Honestly, we hear this more often than we would like. Other virtual assistant companies are hurting the trust that businesses have for virtual assistants — and these are the companies which do not hold the same gold standards as MyOutDesk does. The truth is, there are broad opportunities & huge potential when choosing the right virtual assistant provider & business partner.
Launch your remote teams & virtual assistants the right way & get results sooner with this checklist!
In today’s global economy, many companies are leveraging talent between both physical and remote employees.
When your organization transitions to remote work or hires a virtual assistant, they will need to be on-boarded and trained like any other employee. At the same time, the team will determine and adapt to best practices, technological tools, and procedures for training a strong blended (remote & physical) team.
Luckily, MyOutDesk offers training materials and resources that will help prepare you to interact successfully with a virtual team member. We equip all clients with a service portal, a dedicated account manager, and a virtual solutions trainer.
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide
Setting clear objectives is foundational to a successful team. On a weekly basis, reiterate your goals and procedures to allow the team to access how they can best contribute. When virtual professionals are given a collaborative space to voice their thoughts, you can see how productive and collaborative remote teams can be for your business.
To ensure our ongoing success, ensure you clearly note procedures on:
✔ Phone/email/messaging
Encourage open communication, and use the platform as a means to carry the same conversations that you would otherwise have in the office.
How will you communicate and how often?
✔ Training and Supervision
Neuroscientists and psychologists proved that it takes about 90 days to solidify a habit. The same goes for a remote team still figuring out how to work best together—for successful adoption, allow an adjustment period and repeat key messages regarding the change intentionally and consistently. By doing so, you will get everyone on the same page.
What is your plan for training for your Virtual Professional and who is the main point of contact?
Consistently train and repeat key messages, as well as regularly use effective frameworks like SOPs (Point 3) and Play-Pause-Do (Point 7). These guides are part of the 7-Figure Business Roadmap, and additional resources are available through a free strategy call with MyOutDesk.
✔ Productivity
A variety of organizational tools will help employees and the business stay productive. Here are some tips and trips to immediately keep teams accountable and for managers to recognize patterns in productivity. Remember that during an adjustment period to remote work, employers should not expect employees to immediately produce the same amount of productivity.
When will you set up Virtual Professional logins to essential tools such as CRMs or other databases?
✔ Scheduling
Videos and images can greatly improve communication among virtual teams. Video conference calls are the new (virtual) conference rooms and allow team members to show body language, facial expressions, posture, and hand gestures—all important aspects of communication. A
Find time to meet regularly & Confirm Virtual Professional work schedule & client availability restrictions
Remote work requires an adjustment period for all employees. A business cannot simply apply the same systems and procedures from the physical office and expect the same productive output immediately. Treat the transition to remote as a retraining process where employees need to relearn how to work effectively in this new environment.
It is important for the management to maintain a fully supportive and flexible state of mind. Encourage and communicate a reasonable adjustment period for allowing mistakes, offering training, and consistently repeating key messages in order to foster a fully functional remote workforce. Key themes to embody at this time are that your team is a connected, supportive, and positive force; and mistakes are reinterpreted as positive opportunities.
We have a vested interest in your success! Every MyOutDesk client wants to maximize the ROI on their investment in virtual assistants. Our CEO Daniel Ramsey hosts a live mastermind discussion with MyOutDesk clients and discusses tactical, practical & utterly invaluable strategies to best utilize a virtual assistant while you scale your business!
It’s time to gain market share new by leveraging virtual assistants!
‘Grow Virtual’ with MyOutDesk Today
Access more business guides & Schedule a free consultation today!
The Excellent Executive Coaching Radio Show is all about helping you thrive in the most challenging coaching situations. The program aims to support you in bringing your coaching to the next level.
‘Grow Virtual’ with MyOutDesk Today
Access more business guides & Schedule a free consultation today!
MyOutDesk CEO Daniel Ramsey is interviewed by Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, and discusses the following:
Daniel Ramsey is the founder & CEO of MyOutDesk, the highest-rated Virtual Assistant company in the marketplace with over 500 5-star reviews, and over 13 years of experience, serving more than 5,000 clients across the US and Canada.
