Difference Between Virtual Assistants and Regular Employees

Virtual assistants and regular employees have major differences in terms of the overall cost. It is a fact that hiring virtual assistants costs less than getting full-time employees.

Both types of workers carry out the same tasks like office management, admin tasks, and social media work. But as a businessman, you have to decide which option to take by considering factors that can affect business expenses.

Location

One apparent difference between virtual assistants and regular employees is the location where work is done. VAs can be found anywhere in the world and in different time zones. For this matter, location is an insignificant detail of the work. In contrast, regular employees work in the company premises and do tasks in person.

Working Hours

Virtual assistants work on hours specified by the employer. Regardless of the timezone, VAs can adjust work schedules to fit into the timezone of the company. This shows flexibility and dedication to the work. Meanwhile, regular employees stick to the shifts specified by the company.

Cost of VAs

Here lies the significant difference between hiring VAs versus regular employees. Most virtual assistants are paid on an hourly basis but there are some that have fixed monthly salaries. Each country has its own set of social security systems, income tax, and other regulated benefits that employers have to shoulder for workers but with a virtual worker, this is not mandatory. Of course, the company may offer incentives and bonuses but this is really not required for VA work.

In terms of overhead, hiring a VA is more economical because additional costs are not required. Full-time regular employees’ benefits can include the following, aside from their salaries:

• Health insurance
• Taxes
• Worker’s compensation
• Paid vacation and sick leaves
• Overtime pay
• Holiday pay
• Accident insurance
• Office equipment acquisition

All these are added expenses for the company which can have a dent in profitability.

Skills Set

Virtual assistants are usually equipped with a set of skills needed to perform required tasks. It is uncommon for companies to hire newbies but if so, they are trained before diving into the work. Experienced VAs have diverse skills and can take on multiple roles. An admin VA may also help in email campaigns or making social media posts. Some are even capable of handling technical support.

Regular employees usually have a job description that fits into the organizational setup of the company. Although multiple roles may happen, a job designation and description are still required.

Job Knowledge

Virtual assistants level up their job knowledge on their own because this is a highly competitive market. This means that the employer need not spend on training or anything else to upgrade job knowledge.

There are many VA agencies that you can partner with when it comes to virtual assistant work. When this happens, you have a wider pool of professional people to assist you. Agencies have backup VAs to attend to your tasks so that the work process is not stopped. Unlike regular employees, when one is absent, there is a possibility that the task for that person is not accommodated by others.

The Best Option to Choose

Find out what specific job or jobs need to be fulfilled before making a choice to hire virtual assistants or full-time employees. Consider the points given above and make a conclusion.