Thinking of returning to the office full time? Here are some key points to consider.

Lockdown is over and although the threat of covid is still present, businesses find themselves now at a crossroad; do they take the well trodden path and bring all their employees back into the office? Or do they capitalise on the experience of remote working and its benefits?

Many employees, whilst they found it strange at first, realised that they are far more productive from the space of their own homes. Even in the days before Covid, the drudgery of working in the office and adhering to the 9 – 5 timescales (and being seen by the boss under an archaic presenteeism mindset) had started to give way to flexible working. Virtual staff members now feel empowered to deliver the output they know they are required to achieve; regularly starting their working days earlier, finishing later and even able to step away during the working day to complete school runs. This has led to an increase in more effective and productive outputs in a shorter time frame, as employees enjoy the freedom to work around their domestic circumstances, and a desire to keep this working practice going forward.

Managers have also discovered remote working has made it easier to step away from the urge to ‘micro-manage’ their team, which in turn also increased their own capacity. Technology has been creatively utilised to bring satellite team members together, and although many miles apart, they found themselves more efficiently communicating and connecting with one another. Boundaries and agreed working patterns have helped both employee and employer to create a space of mutual understanding and respect, plus the steady stream of professional remote admin software packages that have been recently developed, the work/life balance has been enhanced - and you know what ‘they’ say - “a happy employee makes an efficient employee!”

Consider the overheads of an office space, or the daily running costs:

• Utilities - electricity, heating, lighting, air conditioning, water

• Property rental or mortgage payment costs

• Maintenance - ensuring desks and chairs are safe/appropriate plus onsite cleaning

• Health and safety inspections - plus the time it takes to complete due diligence paperwork for staff being on site

• The cost of employees - Staff salaries, bonuses, pension contributions, healthcare, sick pay, annual leave, paternity/maternity leave and sourcing cover for their absences

• Providing adequate facilities - toilets and their consumables

I could continue with this list, but we can really start to see the benefits of why businesses are considering remote working as a sustainable business model.

During the lockdown period, many furloughed members of staff found other employment and chose not to come back to their pre-covid positions. In these cases, many companies I work with are now choosing to either directly hire a virtual assistant online or simply ask their administration assistant to work remotely permanently. It’s one of the most versatile roles within the office environment, covering almost every aspect of business support and the easiest to make completely virtual. With a background in systems, software and highly process driven, a remote assistant is certainly a cost saving for the business with the bonus of increased productivity. Put simply in financial terms - more yield with less investment.

Ultimately a number of roles can fit under the ‘Virtual Assistant’ umbrella and become fully virtual, such as an online personal assistant, remote desktop support, remote user support or even executive business assistants. The tasks a virtual assistant can do are limitless - using the appropriate software and technology resources, any traditional office based roles can be fully remote based. This allows for many business leaders to consider closing their costly office spaces completely and liberate themselves from their desks.

Recruitment has also changed with this new way of working; candidates are screened using ATS (applicant tracking software), which selects a shortlist of CVs and then ranks them according to their suitability for the role. Video conferencing software has allowed interviewees to meet their potential employers ‘face to face’ whilst still being in the comfort of their own home. It has been suggested that a candidate will be more open and honest about their experience, without the pressure of meeting in an unfamiliar environment. Thus allowing an employer to make a more informed decision about their new hire.

Moving forward into the future I have seen an increase in demand for my virtual assistant packages, along with many enquiries asking about HR support for small businesses - specifically my onboarding services which are fundamental to allowing a new remote member of staff to feel welcomed and supported in their new role. Business leaders now understand that making a virtual worker feel included as a member of an established team is fundamental to their success. Employees can read and sign employment contracts securely online, and handbooks can be provided with additional information in video format.

Feeling nervous about your employees productivity?

I suggest using a performance management platform software that will develop and nurture your employees as opposed to a more heavy-handed approach which could involve installing employee monitoring software. Trust goes a long way to making your staff feel valued. As an online virtual assistant and not an employee, performance monitoring is not something I need to worry about.

Weekly team meetings no longer need to feel unproductive - zoom has revolutionised how workers can remotely participate constructively, and smaller groups can be placed into ‘breakout rooms’ to allow for collaborative efforts. Think back to pre-covid remote working days: too many people fighting to sit around a table in a room that is inadequate, biscuits squabbled over and small groups of people at the back gossiping whilst the chair of the meeting struggles to keep order - all whilst the office assistant tries to make notes of who said what… Now a virtual host can choose to record the meetings, allowing for the administrator to use a voice transcription software to aid them in creating accurate minutes - now that is a future we can all get on board with!

Sickness and unauthorised absences from work are the bane of any office manager’s life. Unpredicted and unprepared for; these can be disruptive and costly to any business. Childcare issues aside (sometimes these really can’t be helped, especially in the covid centered world where nurseries and schools need to close at short notice) data from a survey completed by healthcare provider Vitality, reveals that UK economy lost £91.9 billion as a result of ill-health related absence in the workplace. Businesses in the UK lost an average of 38 working days per employee to physical and mental health related absence, which has been increasing steadily over the past 5 years. Finding replacement staff at short notice can be difficult, and the financial burden of paying for a cover worker can be debilitating to small businesses.

Lockdown has been an opportunity for everyone to re-evaluate their lifestyles and work/life balance, but also given companies the chance to examine their business models. Hiring freelance admin support can liberate your cash flow for focusing on the areas of your business that can’t be fully remote, such as customer facing staff or tradespeople. Virtual secretaries and administrative assistants, hired by the hour (or per task) as an alternative for businesses who have lost staff and are no longer in a position to recruit (but still need support), allows your company to focus on its core business without being financially responsible for holiday pay or pension contributions.

Are you still considering returning your staff to the office?

If the financial benefits to the company alone aren’t persuasive enough, isn’t your own time spent with your family and friends more important than time spent on your commute? An hour each way in the car sat in traffic, or on a train packed full of passengers… I know I’d rather get out of bed, make myself a coffee and start the day without the stress of the rush hour or worrying about being late to the office!

Thanks for reading!

Amanda Watson

Founder & Virtual PA at Pavilion Virtual Assistance