MyOutDesk has the secret sauce for businesses to tackle the market downturn in this health crisis. Don’t just take our word from it–here’s what our clients are saying:
“We were up and ready to operate in this new change environment instantly. MyOutDesk completely transformed our office, and we were already set up for remote work.” — Daniel Del Real, client of three years
“We are doubling down on hiring more and preparing to expand in a way that we’ve never done in the past. This moment provides us with the opportunity like nothing that we’ve ever had before.” — Charles Pulliam, MyOutDesk client
Daniel also shares his new book, “Scaling Your Business with MOD Virtual Professionals: How to Drive Revenue, Save Time, and Create Your Dream Company.”
We are giving away this book for free and also a timely resource amid today’s health crisis, called the“Go Remote Fast Guide.”
MyOutDesk proudly provides free business growth business guides, books, and strategy calls. See what we are about, and schedule a free consultation with us. We’ll take the time to learn more about your business and offer solutions to foster top talent and lower operational costs for your company.
‘Grow Virtual’ with MyOutDesk Today
Access more business guides & Schedule a free consultation today!
Headquartered in Sacramento, California, MyOutDesk has over 13 years of experience serving over 6,000 SMBs, and we know for a fact how businesses benefit from leveraging our business strategies and virtual assistant services. US and Canadian entrepreneurs have longtime success in leveraging our virtual solutions for business success.
Learn how to stay ahead of your competition & actually gain market share.
Schedule a free, personal ‘Grow Virtual’ Strategy Session – and you’ll also receive our complete collection of business strategy guides!
The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching that helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself with coaching programs to reach your goals.
The host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of www.mkbconseil.ch a company specialized in leadership development and executive coaching.
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide
Sweet Fish Media has launched over 100 podcast programs, totaling over 1,600 episodes! Their flagship podcast, The B2B Sales Show, is known to be the only B2B podcast to broadcast 7 days a week.
In this episode, Logan Lyles interviews MyOutDesk CEO Daniel Ramsey to help businesses, managers, employees, entrepreneurs manage this time where everybody is going remote.
The point of owning a business is that it should free you. The only thing you can’t buy more of is time. Daniel wants to help as many entrepreneurs as possible regain their time and lead a remote team as they scale.
Learn how to stay ahead of your competition & actually gain market share.
Schedule a free ‘Grow Virtual’ Strategy Consultation
Tune in to understand how MyOutDesk has helped businesses scale and grow with virtual assistants primarily in sales, marketing, and operations for over 13 years and 5,000 clients.
Daniel also shares his book, “Scaling Your Business with MOD Virtual Professionals: How to Drive Revenue, Save Time, and Create Your Dream Company.”
MyOutDesk proudly provides free business growth business guides, books, and strategy calls. See what we are about, and schedule a free consultation with us. We’ll take the time to learn more about your business and offer solutions to foster top talent and lower operational costs for your company.
Remote work presents new opportunities for many businesses — from lowering overhead costs to hiring competitive, global talent. Not only can you save up to 70% on employment costs with virtual assistants, MyOutDesk also created the MyTimeIn portal to manage your team’s overall productivity & performance.
All-in-One Remote Team Productivity Tracker
MyTimeIn is our in-house scheduling software that ensures your virtual assistants & remote workers are on-time and productive. This is your go-to MyOutDesk client portal is a place where you can manage all aspects of your MyOutDesk account, in ONE PLACE.
If you want to explore how you can manage your team’s productivity & accountability, schedule a free Strategy Consultation today.
High-caliber providers of virtual assistants & remote work services should provide you with the tools you need to easily manage and track the productivity of your virtual assistant & remote employees.
Typically, when you hire a virtual assistant, you have to provide these kinds of productivity tracking systems yourself. MyOutDesk understands the importance of having these systems in place, so we created one for our clients.
Manage your virtual assistant’s (or assistants’) department, teams, service accounts, schedule & PTO, and payroll.
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs
MyOutDesk’s MyTimeIn software allows teams to stay accountable and track productivity effortlessly. Managers can access IPC- and GPDR-compliant productivity tracking software through the MyOutDesk’s Client Portal with MyTimeIn timesheets.
