Virtual assistant (occupation)

This article is about the employment type. For the type of intelligent agent, see Virtual assistant.

A virtual assistant (typically abbreviated to VA, also called a virtual office assistant)[1] is generally self-employed and provides professional administrative, technical, or creative (social) assistance to clients remotely from a home office.[2] Because virtual assistants are independent contractors rather than employees, clients are not responsible for any employee-related taxes, insurance, or benefits, except in the context that those indirect expenses are included in the VA's fees. Clients also avoid the logistical problem of providing extra office space, equipment, or supplies. Clients pay for 100% productive work and can work with virtual assistants, individually, or in multi-VA firms to meet their exact needs. Virtual assistants usually work for other small businesses[3] but can also support busy executives. It is estimated that there are as few as 5,000 to 10,000 or as many as 25,000 virtual assistants worldwide. The profession is growing in centralized economies with "fly-in fly-out" staffing practices.[4][5][6]

  1. ^ Unattributed (2002). "Real work in virtual offices". International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management. 51 (4/5): 266–268. ISSN 1741-0401.
  2. ^ Starks, Misty (July–August 2006). "Helping Entrepreneurs, Virtually" (PDF). D-MARS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 September 2008. Retrieved 27 July 2008.
  3. ^ Finkelstein, Brad (February–March 2005). "Virtual Assistants a Reality". Broker Magazine. 7 (1): 44–46. ISSN 1540-0824.
  4. ^ "Outsourcing Comes of Age: The Rise of Collaborative Partnering" (PDF). PricewaterhouseCoopers. Retrieved 27 July 2008.
  5. ^ Rose, Barbara (21 December 2005). "Personal Assistants Get a High-tech Makeover". The Standard-Times. Retrieved 29 July 2008.
  6. ^ "Technology links virtual businesses. Advances spur rise in collaborative work". matr.net. 22 May 2006. Retrieved 25 January 2023.