How Should I Manage a Virtual Assistant or Virtual Team?
IN A HURRY? HERE’S THE BOTTOM LINE
Remote work is here to stay, but if you’ve never managed a Virtual Assistant or virtual team, it can feel daunting! To set yourself up for a productive working relationship, make sure you have a thorough onboarding experience, use a project management system, set goals and track outcomes, meet for regular check-ins, and keep the lines of communication open.
GOT A MINUTE? HERE ARE THE DETAILS TO CONSIDER
No matter how you feel about in-person vs. remote work, the latter is here to stay. While many types of jobs can’t be remote, many of us work in fields that are perfect for this type of working model. Take a look at these stats from Forbes:
12.7% of full-time employees work from home
28.2% of full-time employees work a hybrid model
By 2025, 32.6 million Americans will work remotely (22% of the workforce)
98% of workers want to work remotely at least some of the time
16% of companies operate fully remote
But I’ll be the first to tell you that managing people you can’t see presents unique challenges and opportunities. This is especially true if you’re new to working with a Virtual Assistant or virtual team! Having the right tools in place, as well as thoughtful checks and balances, will give you peace of mind and lead to a more enjoyable and productive remote work environment.
I’ve been working out of my home since 2012 and started building a team of remote Virtual Assistants in 2018. Through trial and error, I’ve learned that the following elements are critical when it comes to effectively managing a remote team.
Set Your Team Up for Success
It probably goes without saying, but it’s important to set up your virtual team for success by making sure everyone has the information and system access they need to complete their assignments. Many contractors will have an onboarding agenda and checklist to work through, with you, to ensure they have everything they need to do their work efficiently, such as log-in information to the systems they’re using.
Learn more about onboarding your virtual team in this helpful article, “How Do I Work With a Virtual Assistant or Virtual Team?”
Use a Project Management System
I have been a long-term user of Asana, a project management software that has a ton of features available in its free plan. No matter if you choose Asana, Click-up, Monday, or something else, find a system you like and commit to using it.
Asana can help you and your virtual team keep track of all assigned tasks and projects, including their due dates. This also helps keep your team organized and efficient, since information won’t be lost in email inboxes - it’s all housed within the project management software.
Schedule Regular Check-ins
Even if you’re in a different timezone from your virtual team, you can still connect via videoconferencing on a regular basis to discuss ongoing projects and your current support needs. At Melissa Swink & Co., some clients have weekly meetings, some have monthly check-ins, and some only need a quarterly touch base call.
Set Goals & Track Outcomes
If you’re outsourcing ongoing work - such as social media management, bookkeeping, email marketing, or email inbox management - your goals might be around analytics, such as social media engagement and email open rates.
If you’re outsourcing larger projects - such as sales activities, website design, or a launch campaign - your goals might be around tangible sales results or meeting specific project milestones.
All work should be monitored and spot-checked to make sure it’s being completed on time and up to your quality standards. No matter what you’re outsourcing, it makes sense to set goals and track outcomes.
Keep Communication Open
Finally, make sure that your virtual team knows how to reach you and is aware of your boundaries and general work schedule. For example, if you don’t work on Fridays, make sure your Virtual Assistant is aware of this, so they can ask you any questions by Thursday to complete their work throughout the rest of the week.
You should also give (and receive) regular feedback from your team, as mentioned earlier, so any potential miscommunication or dissatisfaction can be dealt with quickly. Make sure you also respond to one another in a timely manner, to make sure all work is completed to your satisfaction!
At Melissa Swink & Co., we are a team of professional and experienced Virtual Assistants, ready to help your business grow! If you’d like to chat about what we can do for you, please schedule a complimentary, no-obligation consultation! If you’re a current client of Melissa Swink & Co., please feel free to reach out to me via email if you’d like to review the tasks and projects you’re sending our way and discover additional ways we can support you as you grow your business.