Since the global economic slump a few years back, virtual employment or remote working has caught up like wildfire in the business world. The scarcity of jobs that followed the recession in many parts of the world also contributes to the popularity of this alternative hiring system.
A virtual employment is any job that is performed outside of an office facility either online, by phone or other media. Virtual workers are usually self-employed contractors, or working for an outsourcing company like Mr. Outsource.
Most any task can be outsourced but the most common ones are in the fields of teaching as in private tutoring and office administrative jobs. Many business institutions have since been discovering that this new virtual employment is an awesome hiring system. It provides a win-win situation, both for the employer and for the hired hands.
These are some of the reasons why virtual employment is an awesome system:
It offers flexible working hours. The virtual assistant is not restricted to the 8-5 conventional working hours. Since the VA is paid based on his actual hours he works, he can adjust his time accordingly.
This also benefits the employer since he only pays for the productive hours of the VA. With his regular employees, he has to pay them for their whole day stay in the office regardless whether any production has resulted.
It is cost effective. Virtual employment saves the VA expenses such as transport, clothing, food, and for ladies, cosmetic since he/she can do the tasks at home.
On the part of the employer, he saves office space, maintenance of office equipment, phone bills, electric consumption, and other overhead expenses he otherwise has to provide a regular employee. Furthermore, he does not have to bother himself with the government regulations regarding SSS, medical coverage, pension and retirement plans, etc. These are the VA’s personal concerns.
It saves time. Aside from cutting down cost, virtual outsourcing allows the company more time to focus on the main core of the business since it does not have to handle the time-consuming direct supervision in its operation. He just gives initial instructions and leave the matter practically in the hand of his qualified VA.
The VA saves time as well since he/she does not spend time dressing up for work and commuting to and from the office. A VA is also saved the stress of being late for work due to traffic jam or other delaying factors.
It gives more freedom in hiring. An employer gets away with hiring problems. He can contact the outsourcing company to provide him qualified worker. The employer is assured of the good quality of the VA sent to him because the outsourcing company had already screened the VA before being assigned to any client. If the employer is not satisfied with the VA, he can ask for a replacement from the outsourcing company anytime. He cannot do this with his regular employee without facing labour issues.
Conversely, a VA is not tied down by contract to work exclusively for any company hiring him. He/she is free to work simultaneously with another company thus earning extra income. Of course, the VA must see to it he/she delivers a quality performance of the contracted tasks.
It assures quality and fairness. A business or company client is assured of the qualities of the VAs provided by the outsourcing companies. These VAs undergo training for the effectiveness and efficiency of their performance before they are sent to clients. Furthermore, the outsourcing companies guarantee prompt replacements of VAs that do not meet the standard of their clients.
On the other hand, the VA is assured of a fair treatment from the business he/she is assigned to work for. The contract signed between the VA’s outsourcing company and their clients covers him on this aspect.
Companies, regardless of their size, are concerned in cutting down cost. They want to maintain low production cost and with profitable margin and high quality. With the economic recession and consequent limited budget, companies resort to virtual outsourcing in carrying out their business processes —- a win-win choice indeed.