Small Business Talk

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It’s Time to Scale Up – How To Engage Virtual Staff with Esther Anderson

Welcome to Small Business Talk Podcast #027, today’s topic is It’s Time to Scale Up – How To Engage Virtual Staff with Esther Anderson.

Check out how Esther Anderson a Digital Marketing Strategist in Karratha Western Australia became a Virtual Staff Agency Owner of a company called SMOFONSE. Esther is a wealth of knowledge and gave us some great tips on how to hire virtual staff. Plus some funny antidotes of her journey along the way.

Click here if you prefer to listen at iTunes or Stitcher (for Android).

Show Notes

It’s Time to Scale Up – How To Engage Virtual Staff

What is a virtual staff member?

A virtual staff member is offshore or outsourced, essentially, they don’t work from your office. They can be any nationally and can work from anywhere. They are someone you wouldn’t typically interface with in person, rather over the internet.

What to expect from virtual staff?

People don’t realize if they think they need the staff they’re overwhelmed. Remember that the start they will be as nervous as you.

As they don’t work in call centers expect them to work at home and all the things that are associated with that. For example, do have a family they need to look after or kids they need to care for.

How to pay a virtual staff member?

There are different payment methods the typical one to use is PayPal. You should pay them in US dollar its is practically the universal currency. You should pay any fees or taxes associated with the PayPal payment process. Any income taxes should be handled by them.

What is 13th month and do I have to pay it?

The 13th month is a holiday bonus in some countries where they get paid a month’s wages as a bonus around Christmas time. As to whether you pay it or not it depends on the agreed upon contract. Discuss it with your employees. If you don’t pay the 13th month perhaps consider bonuses of some kind.

Holiday leave

Manage them according both yours and their holidays. Have them apply for their holidays so you can manage which staff are doing what. Again, discuss this with them when you create their contract.

Links

Listen to Small Business Talk Podcast #027 for all the details and Esther’s tips.
The 7 Day Startup by Dan Norris

Contact

Esther Anderson
SMOFONSE

It’s Time to Scale Up – How To Engage Virtual Staff

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