Tag: remote worker

Why Attendance Is Pivotal as a Virtual Assistant

Why Attendance Is Pivotal as a Virtual Assistant

Working from home is undeniably the most comfortable setting for anyone regardless of their field. Nonetheless, comfort is a factor that causes some people to make wrong decisions in terms of their commitment to work. In some cases, as certain remote workers find it more convenient to work from home, they tend to forget to keep their professionalism in check.

Since it is much easier to skip work when you are not physically required to report, some misuse this privilege, to the point that it affects their employers negatively.

Yes, indeed, there are cases that are exceptions. For instance, you have to attend to an urgent matter or emergency. Moreover, if you are feeling under the weather, which is equivalent to being ineffective instead of functional if you will still work. These are situations that you cannot refute as good reasons to miss your shift. 

However, as a virtual assistant, you have to practice avoiding absences without valid reasons. One possible invalid reason is to prevent being called off due to a mishap with your work, so you decided to hide and escape reprimand. If you are a reliable VA, learn to own up your mistakes and surely, your client would prefer to rectify them with you. On the other hand, you will be absent simply because you are not in the mood to work. Also, you may be skipping work because you are going to miss your favorite television show or game.

When you start working as a VA, you should remember that you have committed yourself to assisting your client efficiently. Basically, being present is one component of being efficient. There are lots of things that could go wrong with you not being around.

Primarily, if you are not present, especially if your main role as a virtual assistant is to assist your client, you can possibly cause him or her to take over your tasks. This would make him or her lose time for more important matters, which could have been the focus of his or her day. Furthermore, your client may miss a lot of important things since one role of a VA is to keep your employer reminded of not only appointments, but tasks to do, as well. Some clients even tend to delay their projects for your input is highly crucial to accomplish them.

Secondly, if you make it a habit to miss work for no reason, you are also jeopardizing your team members’ productivity. If you are working with other remote staff as a team, most likely, your work can affect everyone else’s. For instance, their activity may be held off simply because you have not submitted yours yet. Alternatively, they may need to do extra work since you have left yours unattended.

Additionally, did you know that being present all the time will make you more contributive to the organization you are working in? The more you understand things that are occurring in the company, the better you can put your skills into use. If there are issues ahead, you can help solve it and an extra head would always be valuable.

All boils down to consideration when it comes to keeping your attendance record acceptable if not perfect. You have to consider not only yourself when working as a virtual assistant, but your client, co-workers, and company itself. Keep in mind that you may be reporting for salary to sustain your everyday life, but it does not mean that you should cause trouble for those, who are also doing the same.

Virtual assistants are often preferred by clients for they can be available regardless of location and timezone. As a remote worker, it is best to be a representation of what is expected of a virtual assistant – a better person to work with and someone that a client could rely on anytime.

Being Proactive: A Commonly Sought Trait in Virtual Assistants

Being Proactive: A Commonly Sought Trait in Virtual Assistants

Virtual assistants are selected not simply because they help in more ways than how a typical office worker could contribute to an organization (e.g. being able to assist regardless of time or location). To put it simply, skills are not always the basis whenever remote workers are being assessed; instead, personality also matters a lot, or better yet, it is a priority for most employers.

You may be the most efficient virtual assistant a company could find in terms of the tasks you can carry out with utmost efficiency, but you would still be let go if you lack the trait of being proactive.

What does it mean to be proactive? Being proactive can be described as a trait that makes someone more dependable in terms of preventing issues effectively and finding solutions for further business growth. Practically, it is what an employer would need – someone that would not just follow through instructions all the time, but serve as a dependable worker regardless of being guided or working independently.

It is true that being a virtual assistant implies you are required to provide an output based on the instructions given to you. However, if your aim is to be a more efficient one, not only for your employer’s sake, but for your personal growth, you should not be contained by instructions alone. Employers always seek for a team member that is not hesitant to suggest, comment, or criticize, whenever necessary. Basically, without such worker in an organization, problems would not be solved and improvement would never be in the picture.

If you are not convinced yet with how being proactive can make you a commendable virtual assistant, then here are more advantages brought by having the said trait:

Uncovering potential critical issues easily. By being proactive, you would be able to identify certain matters in your employer’s operations that could be probable serious predicaments in the future. One good example is the frequent poor client coordination for the customer service team is not trained properly. If this will be addressed ahead of time, the reputation of the company may be saved from countless negative feedbacks that may be expected if the problem ensues.

Being the best team member one could find. With a proactive personality, you would not be dependent on people around you all the time, even if you are working in a team. Regardless of having certain tasks assigned to you as a contribution, being proactive means you are willing to step in, whenever necessary.

One good example is when one of your team members is ill and no one would take care of the documentation task. If you have the skill and time to take over, being proactive implies you would not hesitate to handle the work for the meantime.

By having the given mindset, you will not just finish your tasks or projects easily, but show how considerate you are to the other members of the organization. This will certainly create an amiable atmosphere in the company.

