You’ve finally hired yourself a Virtual Assistant. Now, they are about to start and begin the journey of making your life a lot easier. But before they actually begin, you need to go through the typical onboarding process/meetings and an overview of everything that they will need to know. As you start this new working relationship, here are 4 things that your Virtual Assistant will want you to do.
Have a Clear Task List
As V.A.’s our job is to work for you, so we like to have a clear understanding of the tasks that will be asked of us. That’s not to say we aren’t capable of taking on new or last-minute tasks for you but make sure you have a clear list of what you are going to typically expect your V.A. to do. Especially if it requires learning software, company policies, or doing something that they may not have done before. This will also help you be able to check things off your to-do list that your V.A. completes rather than being unsure of how they’re helping.
Have a Clear Schedule of When They Will Need To Be Working
As with all jobs, your V.A. will need an understanding of when you expect them to work. You both should already have an understanding of the general number of hours your V.A. will be working prior to them starting. But if there are particular days or time frames that you would like them to be logged on, that should be made clear to them to avoid confusion and miscommunications.
Mutual Understanding of Holidays & Days Off
Every business and industry is different, there are some sectors that get most of their business on the weekends and require the most help then. Whether your V.A. is through a staffing agency like Virtustaff or is a freelance contractor, you both should be in agreement on if they will need to be working any holidays and weekends. If this is necessary, then their days off should also be made clear as burnout has been proven to inhibit work performance and employee satisfaction.
Let Them Know When You Are Able To Be Reached
If you don’t require your V.A. to be logged on and working for you at the exact same time that you are, or if you are away from your computer, make sure they know how to reach you. Setting clear boundaries of the hours and methods that you prefer to be reached will benefit your relationship in the long term should they run into a problem or need to discuss something with you.
Keeping these 4 points in mind will help you establish a positive relationship with your V.A. from the beginning and prevent any future miscommunications. You will be happier knowing that you’ve laid out clear expectations for them so you have guidelines to refer to should a problem arise. The happier your V.A. is the more likely they will be to go above and beyond for the tasks that you assign to them.
Like this article? Follow for more! Interested in becoming a V.A or hiring a V.A? Reach out to us at www.myvirtustaff.com or info@myvirtustaff.com.
Written by: Jordan Basham