Outsourcing virtual assistance is one of the savviest things a business person can do today, regardless of the size of the business he or she is running. Virtual assistants (VAs) have thus become an essential component of every business venture in the current world. These employers hire virtual assistants to perform a variety of tasks, from routine clerical work to highly consultant positions. But one question that frequently arises is: How many hours does a virtual assistant work? This is important to know when you are in the process of hiring virtual assistants, particularly where you hire them and how you can effectively employ them in your business. Whether you are aiming to hire a Filipino VA or VAs from other nations or planning to get your VAs from a particular agency, you should be aware of the common working hours. Now, let’s analyze how many hours a virtual assistant spends working, what affects the virtual assistant’s work hours, and how you can benefit from a virtual assistant.
Full-Time or Part-Time: How Virtual Assistants Structure Their Hours
Virtual assistants can work either full-time or part-time, depending on the agreement between them and their employer. However, unlike traditional office workers, their virtual assistant’s work hours are often more flexible, shaped by the needs of the business and the VA’s personal work habits.
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Full-Time Virtual Assistants: 40 Hours or More Per Week
If you hire virtual assistants for a full-time position, they typically work around 40 hours a week, much like regular office employees. A full-time Filipino VA or virtual assistants from other locations usually follow the business hours of the company that hires them, though there is flexibility here, especially when working across time zones.
Advantages of Full-Time Virtual Assistants:
- They are consistent the whole day.
- Full-time VAs can integrate a lot more with your team and processes.
- If you need ongoing, uninterrupted support, they’re perfect for businesses.
If you’re running a business that has constant administrative, creative, or technical needs, hiring virtual assistants on a full-time basis means that you always have someone to take care of important tasks. For example, hire a Filipino virtual assistant through an agency. They’ll be able to work according to your operational hours but with enough flexibility to adjust for different tasks or time zone needs.
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Part-Time Virtual Assistants: 20-30 Hours Per Week
Part-time virtual assistants work between 20 to 30 hours per week. For businesses that don’t need constant assistance or have more fluctuating workloads, this is an ideal option. If your business only requires assistance with certain projects at certain times of the year, you’ll want to hire part-time virtual assistants.
In fact, 57% of virtual assistants work 20 hours or less per week, which means that many VAs work part-time in addition to full-time to boost their income. One of the main benefits of this flexibility is that it gives business owners the ability to provide support without overcommitting to full-time costs.
Key Factors Affecting Virtual Assistants’ Working Hours
The virtual assistants’ work hours, however, are generally dependent on the business’s requirements. However, other factors affect how many hours they work. Knowing these will allow you to set realistic expectations and have a great relationship with your VA.
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Client Needs and Workload
Clients’ needs are one of the biggest determinants of a VA’s working hours. One example is if you’re running a marketing campaign or a busy season, your VA from the Philippines might have to work extra hours to meet deadlines. On the other hand, when there is a smaller workload, the hours might be less, and vice versa. Flexibility is key as VAs often adjust their schedules to accommodate client demands. If you are hiring virtual assistants from different time zones, their virtual assistant’s work hours may be very different from yours.
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Type of Employment: Freelance, Agency-Hired, or Direct Hire
There are agencies that hire virtual assistants freelancers, and businesses can also hire virtual assistants themselves. The implications of each model are different for working hours.
- Freelance Virtual Assistants: Freelancers have their own hours, so it’s possible to work more or fewer hours based on the project. Freelancers can work as little as 10 hours a week or as much as 60 or more hours a week on multiple clients.
- Agency-Hired Virtual Assistants: When you hire through the agency, you are getting a more structured way. Agencies manage the VA’s schedule and make sure they are working the agreed-upon hours. If you decide to hire virtual assistants from the Philippines through an agency, you will get consistent and reliable support with stricter timelines.
- Direct Hire Virtual Assistants: Direct hires work according to your business’s set schedules. If you prefer to work with a VA who will work within your business needs, but need to have more management, then this is an excellent option.
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Experience Level and Specialization
A good virtual assistant with expertise can complete tasks faster than a beginner. So this means that a Filipino VA with experience may work fewer hours and produce the same (or better) quality of work as someone with less experience working longer hours. However, beginners may have to work longer hours to learn the ropes, and longer hours may be required for beginners. More time is also required for specialized tasks. For instance, if you have a virtual assistant doing complex technical tasks, they may need more hours than someone who is doing general administration tasks.
Why Hiring from a VA Agency Makes Sense
Hiring virtual assistants from a trusted agency will save you time and give you better results. This means agencies often take care of all the recruitment, training, and quality control, so you get highly skilled VAs quickly without going through too much of a hiring process. It’s especially true when you hire VAs from the Philippines from agencies that source the best talent. Also, Filipino VAs are typically 3x less per hour than US-based VAs. The cost savings are substantial — Filipino virtual assistants charge an average of $11.33 per hour compared to $35.61 per hour for US-based VAs, and you don’t have to compromise the quality of work. You shouldn’t be surprised that the Philippines has become a favorite destination for outsourcing.
Benefits of Hiring from an Agency:
- Time-Saving: You don’t have to wade through hundreds of resumes. They do the work for you, finding you pre-vetted, qualified candidates.
- Quality Assurance: If the VA isn’t working the way it should, agencies usually provide replacements or support.
- Structured Working Hours: When you hire virtual assistants from an agency, you already get the peace of mind that you can schedule their virtual assistants’ work hours, and you know they will be available when you need them.
The Process of Hiring Virtual Assistants from an Agency:
- Define Your Needs: Begin by making it very clear what tasks you need help with. It could be anything from administrative support right up to a more specific role such as social media management or technical assistance.
- Consult with the Agency: When you know what you need, you consult with the agency. Whether you want to hire a Philippines virtual assistant or somebody from another location, they will match you with VAs that best fit your requirements.
- Onboarding and Setting Expectations: If you hire someone, it’s important to set expectations about work hours, task deadlines, and communication. This means that you and your VA are on the same page from the beginning.
- Regular Check-ins: Regular check-ins will make sure that your VA is delivering as expected. It helps you reallocate working hours or priorities.
Virtual Assistants Across Time Zones: How to Make It Work
Time zones are a very important factor when hiring virtual assistants from different parts of the world, especially when you hire virtual assistants in the Philippines. Filipino VAs are skilled, and the rates are very affordable. But if your VA is working in a different time zone, you need to expect availability and response times.
How to Navigate Time Zones:
- Set Clear Expectations: Let your VA know when they need to be available and when you won’t be available. Set clear communication protocols so that your VA will not waste time when you’re asleep.
- Adjust Task Priorities: Instead, prioritize tasks that can be done asynchronously (e.g. email management) over tasks requiring real-time interaction.
- Leverage Time Zone Differences: Time zone differences can be to your advantage. For instance, your VA can work on things while you aren’t working, so you’re still getting momentum even when you aren’t working your regular business hours.
Final Thoughts: Maximizing the Value of Virtual Assistants
Businesses whose aspiration is to scale without the overhead of hiring full-time in-house staff should consider virtual assistants as invaluable assets. However, to take advantage of your VA, you need to know how many hours they work and how to schedule them to meet your business needs. Setting clear expectations and managing communication well is important whether you’re hiring virtual assistants part-time, full-time, or as an agency. If you are considering a to hire a VA from the Philippines or are ready to take the plunge and hire virtual assistants, you should know that the flexibility, cost-efficiency, and skill that virtual assistants or a Filipino VA hire can offer to your business operations can be a game-changer.
