Remote work is more popular than ever before, and it isn’t hard to see why. 77% of remote workers report being more productive, and over 70% of entrepreneurs think remote work is the new normal. So if you’ve hired virtual assistants, you are probably very happy about your choice – but it is important to address any challenges your assistant faces.
After all, remote work presents different issues to office work, and as the company owner it is your responsibility to support your employees (including the remote ones!).
Here are three common challenges virtual assistants face.
1. Challenges Virtual Assistants Face: No Marketing Skills
Virtual assistants who work alone may struggle to market their services effectively. They have three main options for this; they can pay to advertise their services on normal job websites (such as Indeed), they can advertise their services on remote work sites (such as Upwork), or they can join a virtual assistant company (such as ours!). The last option is normally the best financially, as the company will actively find work for you, and you also don’t have to pay to advertise your services.
If you are interested in becoming a virtual assistant, get in touch today to find out how we can help you.
2. Time Difference Problems
Another common challenge is time difference problems. If you work in a different country to your employer, you may struggle to attend meetings. For instance, your boss may ask you to attend a meeting at 5PM their time, which is 10PM for you. This isn’t an issue if you don’t mind working unconventional hours, but if you prefer to work standard hours you may want to find work within your own time zone.
3. Feeling Alone
Another issue that virtual assistants face is feeling lonely. Working from home comes with lots of benefits (did someone say no more commute?), but for some people it can feel a little lonely. If you work from home and you can relate to this, consider reaching out to your virtual employees to see if they would like to start non-formal group chat on WhatsApp. This is a great way to bond and connect outside of work, especially if the other employees are also remote.
These are some of the main issues that virtual assistants face on a daily basis. Addressing these issues head on is the best way to overcome them, especially if you have been working remotely for a while and you feel like you’re stuck in a rut. And if you ever want to join a team of friendly, talented virtual assistants, please do get in touch!
