How Virtual Assistants Are The Way Forward

I am a Virtual Assistant and work for businesses remotely from home.  The clients I work for can be based in an office or at home but generally have hectic schedules and are often on the move either in meetings, travelling, or dealing with other commitments.

I wanted to highlight what Virtual Assistants are, how you can become one, and why they're a great help to businesses of all sizes, and as I work from home, where better to do it than on the Work From Home Week blog. 

​What is a Virtual Assistant?
The support Virtual Assistants provide can easily be based at home rather than the office as current technology enables access into the office archives, the sharing of documents, calendars, and email accounts. Communication is important for any business, and today it is easier than ever to stay connected thanks to phones, video calls, and apps, so a good relationship can be formed quickly and I immediately feel part of the company I am working for. 

​Ways of working together are quickly established and tasks and organising appointments can readily be delegated to the VA who is a reliable point of contact while the business owner is otherwise engaged. This ensures no important phone calls or emails, which could be new business opportunities, are missed. 

There are a range of tasks and projects that I have taken on for clients so that their time is freed up for concentrating on fee earning matters. The flexibility I offer of being able to work at times that suit the client plus those that would have been spent commuting is beneficial for both of us.

​Why Virtual Assistants are Beneficial to Businesses
Entrepreneurs and small businesses eventually reach a tipping point when their workload becomes too much, but they can’t afford to hire a full-time employee or don't have the office space. This leaves them stretched and unable to focus on the key priority of growing their business. Working with a Virtual Assistant is the ideal solution in these situations providing flexible and reliable support without the additional costs or hassles that come with hiring a permanent member of staff.   

Why Virtual Assistants are Beneficial to the UK
Working from home as a VA is a positive contribution to cutting down the number of people commuting, which contributes to global warming. Particularly in London public transport is desperately over-crowded and unreliable, meaning time and energy is wasted fighting the crowds to get into work and then back home again. 

Parents with children can work around school or nursery hours feeling positive about still being able to balance their family life with work commitments. They can keep up their skills and with technology. Working as a VA also encourages me to upskill as there are many different systems clients use and it is necessary to keep adapting and learning along the way.

It also, as with other working from home jobs, keeps me healthier as the flexible working hours mean that exercise classes and gym sessions can be fitted in during the day. It requires managing your time effectively to include exercise and breaks but your working hours will end up more productive than they were going in to an office.

​How being a Virtual Assistant makes my life better
Having been a Personal Assistant for most of my career I can adapt my knowledge to any situation.  I have the satisfaction of running my own business and working with some wonderful and inspiring people. 

I enjoy the flexibility of working my own hours and can take time to do what is important to me.  The freedom of working from any location and not being tied to an office is invigorating.

​I have the bonus of working with a range of interesting businesses without being limited to one area of expertise. I take pride in the increasing successes of these businesses and my contribution to their growth and prosperity.

Check out these resources to help you work from home. 

This post was written by Mary Cumberlege at Vector Support.