You finally hired your virtual assistant, and suddenly this happens to you: how can you make your virtual assistant stay productive? How do you set your VA expectations in the first 30 days?
As a business owner, it’s important to create a supportive atmosphere for your virtual assistant to grow. With a shared interest in having a strategic partnership, achieving business goals is possible. Success does not end with just hiring future virtual assistants but it can be attained by effectively setting realistic expectations.
Here are the points to consider outlining the things the first 30 days expectations from your virtual assistant rockstar.
First Week – Efficiently Delegating Tasks
Building a healthy relationship with a virtual assistant is necessary and defining your expectations is one of the first steps toward a long-term work relationship. A virtual assistant can do any job thus, you may begin the week with just one to two smaller tasks.
You need to communicate with your virtual assistant how you expect them to perform and what outputs you expect them to accomplish. Delegate clear instructions in a way that your virtual assistant could better understand, for instance, the tools and software to use depending on what works for your business. Introducing these tasks step-by-step makes it much easier and more efficient with your virtual assistant.
It also helps you organize your virtual assistant’s work by getting updates at the beginning and end of the day to understand what tasks need to be prioritized and what tasks have been completed that day.
You can monitor the progress of your virtual assistant for each task using a task tracker tool. Use tools that can be integrated with other software and apps.
Related article: 2022 Project Management Tools for Virtual Assistants
Second Week – Continuously Staying Responsive
After outlining the tasks, constant communication plays an important role. To establish open communication, there are several communication tools to explore and know their benefits. Make use of mobile phone, email, Slack, Zoom, Skype, Trello, and the like.
Continuous feedback through these tools allows you to measure and improve your virtual assistant’s performance early on. Further, constant communication is beneficial as it is also an opportunity for you and your virtual assistant to learn and grow.
Provide regular reviews and at the same time show appreciation for the efforts made, most especially if deadlines were met. This not only improves work performance but also promotes good relationships and leads to better time management.
Keep in mind, too, that though communication is essential, it must be limited to working hours –both for you and your virtual assistant.
Related article: Tips in Using Microsoft Teams Effectively for Remote Working Organization
Third Week – Boost Productivity
As your assistant gets to speed up and increases productivity, you may continue to delegate more tasks. Discuss the daily, weekly, and monthly tasks. From the previous tasks completed, talk about any difficulties encountered, offer assistance and find a solution to dismantle these roadblocks.
Since your virtual assistant is still in the third week, it is your responsibility to encourage and give adequate help avoiding rework so as to ensure no tasks were overlooked which leads to increased productivity and progress in the projects entrusted.
After overcoming the hump for two weeks, you can see how your team develops. As the virtual assistant becomes accustomed to everyday tasks, she can slowly increase their work cadence and introduce new functions that can help them develop their talents in their role.
Fourth Week – Effectively Achieve Goals
Make sure that the goals set are achievable. Set a deadline for these goals to 30, 60, or 90 days. Apart from the deadline, a step-by-step action plan helps you reach your goals efficiently within the desired timeframe.
Discuss everything with your virtual assistant and as you outline each goal consider using the SMART goal framework, as proposed by George T. Doran in 1981.
The acronym SMART stands for five criteria: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely goals. This will help you organize your thoughts and set a clear direction and plan for your business.
Keep Track of Your 30 Days Expectation
Goal-setting is never easy just because sometimes you tend to focus on instant success which can lead to frustration but by creating a more realistic set of goals and targets, you will see progress and be able to achieve the best possible result.
Guide your virtual assistant to take on challenges, be motivated, and get the job done with the right goals.