If you need to hire an administrative assistant, you will have to decide whether to hire a virtual assistant (VA) or an in house employee. In house administrative services may be right for you if you need assistance for several hours every day, can afford to pay for overheads, and are willing to make a long-term commitment. On the other hand, if you need a person for less time and want more flexibility, virtual assistance services may be suitable for you.

Getting help will allow you to focus on the things you do best. You will be able to do the things that are really important for profitability and growth, like planning, innovating, and meeting clients.

However, it can be risky to hire an in house office assistant at a time when business prospects are uncertain. It is not easy to find a suitable candidate and you will have to make a long-term commitment. Hiring a full time employee involves substantial monthly expenses on overheads like wages, paid leave, benefits, and taxes. You will also have to spend on office space, furniture, equipment, utilities, etc. 

To avoid these expenses, you can consider hiring a part time employee or a virtual office assistant. Hiring a part time employee also takes time and involves many of the overhead expenses that are involved in hiring a fulltime employee.

You can easily hire an experienced business virtual assistant at short notice. After working with the person for some time, you can decide about whether you would like to establish a long-term relationship. You can also avoid paying for employee benefits, taxes, insurance, office space, furniture, equipment, utilities, etc.

A virtual administrative assistant is an independent professional who works from his / her own home or office. Virtual assistants have higher levels of commitment because their success depends on helping their clients to succeed. A qualified and experienced VA can be a valuable asset to a small business owner and can be hired for a fraction of what it would cost to hire an in house employee with a similar background.

Apart from this, virtual assistants use their own office space, furniture, and equipment, and pay their own utility bills. You only have to pay for the actual hours of their time you use and there is no need to make a long-term commitment.

You can view the following cost comparison to make up your own mind about whether hiring a VA makes more sense than hiring a part time of full time, in house employee:

Administrative assistant:              Fulltime          Part time       Virtual Assistant       

Average hourly rate                     *$14.75         *$14.75         $35.00
Hours worked per week                   40                20              10                                  
Hours worked per year                   2,080            1,040           520            
Annual salary                                $30,680         $15,340         $18,200

Cost of "water-cooler" talk             $3,835           $2,400          --

Utilities, Office Supplies                   $5,200            $2,600          --

Benefits ** (approx. 30%)                 $9,204               --              --

Total annual compensation          $48,919          $20,340        $18,200

*Based on information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

**Based on information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

This comparison does not include expenses on office space, furniture, and equipment which you will have to bear, if you hire a full time or part time employee.

If you hire a part time in house employee, you will have to make payments towards legally required benefits, which are not included in this comparison.

Another advantage of hiring a virtual personal assistant is that you only need to pay for the actual hours of work, and this can vary according to business requirements. On the other hand, once you hire an in house employee, you are obliged to pay the hourly rate and benefits, even if there is very little work for the employee to do. 

If you need flexibility and don’t want to spend on renting, equipping, and running an office, a virtual assistant may be just right for you. However, if you need to have a personal assistant who will be available for several hours every day, and have a long-term requirement, hiring a part time or full time, in house employee may make more sense.

Here's To Your Achievement,