As your small business grows, so does your list of responsibilities. From keeping on top of credit control and admin to creating content and managing accounts, it’s easy to feel like you’re being pulled in a million different directions – especially if you’re working solo or with a very small team. If that’s the case for you, then you’ve likely considered bringing in some support in the form of a Virtual Assistant. That’s the easy part! When it comes to onboarding your first Virtual Assistant, it can feel a bit daunting. How does it work? What it something goes wrong? Fear not! As Virtual Assistants ourselves, we’ve been through this process a fair few times. Here are our top tips for getting off to a great start with your VA.
Tips for Onboarding Your First Virtual Assistant
Clarify the Scope of Work Before You Begin
The last thing you want to do is let your new Virtual Assistant go in blind – it’s as scary for us as it is for you, trust us! Therefore, before bringing a Virtual Assistant into your business, it’s important to understand what you actually need help with. Are you struggling to keep on top of your admin? Many small business owners start by outsourcing time-consuming but routine admin tasks such as inbox management, appointment scheduling, data entry, and bookkeeping. Or, you may be having trouble with something more specialised, like credit control, for example, which means you may need someone experienced in tracking invoices, issuing reminders, and maintaining financial records etc. Whatever you need support with, make sure it’s clear in your own mind first.
A useful first step is to carry out a task audit. This means reviewing daily and weekly tasks to identify those that are essential but could be delegated. Research by Time etc found that 89% of small business owners saved at least 10 hours per week by outsourcing to a VA. Identifying these tasks early helps create a realistic and productive working arrangement from the start.
Establish Clear Communication
Communicating clearly with your VA from the get-go is a major factor in the success of the onboarding progress. It’s no good sending them emails if they’re expecting a phone call. Before you start, decide on your preferred communication tools, whether that’s email, project management software or scheduled video calls. It’s also worth agreeing on things like response times and setting regular check-ins—weekly or monthly, depending on the complexity of the tasks. This way, early mistakes are avoided and every is clear on expectations from the very beginning.
If you can, it’s also super helpful to a VA if you can provide helpful templates or guides for key processes. For example, if your VA is supporting with credit control, sharing your typical payment terms, email wording, or escalation procedures will make the transition smoother. The same applies for content creation—sharing examples of past blogs or your tone of voice guidelines can help them match your brand from day one. Doing so saves time that would be spent on back and forth questions and means the VA can settle in at their own pace without worrying about interrupting your day (they’re here to do the opposite!)
Create Workflows and Systems That Support Delegation
Structure is important when it comes to delegation. Using shared calendars, cloud-based storage, and collaborative tools like Google Docs or Trello can help ensure that both you and your VA stay organised. If your VA is helping with content, shared editorial calendars and folder systems can help track progress and deadlines.
For finance-related support, tools like QuickBooks or Xero provide secure access and enable accurate, real-time collaboration. The more you can share at this early stage, the easier it is for your Virtual Assistant to understand processes as a whole, rather than being drip fed titbits of information as and when.
Introduce Tasks Gradually and Prioritise Feedback
While it may be tempting if you’re struggling with workload, resist throwing everything and the kitchen sink at your Virtual Assistant on the very first day! While VAs are adept in picking up processes and procedures very quickly, your business will still be new to them. Rather than handing over every task at once, it’s often more effective to start small. Choose one or two tasks for your VA to take on, build trust, and expand from there. This approach gives you time to assess working styles and make adjustments where necessary, and it also gives you peace of mind that your Virtual Assistant is a good fit for your business.
Regular feedback loops are also great in those early days. Whether in your scheduled catch-ups or through day-to-day updates, ongoing feedback helps your VA understand expectations and develop within the role. It helps clear up any issues or questions your VA may have and means everyone feels comfortable with this new way of working. While you don’t need to keep tabs on everything your VA does once their role is established, feedback in this early stage is essential.
Cover Your Legal and Practical Bases
Now for the boring bit. Before any work begins, make sure there’s a clear agreement in place. This should cover things like confidentiality, payment terms, and expected hours or turnaround times. Leaving this out can feel unsettling for a VA – we much prefer clear guidelines and instructions. It helps us avoid mistakes and means you’re secure in the knowledge that we’re doing what we need to be doing for your business. It’s also vital if your VA will be handling sensitive data or finances, as it ensures that GDPR and data protection measures are followed.
From a practical perspective, set your VA up with a business email address and any required logins, using secure sharing practices. This ensures that your systems stay protected – remember, you may only be using a VA temporarily so sharing existing accounts and passwords can cause more hassle for you if you no longer require their services later down the line.
Virtual Assistant Support with The Edwards Company
A virtual assistant can transform the way a small business operates—helping you reclaim time, reduce stress, and focus on what you do best. But as with any team member, success starts with a strong foundation. By investing in clear communication, structured workflows, and a phased onboarding process, you can set your VA (and your business) up for long-term success.
Here at The Edwards Company, our Virtual Assistants are experienced in supporting a wide range of small businesses with tasks like admin, credit control, general accounts support, or content creation. For more information on how we can support your small business, please do not hesitate to get in touch.