| In these days of faster and faster internet, email, | | | | involved in employing people on a permanent basis |
| file transfer etc it is often better to use a skilled | | | | and most temp staff are good - but this service |
| pa or secretary, providing online secretarial | | | | doesn't come cheap. However, most virtual PAs, |
| services at the end of a broadband and phone | | | | secretaries and assistants work from home and |
| connection, rather than employing the equivalent | | | | you are 'employing' them direct, on a |
| staff on site. | | | | self-employed basis. No problems with NI |
| Rising costs of full-time employees | | | | contributions, tax, pensions etc - you simply pay |
| Office costs are constantly rising, commuting is | | | | them at an agreed rate for what they do - they |
| getting so difficult that staff frequently are | | | | are responsible for their own tax etc. |
| arriving already exhausted and often late, whilst at | | | | What kind of work is done by Virtual Staff? |
| the same time employers are getting increasingly | | | | There are the obvious ones like copy typing, data |
| bogged down with employment legislation, such | | | | entry, audio transcription (you just send a audio |
| that it can often be very hard even to get rid of | | | | attachment to an email and they type it up), |
| inefficient people. At the same time, broadband | | | | producing spreadsheets, proof reading etc etc. But |
| and associated technology are getting better and | | | | many online secretarial services companies also |
| more available all the time. | | | | will prepare Powerpoint Presentations and |
| Real, not 'virtual' savings | | | | sometimes even desktop publishing, mail shots |
| Enter the Virtual PA, The Virtual Secretary or the | | | | and graphic design. A small minority of virtual PAs |
| Virtual Assistant. Skilled motivated people at the | | | | and secretaries can even prepare Export |
| end of a broadband connection that you can | | | | Documentation and Letters of Credit for shipping. |
| switch on and (more importantly) off, as and | | | | This is of course a specialized field and one which |
| when you require their services. No need to go | | | | does require great attention to detail. |
| through costly induction and interview procedures, | | | | Next time - think Virtual! |
| provide costly office space, pension | | | | So next time you're up against a deadline to |
| arrangements, or pay for several weeks' holiday | | | | produce a report, a vital quotation, a manuscript, |
| a year, not to mention sickness and also having | | | | minutes of a meeting etc etc, why not consider |
| to pay their National Insurance contributions and | | | | talking to a Virtual PA, Virtual Secretary or |
| organize their PAYE. | | | | Assistant? And remember, it really doesn't matter |
| Virtual staff usually cost less than temps | | | | where you or they are because they are there |
| Obviously another effective alternative to | | | | instantly at the end of a broadband connection or |
| permanent staff is to use a temp staff agency. | | | | the humble telephone! |
| You do admittedly avoid the commitment | | | | |