More than 70% of employees around the world want to continue working from home after the COVID-19 pandemic introduced the work-from-home setup as cited in the Global Workplace Analytics. More and more people like working from home because they can pick their own work hours, save time and money on commuting, set up their workspace just how they like it, have more control over their day, and balance work with their personal life more easily. It also lets them live wherever they want without worrying about where their job is located. This concept opens up a variety of tasks to delegate to virtual assistants. Since they specialize in a wide range of fields.

Given this trend, today is the best time to combine virtual assistants hand in hand with specialized support which has become an integral part of improving efficiency, growth, productivity, and reducing business expenditures.

Delegation is a key part of this approach. It means giving tasks or responsibilities to someone else to help get things done. It’s like passing on some of your work to others who can handle it well or even better than you. Through delegation, workload is distributed, productivity is increased, and individuals are given opportunities to develop new skills and grow professionally. 

In this blog, we’ll explore what a virtual assistant is and why hiring one can be beneficial. You’ll discover the many ways a virtual assistant can help you, from handling administrative tasks to tackling specialized projects. This aims to help you have a clear understanding of how a virtual assistant can make a positive difference in your work and business.

What is a Virtual Assistant?

Virtual assistants, commonly known by the abbreviation VAs,  are professionals who deliver a variety of remote services, including administrative, creative, technical, personal tasks, and more. 

A VA serves as an extra pair of hands, helping you accomplish tasks that are repetitive, energy-draining, and time-consuming. It’s like hiring someone to assist with office tasks, but they do it from their own location, not in your office space.

Did You Know?
1 in 8 Million virtual assistants on Upwork comes from the Philippines!

This ranks the Philippines at the top spot for hiring VAs since Filipinos have great English skills, professionalism, and a strong work ethic, making them perfect for remote jobs.This simply means that the pool of professional remote workers in any field is limitless.

Benefits of Hiring a Virtual Assistant and Remote Workers

Businesses can save up to 78% of annual expenses after hiring a VA including office rent charges, internet subscription costs, and other necessary expenditures in managing a business.

An average employer can save around $11,000 per year for each part-time remote worker. These savings come from boosted productivity, lower turnover and absenteeism rates, decreased real estate expenses, and the ability to maintain operations even if employees can’t physically make it to work.

Key Roles You Can Delegate to Virtual Assistants

There are countless reasons why you need a virtual assistant, but here are the 10 Key Roles that you can delegate to your VA so can focus on what matters most and boost your business growth:

1. Data Entry

Data entry is a foundational task for many businesses, involving the inputting and management of various types of data such as contact information, inventory data, or financial records. It’s a task that requires attention to detail and can be time-consuming, making it a common responsibility for virtual assistants.

2. Social Media Management

Social media has become integral to business marketing strategies, requiring consistent posting, engagement with followers, content creation, and analytics tracking. Virtual assistants often handle these tasks to maintain a strong online presence and engage with the audience effectively.

3. Customer Service

Providing excellent customer service is crucial for maintaining customer satisfaction and loyalty. Virtual assistants may handle tasks such as responding to inquiries, resolving issues, and providing support via email, chat, or phone, ensuring positive interactions with customers.

4. Administration

Administrative tasks encompass a wide range of responsibilities including email management, calendar scheduling, travel arrangements, and document preparation. Virtual assistants help streamline operations by taking on these administrative duties, allowing business owners and managers to focus on core tasks.

5. Research

Research tasks involve gathering information on various topics such as market trends, competitors, product features, or industry developments. Virtual assistants conduct research to support decision-making processes, content creation, or business development initiatives.

6. Recruitment

Recruitment involves sourcing, screening, and scheduling candidates for job openings within the organization. Virtual assistants may assist with tasks like posting job ads, reviewing resumes, conducting initial interviews, and coordinating with hiring managers to facilitate the recruitment process.

7. Marketing

Marketing tasks range from creating marketing materials such as flyers, brochures, or presentations to implementing marketing campaigns, analyzing marketing metrics, and conducting market research. Virtual assistants support marketing efforts by assisting with these tasks and ensuring marketing initiatives are executed smoothly.

8. Copywriting

Copywriting involves creating compelling written content for various purposes such as website pages, blog posts, social media posts, advertisements, or email campaigns. While copywriting is a specialized skill, virtual assistants with strong writing abilities may assist with drafting and editing content to maintain a consistent brand voice and engage the target audience.

9. Video Editing

Video editing involves editing raw video footage to create polished and professional videos for marketing, training, tutorials, or presentations. Virtual assistants skilled in video editing software may assist with tasks such as trimming, adding effects, transitions, captions, and optimizing videos for online platforms.

10. Website Development

Website development encompasses designing, building, and maintaining websites to ensure functionality, usability, and visual appeal. While website development is a specialized skill typically performed by web developers or designers, virtual assistants with technical expertise may assist with tasks such as content updates, basic website maintenance, or managing website platforms like WordPress.

However, complex development tasks are usually outsourced to specialized professionals.

Delegating and freeing yourself some valuable time sounds promising but if delegation is not fully committed to, it could yield unintended results, highlighting the necessity of executing it correctly.

Successful delegation requires clear communication, trust, accountability, and ongoing support and feedback to ensure tasks are completed satisfactorily and goals are achieved.

For assistance in hiring highly qualified Filipino remote staff, look no further than Remote Philippines, your reliable partner.