Opening one’s self to growth. If you are a proactive virtual assistant, you would not mind being corrected or taught on how to carry out your work much more effectively. Instead, you would actually welcome guidance and new learnings, whenever they are at hand.

A proactive remote worker would think of mistakes as a learning curve and would not dwell in them. Instead, he or she would always look forward to preventing those errors, resulting in his or her improvement. Considering your growth as a virtual assistant to be a contributing factor to your organization’s betterment is also equal to being proactive. 

A proactive virtual assistant would always be a step ahead of any remote worker regardless of experience, educational background, or number of skills to offer. By being proactive, you would not simply meet your employer’s standards but go beyond what is expected of you, making you a dependable asset to an organization’s growth in the future.

How to Make the Most Out of Having a Virtual Assistant

How to Make the Most Out of Having a Virtual Assistant

Having a virtual assistant at this time is one of the smartest moves an entrepreneur or an executive would do. With the advancement in technology and easier means of working regardless of your location or time zone, having a remote assistant is no longer a problem. 

In truth, there are tons of benefits that you could reap by having a virtual assistant, which you could start with flexibility. Meetings or even coordination about tasks would no longer be limited to seeing each other personally. Even if you are traveling around the globe, you can relay your thoughts, ideas, and requirements to your VA with ease.

However, in order to make the most out of having a virtual assistant, there are things that you should try to practice. The following are just a few:

Get rid of your menial tasks first. If you are new to having a remote assistant, the best thing to do first is getting rid of your so-called ‘menial’ tasks. These are activities that take much of your time every day, but can actually be handled by your assistant, which will free up your schedule for more important business matters.

Some business people are too hesitant to assign tasks to their VA, which is normal, so considering the menial tasks as a start would be a smart idea. Once you have seen that your virtual assistant is working efficiently with the initial activities you have assigned, you would have a better assessment on what other tasks to disseminate in the near future.

Work with them side-by-side. To reap the utmost advantages of having a VA, it is best to have them with you during your working or operational hours. Flexibility may be considered the best option by others, but if you want to be assisted well enough, then the virtual assistant should at least be reachable whenever you need him or her.

By having your VA work during your operational hours, even if there are urgent matters at hand, you will be assisted. Furthermore, coordination would not be delayed. Flexible schedule may keep your virtual assistant from clarifying some things, which could in turn hold off the completion of certain tasks.

Additionally, working alongside your VA may also help you observe his or her work performance much more effectively.

Give sufficient time for adjustment. Every virtual assistant has the right to have enough time adjusting to their new work environment. If you will rush a VA to have the know-how of everything in your business immediately simply because he or she is experienced, you may encounter issues going forward.

Bear in mind that your operations may differ from that of your VAs’ previous employers’. Furthermore, even if you may be using software applications that your virtual assistant is proficient at, you still need to convey your expectations clearly.

By giving a reasonable adjustment period, you would be able to support your VA from working effectively in the long run. It is somehow your means of orienting them on what your business goals are.

Be open to correcting their mistakes. There are entrepreneurs or executives, who simply decide to give up having a virtual assistant after a single mistake and not allowing him or her to correct it. 

If you want to make the most out of having a VA, treat them as a typical office employee, who may err from time to time. With proper guidance and correction, he or she would improve by seeing mistakes as their learning curve.

Moreover, if you do not present the errors done by your virtual assistant, it would be difficult for him or her to even keep up with your standards or requirements. Guessing what should be done is not the way to go in having a VA.

Allow learning of new skills. You should not limit your virtual assistant to doing the same things in the long run. If you would allow him or her to learn new skills, which are beneficial for you, then it is a good move. 

For instance, instead of allowing your VA to work on administrative tasks solely, you should also be open to the possibility of getting help in advertising or sales. This is in consideration to getting the nod of your virtual assistant and assuring that his or her workload is still fair.

Instead of getting more and more people to do tasks separately, an efficient VA can get a lot of things done with sufficient time, resources, and support.

From the provided practices, you would realize that a virtual assistant could be the independent contractor or employee that could fill in the gap in your operations. All it takes is to carry out the said steps and you would be able to get the most efficient assistance you could find.

Preparing Against Power Outage, Remote Workers' Greatest Foe

Preparing Against Power Outage, Remote Workers’ Greatest Foe

Working remotely is highly convenient not only for the remote workers, but for the employers at the same time. Instead of setting up big office spaces, you no longer have to worry about delaying your operations as long as your virtual assistants are set. You simply have to ensure your company’s files and applications are accessible in any unit regardless of location. 

However, the aforementioned convenience can be disrupted by many problems, such as power outages. When blackout hits, it is common that virtual assistants tend to leave work early or miss their entire shift. 

Fortunately, there are ways for remote workers to prepare against power outages. All it takes is following these simple tips:

Keep yourself updated to the power maintenance schedule. At present, electricity providers use various platforms to keep their customers notified when power maintenance will be done. You should take advantage of this, such as by following their social media pages. You may also request for updates via e-mail or SMS.

