What Are the Real Differences Between Employee vs Virtual Assistant?

The virtual assistant vs employee debate is becoming increasingly crucial for company owners. Employees and remote assistants may complete many of the same duties, such as simple administrative activities, office management, and social media management.

How do you decide which is the better option for you? As a business owner, you need to carefully weigh the pros and cons of having a VA vs having an employee by considering your short- and long-term goals.

Remote assistant vs full-time employee: the main differences

The expense of employing an online assistant vs a full-time employee is one of the most significant distinctions between the two. Hiring a VA costs less than hiring a full-Time employee in terms of overall expenses.

Another distinction to consider is geography. You can locate a VA in practically any country since VAs operate remotely. A full-time worker, on the other hand, will generally work from home and complete duties in person. 

For the same reason, a virtual assistant working hours may differ from those of a full-time employee. Some businesses want their remote assistants to work normal business hours, regardless of where they are located, whereas others let them have a more flexible schedule.

In addition, VAs may work the odd weekend or holiday. In contrast, a full-time employee generally sticks to a 9-to-5 schedule but there are exceptions. Some companies, for example, need employees to work longer hours than conventional 8 hour shifts.

The cost of a remote assistant vs a full-time employee

The cost of engaging a remote assistant vs employing a full-time employee is significant.

For one thing, hiring a VA is perhaps the most straightforward way to do so. You and the VA can choose between an hourly rate or a fixed monthly fee. You will only be charged for the time your VA works, or whatever monthly rate you agree on, and nothing additional.

Bonuses, 13th-month pay, holiday pay, sick leave pay, and equipment and internet expenses are all common in certain sectors. It is not necessary for a business to provide any of these incentives.

Remote assistants are extremely affordable in terms of overhead. Hiring a full-time employee, on the other hand, incurs a number of additional costs. These may include: Life insurance, taxes, worker’s compensation, paid vacation leaves, paid sick leaves, overtime pay, holiday pay , payroll costs , life insurance , office expenses.

Remote assistant advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

  • Several Virtual assistants have a wide range of talents. Some are experts in social media marketing, SEO, content creation, photo and video editing, transportation, and even technical support, among other things.
  • An assistant might be able to take care of your business at home when you’re unable to due to a schedule change, illness, or other reason. Depending on your requirements, you may hire a VA with a flexible working schedule. This implies that you will only pay the VA for actual hours worked or per project finished. Alternatively, you may opt for a fixed monthly rate and enjoy an assistant on call, who can work whenever you need him or her.
  • When it comes to part-time, short-term, or project-based contracts, a freelance VA is ideal because you won’t have to invest in overhead and can guarantee that you stay on track.
  • During their free time, VAs improve their abilities and knowledge to compete more effectively. This implies you won’t have to pay for any training.
  • You may hire an assistant or use a remote receptionist on an as-needed basis, such as during peak season or if you need assistance with work that needs to be completed over the weekend, at night, or during a holiday.
  • When you employ a online assistant, you have access to a considerably bigger talent pool since your VA can be located anywhere on the planet. This increases the likelihood that you’ll find someone who is ideal for your needs.
  • There are no financial worries if you choose to hire a new VA. The costs of using an online VA platform are very low.

Disadvantages

On most platforms, tracking hours and verifying actual work completed is either extremely precise or rather unreliable. There may be potential for dishonest behavior if your VA has a flexible but hourly schedule.

Regular contact may be an issue since assistants operate remotely. If you have a job that needs attention right away and your VA does not have regular working hours, there’s no guarantee your VA will be available.

Technical difficulties on the VA’s side are beyond your control and may have an impact on productivity.

Employee advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

In-person interviews are an excellent method to evaluate a person’s skills and overall character, especially their work ethic.

To develop mutually beneficial relationships, many employers choose to work and communicate with employees in person. This is critical for production, efficiency, and company success.

When your staff are physically present, it’s simpler to keep track of their productivity and find any areas where they can improve.

Having an in-house assistant might lead to better mutual communications since you can more easily correct any misunderstandings or errors.

Disadvantages

Hiring a full-time employee is a significant expense. There are fees associated with maintaining an office and offering benefits.

You must pay all of the employee’s training expenses and any other job-related costs. This entails spending time away from the regular job, as well as expenditures.

An in-house assistant is usually only expected to carry out a set of activities each day. Although you can swap tasks if your priorities change, the helper may not be able to swiftly adapt to last-minute changes if daily business operations are dependent on a fixed timetable. As a consequence, productivity may suffer.

A fixed wage must be paid to the employee regardless of workload. This may be a major disadvantage if you have lengthy periods without much work for the employee to do. In addition, if you need work done outside of normal working hours, you’ll have to pay overtime.

You’ll also incur costs from lost productivity during the turnover period and recruiting fees or ad expenses if you need to replace an employee.

Replacing an employee vs replacing a remote assistant

Employee turnover has a significant cost. It can account for up to 33% of an employee’s yearly salary. Replacing an employee who makes $45,000 per year will cost your firm an extra $15,000.

The cost of employing a freelancer ranges from $1,500 to $3,000 per month. That’s just for advertising or recruiter fees, interview and post-interview expenses (pre-employment tests, checking references, etc.), signing bonuses, and onboarding and training costs.

However, getting a replacement for your VA only entails the costs of advertising and contracting through an online platform.

Which option is right for you?

The ideal method to pick between a VA and an employee is to figure out exactly what services you require. Take the above points into account, as well as your budget, objectives, and whether you want someone to be in the office with you.

The majority of the time, a VA will be the ideal option. Veta virtual is offering virtual assistant and virtual receptionist services. You can schedule a consultation to talk about your needs right now.

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