Let’s face it, your maternity leave will impact your business. That’s why planning before welcoming your newborn child is highly necessary.
In the recent past, you have been presented with different options, from hiring a temporary replacement to delegating the workload amongst the remaining team members.
Now, there is a more efficient solution—one that is a game-changer for both you and your in-house team: a virtual assistant.
Want to know more about hiring a VA for your maternity leave? Keep scrolling.
What Is the Role of a Virtual Assistant and How Do They Impact Our Lives?
First of all, congratulations on your beautiful new baby!
This is one of the most amazing moments of your life. But if you’re running a business and have employees to take care of, it can mean facing another dilemma.
Lucky for you, virtual assistants are willing to take on the extra responsibilities so you can attend to your personal duties.
A virtual assistant is a remote professional trained in various business-related services. They’re much more economical and flexible than hiring an on-site temporary employee. They can join the team and be ready to work without the lengthy training and onboarding process.
This, in turn, will save you time, money and energy—how cool is that?
Who Needs a Virtual Assistant? And When Do You Need Them?
VAs can practically do everything. That’s why they’re not only valuable assets to future mommies but also to everyone who wants to make more out of their limited time.
From busy entrepreneurs, coaches, online educators and content creators to event planners, anyone can take full advantage of virtual assistant services.
Next, let’s tackle some of the common narratives of why hiring a VA for your maternity leave is a must!
- You need to fill a temporary position.
- You need to address non-core tasks through a quick hire.
- You don’t want to miss out on opportunities while away from your business.
- Your existing in-house team is constantly overwhelmed.
How a Virtual Assistant Can Help You During Your Maternity Leave?
Now that you know when to call in an online lifesaver, let’s answer the next important question: “What does a virtual assistant provide?
A virtual assistant is a smart option to handle business activities and ensure they progress while you take the time to be with your baby. VAs can support you in a variety of ways, including…
- Personal assistance
- Email management
- Calendar management
- Data entry
- Travel arrangement
- Phone-answering
- Basic accounting
- Project management
- Social media management
- Graphic design
- Content writing
- Meeting scheduling
- Website development
The services your online assistant provides you will depend on two things: your current business needs and the skills and expertise of your remote worker.
Rest assured, they can handle everything you throw at them, from administrative headaches to creative highs—just make sure to pick them right!
What Are the Benefits of a Virtual Assistant?
While you’re away with your bundle of joy, you want to make sure that your business is in good hands
Finding a full-time employee is not really an alternative; they’re expensive and tedious to hire. That being said, here are the top reasons why a VA for your maternity leave cover is quite revolutionary!
Efficiency
A virtual assistant adapts well to your workplace environment. They can quickly get into their role and ease the workload pressures for you and your team members.
What’s even more amazing is the rapid hiring and onboarding process. This will save you money, time and energy.
Cut Costs
Your remote professional costs less than a full-time employee. They cut down costs by eliminating the overhead and operating expenses, from the workspace down to the compensation benefits.
VAs can trim down the expenditures and save you up to 78% of annual costs.
Flexibility
A virtual assistant answers to your needs. They’re ready to step in and accomplish what needs to be done and when.
So, if your on-site staff is managing the core functions, then a remote assistant can take care of the odd tasks and wrap up the pending matters.
Smooth Transitions
For as long as you need them, your remote workers remain at your beck and call. And once you're back in your usual business after maternity leave, the work remains in good shape, just like how you left it.
Adjustable Work Period
The maternity leave cover has to be agile, and that’s exactly what a remote assistant delivers. Unlike hiring traditional workers, VAs have the flexibility to work for extended periods, for as long as you need their services.
Diverse Expertise
Virtual professionals bring various skill sets to the table. From general administration to project management, they can seamlessly manage and cover a variety of tasks and maintain a high level of performance.
Scalability
If the workload suddenly changes, VAs are quick to adapt. They can deal with additional responsibilities like a pro and work smoothly with the rest of the staff. This results in seamless work continuity.
Confidentiality and Data Security
Maintaining confidentiality is crucial for your business, especially during your maternity leave. A virtual assistant is a true master in managing data and taking strong measures to maintain data security.
Reduced Workload for Existing Employees
By onboarding VAs, you make your employees happy. How so? You leave them more time to focus on their actual work and not burden them with side jobs.
Your in-house team can do what they love to do. This results in greater productivity and job satisfaction.
Promote Work-Life Balance
Hiring a VA for your maternity leave not only benefits the business but also you.
By taking the time off and spending time with your newborn, you get to thrive with a healthier work-life balance. You can return from your maternity break fully energised and geared up to drive growth.
Topic you might be interested in: 7 Workplace Wellness Tips to Munch for Breakfast
Consistency
Consistency is the crown jewel of maternity leave cover. While you’re off the clock, you want continuous business support and quality output.
At VAV, we value stability and reliability. Many of our clients have spoken out against inconsistencies, which adversely affect daily workflows
Our virtual assistants are nothing but committed to your cause. They are pre-vetted and trained remote professionals with a dedicated focus. You can count on them to work smoothly without interruption.
How to Hire Virtual Assistants for Maternity Leave Cover
So, how do you sort out the sheep from the goats?
Follow these steps and hire a virtual assistant who can make your maternity adventure stress-free.
Set Clear Expectations
How do you want your company to look like in your absence? How can a virtual assistant help to realise your business goals and visions?
Go over your routine tasks and make a list of the duties you want to hand off to your VA. Then, set clear expectations so you can guide your assistant and allow them to focus their efforts without derailing from the goals.
Create Systems
Create a clear and concise written procedure on how you want a specific task to be performed. This way, you can maintain consistency and quality results, avoiding errors or unnecessary extra input.
You can even make a video presentation that your VA can use for more engaging and easier-to-follow instructions.
Hire Ahead of Time
Get a virtual assistant and don’t wait to hire them when the immediate need arises. This is important because you want to maintain a smooth transition.
We suggest delegating smaller tasks first, and once you’re more comfortable, you can outsource bigger assignments.
The point is that you want your online assistant to take over the tasks you need to complete even before your maternity leave officially begins.
Regular Check-Ins
Don’t just leave your virtual assistant entirely to their own devices. Check in with them regularly so you know what they’re doing or not doing. This will give you and your remote professional peace of mind.
We recommend reaching out to them twice a week for 30 minutes. As you proceed, you can make the necessary tweaks. The most important thing is that you touch base with your remote workers and keep them on track.
Develop a Clear Exit Strategy
After your maternity leave, do you want to be fully involved with the business right away? Or do you want some extended babymooning? Figure that out for yourself, and if you decide on having a lighter schedule, you can choose to continue collaborating with your VA.
If you know what sort of “mom” or “boss” you dream of becoming, it’s easier for you to chart your course for the future.
Read on: 3 Things to Mull Over When Hiring a Virtual Assistant
Final Note!
Do you know what a healthy business looks like? It is where you get to thrive as a mom and a “mompreneur.”
Having a baby is one of the most precious things that could happen in your life. Knowing work is being handled successfully by a virtual assistant while you’re away is truly a lifesaver in this chapter of your journey.
So, the next time you decide to have a new babe, get your maternity cover quickly and efficiently from a remote professional.
Book a free consultation with one of our VA outsourcing experts!
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