less support based on the demand and bandwidth.
  • Diverse skill set: Hiring a Virtual Assistant means the hiring pool is larger than an in-person role, meaning you can hire someone with expertise in areas that would be particularly helpful, such as social media marketing.
  • No training cost: As opposed to an in-house hire, no training would be required, meaning this person can hit the ground running executing tasks and requests.

Disadvantages of a Virtual Assistant

Several of the major benefits of a Virtual Assistant include flexibility and cost-savings, but several drawbacks are important to consider when determining whether a Virtual Assistant or an in-house employee is the right fit for your business.

• • Time tracking: It can be difficult to see the time spent on tasks by a contractor compared to an in-house employee. (But this is easily something you can ask for with websites such as Clockify.)
  • Irregular communication: Contractors typically don't have access to the same internal channels that employees use, meaning a specific communication workflow – or access to those channels – will need to be established for a successful partnership.
  • Split focus: Virtual Assistants often have more than one client or job with the flexibility that this position offers.

Pros and Cons of an Employee

Before deciding whether hiring an in-house resource would be the best option for your business, let’s discuss the advantages and disadvantages of hiring an employee to help with administrative tasks.

Benefits of an Employee

Every cent counts for your business, especially when it comes to investing. Learn about the positive returns of hiring a new team member.

• • Loyalty: This role is a permanent member of the team, meaning that you will have their undivided attention.
  • Relationship building: There is more interaction and opportunities to develop relationships with one another instead of communication with an external resource.
  • Visibility: You have more visibility into what team members are working on and their productivity.

Disadvantages of an Employee

Hiring an employee comes with its disadvantages.

• • Expensive: Investing in equipment, supplies, workspace and benefits, is drastically more expensive compared to hiring a Virtual Assistant.
  • Training required: Instead of executing tasks on day one, this role requires more time and money invested into training new employees.
  • Fixed salary: You will be paying an employee a fixed salary, compared to a Virtual Assistant that can ebb and flow on demand to align with your business's seasonality.

Let BELAY Help with Your Assistant Search

We understand that finding the right support for your business can be a complex decision.

 If you're still weighing options or ready to take the next step in your quest for the perfect Virtual Assistant, our team at BELAY is here to guide you. 

Outsourcing to a Virtual Assistant not only streamlines your workload but empowers you to focus on critical business priorities. Let us help you navigate this process and unlock your business's full potential.