How Virtual Assistants Are Changing the Face of Work in NZ
The rise of the VA: opportunities abound
Most people probably still envisage an assistant as someone sitting at a desk outside their boss’s door or in their office: fielding calls and visitors, booking in their meetings, making the odd coffee, and chatting to anyone who walks past. Picture Betty Suarez in Ugly Betty, or Donna Paulsen in Suits. Pop culture is full of these depictions.
With the rise of virtual assistants, the very nature of business support is changing. And as the model outlined above never fit particularly well into the informal and non-hierarchical Kiwi work ethos, it’s great to have other options available.
Here’s how VAs can offer effective, quality help to business owners who need it without all the traditional trappings of an assistant—and how they’re changing the face of work.
The contract model is affordable
Hiring an employee, whether full-time or part-time, comes with a lot of costs beyond just their salary—sick and holiday leave, equipment costs, Kiwisaver contributions, any other benefits offered, and the office space required.
The vast majority of virtual assistants work on a contract basis. Some offer a set number of hours in a subscription or package model, while others charge strictly for time used, in hourly or part-hourly increments. While hourly rates may be higher than a typical wage or salary, this contract model usually works out significantly cheaper overall than hiring an employee.
VA services are scalable and flexible
The contract model, in addition to being affordable, is easily scalable. Need to increase the number of business support hours you’re using? Easily done with very little fuss. Need fewer hours? No problem. Your hours used can vary from week to week and day to day—this is fantastic for small business owners rolling with the punches of growth.
VA agencies add another layer of flexibility on both sides of the relationship, making it possible for individual VAs to take time off for sickness or holidays without disrupting the client’s services.
The gig economy is the future
In the past, it has been difficult to break out of the security of a typical 9-5 employment scenario. Nowadays, however, the “gig economy” is on the rise. People are diversifying their income streams which allows them security in addition to the opportunity to take on flexible, freelance gigs.
Musicians and other creatives are no stranger to gigs, but administrators have traditionally been more restricted by traditional models of work. The VA industry fits in well here, opening up freelance and contract-based opportunities for those with administrative skills and experience.
Virtual assistants are a secret weapon for growth
Many Released clients are astounded at the knock-on effects of using a VA. Having someone to do the time-consuming administration, customer communication, and even marketing tasks will give you your time back—and you may have forgotten just how valuable that time is.
The small business owners that VAs support are the leaders and changemakers in their companies and in their industries. With a bit more time on their hands, they can grow, improve, and level up.
So as the number of virtual assistants in New Zealand is growing, so is the demand for them. Kiwi businesses can benefit hugely from this fantastic form of support. We love to see it! We also love how the virtual assistance model is benefitting the assistants themselves, providing opportunities to work around their lives with hours that suit them and no set location.
Released is dedicated to providing high-quality virtual assistance to Kiwi trades and service-based businesses. It’s our mission to support this hardworking sector! We also make it a priority to hire NZ-based VAs, bringing fabulous, flexible jobs to the many talented administrative experts around Aotearoa. If you’d like to find out more about how we can help, book a quick chat!
