How to work with a remote fractional support when you're used to a traditional secretary
If you mention to your staff that you just hired a secretary for the front office, chances are most of them would understand the role of your new hire. However, if you announce that you are hiring a remote, fractional support person, it’s possible you’ll get that deer in the headlights look from your staff. While more and more workplaces are taking advantage of remote options, it’s still novel to some, especially if much of the staff is working on site. Fractional support is also an often misunderstood term. So, let’s dive into what remote fractional support is, and how to take full advantage of it in your business.
What is remote fractional support?
Simply put, remote fractional support is a support staff person working part-time for your business in an off-site location. We often refer to this type of hire as a virtual assistant. A VA often works from their home, but they may have their own remote office. While the individual is working part time for you, it may mean they have other clients they are also supporting.
Often, hiring a remote fractional support staff makes the most sense when you aren’t in need of someone for full time hours. This allows you to save money by not paying full time wages. It also means you don’t need to pay for benefits, office space, etc.
What are good tasks for a virtual assistant?
There are definitely some tasks better suited for remote work than others. If you’re looking for a full time receptionist who can greet clients as they walk in the door, a virtual assistant is not in your best interest. However, if you’re looking for someone who can complete tasks online or over the phone, a virtual assistant is a great fit.
Here are just a few of the tasks we tackle at Auxo:
Calendar or email management
Business research
Submit claims for billing
Coordinate travel arrangements
Email newsletters and client communication
That’s literally just a drop in the bucket of what a typical virtual assistant can provide, but we have several more ideas available in our Delegation Checklist.
Making Communication a Priority
Making small talk around the water cooler or popping around the corner of your coworker’s cubicle is a bit challenging if you’re working remotely. Since spontaneous communication isn’t as likely to take place, intentionally planning how and when to communicate becomes more important.
When first getting started, having processes already typed up and ready to share with new hires is always helpful to getting them off to a quicker start. If you don’t have them, don’t worry. That’s something your VA can begin to work on. The biggest thing to remember is to communicate often and clearly about your expectations.
Many of our clients make it a regular part of their weekly routine to connect with their virtual assistant to chat. This could be on a set day and time, or fluctuate, but either way, it becomes a non-negotiable part of their week. This is a preset time they use to communicate on any project updates, questions, and review any ongoing tasks. Whether it’s over the phone or a video chat, the goal is the same - to make sure they’re on the same page moving forward.
Make Technology Work for You
If your support staff person is going to be working remotely, it’s important that you both are comfortable using at least some technology. How do you want to handle things like document storage, confidential items, and passwords? There are various ways to manage these, such as Google Drive, OneDrive, or LastPass. You’ll also want to determine the level of security you have with these programs and whether you’ll give your VA full access or simply allow them to view certain things.
One concern that comes up with remote workers is being able to track how projects are progressing. At Auxo, we utilize Monday.com for our task management system, and we invite our clients to participate in our boards. This allows you to track progress, assign new items, or even set up recurring tasks. If there is something you are working on together and you need to be able to show how a task is coming along, video conferencing is incredibly helpful at being able to share screens and walk through things simultaneously.
Remember that Your VA is Remote
There may be a few times that having a remote assistant may feel challenging, but it’s always something that can be worked around. Remember that your VA is hired for fractional work, so they may not be available from 8-5 everyday. Communicating ahead of time about each other’s work hours will help you know how and when to reach each other.
You also can’t expect your VA to be able to turn around a project with really short notice. Calling at 8 am with a slide show that is due at noon is asking a bit much. Sometimes VAs are able to complete projects with a short turnaround time, but that should not be the norm for your communication. Planning ahead a bit, and involving your VA in your beginning discussions instead of just at the end will help you both avoid those last minute deadlines.
Overall, working with a remote fractional support person can be very beneficial for your organization. It allows you to add another strategic-minded person to your team, while also cutting down on space needed in your office and budget. Planning ahead and communicating clearly keeps everyone on the same page, and moving forward.
If you’re interested in learning more about how your business could benefit from a virtual assistant, please reach out to us for a free consultation.