Make sure your devices are charged after use. You should make it a habit to charge your devices after use. For instance, following your daily shift, ensure that you charge your laptop and mobile phone. At the very least, you can be certain that the next day you utilize these devices, they are fully functional despite the possibility of power outage affecting your area.

It became a practice for most remote workers to only charge their equipment whenever the battery is low. This should be avoided, regardless of whether your location is prone to blackouts or the contrary.

Prepare a backup internet always. Besides charging your devices, you should also have an alternative internet connection. Power outage implies your wired internet will no longer work. 

Apart from saving credit for mobile data, if you are using a wireless internet device, you should also make certain that this is fully charged always.

It is also helpful if you are near an area, such as a restaurant or café, which offers free internet connection. This could be an option if you ran out of solutions for the backup internet.

Nonetheless, this tip goes hand in hand with the second one. Even if you have a way out from your internet issue, but your PC or laptop has no power backup, you still would not be able to work.

Maintain your generator properly. If you have a portable generator at home, it is imperative you follow the procedures in maintaining it. Aside from keeping a stock of fuel, you should also see to it that it undergoes periodic inspection for issues. Moreover, you should consider oil change, battery power check, and battery cleaning among others. By doing so, you would not have any issue using it in times of blackouts.

Set a go-to place as an alternative home office. There is a possibility that power outages may last for days, particularly if the damage is due to natural disasters. In this instance, it is advisable to find a place that you could set as your home office temporarily. For instance, an available co-working space you could rent for a short period or a friend’s house that you would be welcome to stay in for a while.

With the given tips above, you would be able to report as normally as you could despite power outages. Simply keep in mind that missing work due to blackout could mean a lot of things, such as missed deadline, attendance issue, delayed team members’ work due to your late input, and overall poor performance record. These could be prevented by being proactive in dealing with power outages.

Why Working on a Fixed Schedule Is Advantageous for a Virtual Assistant

Why Working on a Fixed Schedule Is Advantageous for a Virtual Assistant

Working remotely has always been associated with flexibility, not only in terms of location but in schedule, as well. Virtual assistants tend to have more convenience in blocking a time dedicated for their work. However, flexible time may be favored by most of your peers, but it does not mean it may work for you. You could start with the fact that not all tasks or projects do not require constant coordination with your team members.

Concerning the said matter, it should not be overlooked that a fixed schedule in remote work has its advantages, which may be ideal for your current job. Here are a few:

Better Understanding of Operations. If you are new in the team, it is best you work on a fixed schedule following the operational hours of the company. This would provide you a better understanding of how things work. Through this, you would be able to figure out your role in the organization better. Furthermore, you may be able to identify what other things you could contribute to the team to make the operations more efficient.

If you work on a flexible schedule, you would probably be simply focused on your tasks alone. You may not even comprehend the significance of other co-workers’ corresponding works. This may in turn cause you to delay others or not even consider helping out to accomplish a project as a team.

Having a projection of how the entire company works will make you a more considerate employee rather than just a productive one.

Seamless Coordination. There is no assurance that working flexibly could offer you seamless coordination. Indeed, tasks may be relayed via e-mail or messaging applications, but there would always be clarifications involved. Particularly, if an activity would need a team of people for accomplishment.

If you work on a fixed schedule, your employer would be able to reach out to you at the right time without worrying about waiting for your response. This goes the same if you have issues to raise. This is more advantageous if urgent retort is often needed for your task.

On the other hand, should you work on a flexible schedule, it is most likely that you would not even have a chance to catch up with your employer or team member. There would definitely be instances that it would take hours before a reply can be expected. Things could go amiss if this is the case.

One good example is when your employer would often require your assistance whenever a meeting is to be set. For instance, he or she would need to meet up with clients. In order to do this, he or she has to check his or her schedule with you from time to time. If you are not working on a fixed schedule, your employer may find it difficult to reach out to you. At the very least, if you work on a set block of time, more so alongside his or her working hours, confirmation of his or her available time would be done swiftly.

Personal Interaction. It is not healthy to have limited personal interaction when working. At times, it also helps if you are able to coordinate with your team members regarding various matters. Working on a fixed schedule enables you to do this.

If you are a remote worker based in another country than that of your team members, working alongside their schedule will make you feel one with them. This would allow you to ask questions, clarify confusions, share ideas, or even simply chat while on break. 

Working with people instead of individually in a remote setting will help you grow. If you interact, you may learn from your team members’ work ethics. Furthermore, they may be open to giving you guidance as you carry out your tasks, and vice-versa.

With the benefits of working on a fixed schedule provided above, you may now be able to consider it as an option in your remote work setup. You may ponder giving it a try, particularly if you are encountering issues with your flexible setup, such as limited understanding of your tasks, miscommunication, and poor engagement among your co-workers.