If you never had success with a past remote employee or past virtual assistant, it’s probably because you weren’t equipped to keep a distanced worker accountable.
MyOutDesk MyTimeIn: Team Productivity Software
Stanford Studies have shown that remote workers show increased productivity by 16%. Those who work from home seem to be more focused with fewer distractions. They also found that employees working in open offices took 62% more sick days than virtual employees.
Deloitte’s Millennial Survey 2017 found that remote work arrangements are “strongly linked to improved performance and employee retention.” Furthermore, 38% of respondents reported they were likely to leave their current employer within the next two years, with much citing work/life balance and flexibility as major contributing factors.
Large companies are benefitting from using a blended employment model. In fact, a new regulation stemming from the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act has given us a clearer picture of the extent to which some of the largest U.S. companies employ global talent.
You might be surprised at the high percentages of global talent that successful companies have reported so far:
If these major companies employ this strategy, there is no reason that you cannot for your own business as well.
Claim a free ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide & strategy consultation
COVID-19: Are you going back to the office yet or not?
We posed this question to over 500 millionaires, entrepreneurs & CEOs and asked for their thought processes.
18% Back at the office
19% Never left the office (+ essential work)
12.3% Creating a transition plan & not back in the office
23.7% Because of COVID-19, we’re staying remote
27% We’ve been 100% remote since before COVID-19
From these business owners’ responses, there is a slightly greater lean towards working remotely. Nonetheless, businesses are seeing value in both physical and remote locations.
MyOutDesk advocates for the ‘blended business model,’ where teams leverage the power of working remotely in any profitable business — especially for businesses still requiring physical commercial space. If you need help or want to explore some ideas, schedule a free Strategy Consultation today.
Sample Responses:
MyOutDesk’s MyTimeIn software allows teams to stay accountable and track productivity effortlessly. Managers can access IPC- and GPDR-compliant productivity tracking software through the MyOutDesk’s Client Portal with MyTimeIn timesheets.
MyOutDesk MyTimeIn: Team Productivity Software
Stanford Studies have shown that remote workers show increased productivity by 16%. Those who work from home seem to be more focused with fewer distractions. They also found that employees working in open offices took 62% more sick days than virtual employees.
Deloitte’s Millennial Survey 2017 found that remote work arrangements are “strongly linked to improved performance and employee retention.” Furthermore, 38% of respondents reported they were likely to leave their current employer within the next two years, with much citing work/life balance and flexibility as major contributing factors.
Large companies are benefitting from using a blended employment model. In fact, a new regulation stemming from the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act has given us a clearer picture of the extent to which some of the largest U.S. companies employ global talent.
You might be surprised at the high percentages of global talent that successful companies have reported so far:
If these major companies employ this strategy, there is no reason that you cannot for your own business as well.
MyOutDesk can save you up to 70% on employment costs
Claim a free business strategy consultation & ‘Grow Virtual’ Guide
Businesses, ACT FAST, and get your hands on this aid now.
THIS IS BIG. The federal government just passed the $2 trillion CARES Act providing emergency assistance to affected businesses during the COVID-19 outbreak. Here’s how to get your part of the $2.2 trillion as a business owner, as an entrepreneur, and as a leader.
Our CEO Daniel Ramsey said last week, it’s our civic duty to stay productive. We want you to have ALL of this information now to be prepared. If you might have missed the first webinar—no worries. We’ve bundled all the available resources for you, and also there will be another webinar!
Navigating the CARES Act & Getting started. If you need:
What’s the catch? NONE. This is 100% forgiveness for 2 months of eligible expenses. FREE MONEY.
How to Apply for Aid: You can apply at any bank offering loans under 7(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(a)).
Live TAX IMPLICATION Webinar (Pt. 2) for Entrepreneurs: Due to popular demand, MyOutDesk will host another live webinar TODAY to help you understand the implications of the CARES Act and how you can take advantage of it.
Part 2 with Tim Mahoney, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP
TODAY, Tuesday, March 31, 2020
3:00 PM, Pacific Time
Spots are limited, register today!
