Maternity Leave Cover... Consider a Virtual Assistant |
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Page 1 of 2  download article When you hear that one of your admin staff is pregnant, your first thought is usually one of joy, shortly followed by a realisation that you’ll have to cover maternity leave which can be anything up to 52 weeks. Compared with 2 weeks of paternity leave, maternity leave is much more of a problem.If the job you have to cover is important, then you will need a solution that maintains the quality of work. Hiring a replacement on a short term contract often takes too long – hiring period, notice period and training period included – and Agency Temps are expensive and not always satisfactory. Temps have a reputation for inconsistency, being disinterested and not delivering. You need someone reliable and committed, who can slot into your business quickly and do a good job. The third option is a Virtual Assistant. In recent years, many women have set themselves up as Virtual Assistants, a new breed of home worker equipped with Broadband, PC, Phone and Printer/Copier/Fax. Many find it too difficult, only to give up and go back to regular job, but others establish a credible business and offer an ideal solution for maternity cover. If you are looking to cover an extended period of maternity leave, the following sections should help you to better understand the Virtual Assistant option, what questions to ask and what to expect. What You Stand To GainLet’s start with the benefits of hiring a VA. In addition to instant maternity cover you get:
An added benefit is that managers get to see what the true work content of a job really is. Because VAs time-record and only charge for the work they do, the manager instantly gets a picture of staff productivity (less the down-time, breaks and chatting). If anything, this tends to raise their expectations and the standards of permanent staff. |