(PASSED) Part 1 with Jack Randall, CEO & Founder of Taxbot
Saturday, March 28, 2020
12:00 PM, Pacific Time
[DOWNLOAD Notes: Webinar Pt. 1]
Jake Randall is CEO of Taxbot and the host of “The Profit Junkie.” Taxbot helps self-employed people keep more of their hard-earned money by helping them keep more of it out of the IRS’ greedy hands.
MyOutDesk can support your business as you go through this change in today’s market. We serve you by providing valuable business resources, helping you support your customers, and providing remote solutions that allow your business to thrive and survive!
For business owners who want to make the switch to remote work the right way and stay productive, our FREE Go Remote Quick Guide includes three easy steps to get started.
Access more business guides & Schedule a free consultation today!
We at MyOutDesk pray that your team, families, and communities remain safe and healthy during this time of heightened concern.
Note that we at MyOutDesk are not providing tax, legal, or financial advice. We strive to support the success of all SMBs and want to pass along useful and practical information that can help your business draw out effective solutions. Please consult a qualified tax advisor, attorney, and investment professional for guidance.
We at MyOutDesk strive to support the success of all SMBs and want to pass along useful and practical resources that can help your business draw out effective solutions.
On Wednesday, March 18, 2020, the IRS released Notice 2020-17, issuing a 90-day extension for tax payments.
The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service are providing special payment relief to individuals and businesses in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
For individuals, except C Corporations: Income tax payment deadlines for individual returns, with a due date of April 15, 2020, are being automatically extended until July 15, 2020, for up to $1 million of their 2019 tax due. This payment relief applies to all individual returns, including self-employed individuals, and all entities other than C-Corporations, such as trusts or estates. IRS will automatically provide this relief to taxpayers. Taxpayers do not need to file any additional forms or call the IRS to qualify for this relief.
For C Corporations: income tax payment deadlines are being automatically extended until July 15, 2020, for up to $10 million of their 2019 tax due.
Penalties and interest will begin to accrue on any remaining unpaid balances as of July 16, 2020. If you file your tax return or request an extension of time to file by April 15, 2020, you will automatically avoid interest and penalties on the taxes paid by July 15.
Learn more & find any updates regarding state tax filing here.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website recommends businesses actively encourage employees to stay home and/or to practice good hand hygiene and coughing/sneezing etiquette in the workplace.
MyOutDesk has thousands of clients & virtual assistants across the world working in a virtual environment, giving us 13 years of experience in virtual & remote workplace environments – and we’re offering to walk you through EXACTLY how to take your business remote during the COVID-19 crisis.
View our free webinar and downloadable guide on implementing effective remote work during a ‘shelter in place order.
We encourage your business to take advantage of and utilize the telework tools and systems that are in place with MyOutDesk Virtual Professionals should you need to expand remote work for your employees while ensuring low overhead costs. Schedule your Go Remote with MyOutDesk Strategy Session now and learn more!
Read more:
Building a Remote Culture
SOP Framework
Nobody knows remote work like MyOutDesk. Watch this exclusive webinar event to give you complete, step-by-step instructions to take your business remote!
This week, California implemented a “Shelter In Place” policy, locking down the Bay Area to everything but essential businesses. Washington State has done the same, closing restaurants, bars, gyms, and schools – with other states soon to follow. Make no mistake: for most businesses, this will be a forced transition to a virtual/remote work environment, so prepare now for a smooth, seamless transition! Also, to get the knowledge, support & staffing you need to go fully remote, schedule your Double My Business Strategy Session now!
MyOutDesk has thousands of clients & virtual assistants across the world working in a virtual environment, giving us 13 years of experience in virtual & remote workplace environments – and in this exclusive, upcoming live webinar, we’re going to be walking you through EXACTLY how to take your business remote during the COVID-19 crisis.
This must-watch webinar event is presented as a community service by MyOutDesk to help you prepare, transition, and keep your business going during our current economic uncertainty.
In Chinese, the word “crisis” means danger + opportunity. In today’s market, agile businesses will adapt to new rules & challenges of the remote workplace & rise to the top of the market, while brick & mortar competitors continue to struggle & lose market share. Which of these would you prefer to be?
Virtually any professional services business can go remote: from real estate to telemedicine. The question is how to do it quickly & effectively. MyOutDesk is your partner in going remote – schedule your Double My Business Strategy Session now and let us help you!
The Coronavirus health epidemic has already cost the stock market billions, and it’s now impacting governments, retailers, and other businesses that are shutting down to help prevent the contagion. While some of these closures are mandatory, others are due to cost-concerns in a rapidly contracting economy – and driven in many cases by a quick-fix approach to cost-cutting. While this may seem like a logical decision, can you really shrink your way to growth?
General Motors is an example of what happens when you try this: in the early 20th century, GM sold 50% of all vehicles owned in America, but by 1988 that number had fallen to only 15%. What happened to them? The short answer is cost-cutting – and it’s not good. Engage a virtual assistant and get the leverage you to stay afloat by scheduling your Double My Business Strategy Session now!
In 1974, GM’s new CEO, Thomas Murphy questioned the company’s strategy in selling cars with different features and suggested that they sell basically the same kind of vehicle with different external accessories. He did this to reduce costs. Consumers didn’t like this, and GM’s market share began to slide – and it’s been falling ever since.
In a recent conversation we had with Mike Michalowicz, author of Profit First, he said: “Cut the fat and not the muscle.” In the case of General Motors, cost-cutting cut too much muscle, and in the end, it cost them a lot of business affecting thousands of people and their livelihoods.
Businesses generally have two types of costs that can be categorized as muscle and fat. The fat is where you find costs that do not produce any revenue for your business. They are costs you incur in your business that have no quantifiable benefits. The muscle, on the other hand, would be those costs that have a tangible benefit to your business. How do you know if a specific cost has a quantifiable benefit and is not fat, but actually muscle? It can be tricky because you can make excuses and justify the cost or the expense for something. For example, if you decide to rent extravagantly expensive and beautiful office space. You can justify in your head that you need this because when potential clients come into your office, they will see how awesome it is, and will, in turn, want to do business with you, when in fact it is simply a way to relieve and serve your ego since potential clients rarely come to your office anyway.
Muscle is something that drives benefit to your business. So for example, if you have a staff of 15 people, and you are thinking, “I need to cut down my workforce because they are costing my business too much money.” Assess your workforce and think again. “Person A” takes care of all your Transaction Coordination so if you cut them, what would happen to that area of the business? “Person B” does all your prospecting, what would happen to your leads without them? Your team members are an example of the muscle in your business. These are the costs that provide support or take action on tasks that drive revenue for your business. When you cut a cost that compromises your ability to serve your clientele and bring you business, then you are cutting the muscle.
Survival in today’s shifting market is about more than simply cutting costs: you need to retain your competitive advantage & hold steady and carefully your business assess costs and expected benefits. During an economic contraction, hiring a Virtual Assistant is a highly valuable way to keep your labor supply intact, while ensuring you have the freedom & flexibility to focus your own efforts on the on revenue productive aspects of your business. In other words, cutting the fat goes beyond simply financial savings: it also means cutting the waste from your schedule and leveraging your skillset on the highest dollar-productive activities you’re able to.
A shifting market can mean the end of a business if you stick to the old traditional ways of thinking. Shift your perspective and the way you think as well. By doing this, you set yourself up not just to survive but to thrive amidst the shift and everything it may bring.
Let MyOutDesk bring you more muscle! Leverage a MyOutDesk Virtual assistant, schedule a Double My Business Strategy Session today, and having a discussion about how to make your business stronger in the midst of this market shift.
With the coronavirus now a full-blown pandemic, many businesses and even major companies have turned to remote work in order to keep everyone safe and healthy. While the nature of their business might allow this to be a viable option, how about those whose businesses do not? One, in particular, is Real Estate. While much of the transaction coordination and other tasks can be done virtually, there are key steps in the process that may prove difficult not to do in person such as showings, open houses, etc. The good news is that there are ways to get this done remotely and doing so is not so completely foreign.
Selling and closing remotely is not a newfangled idea by any means. Many home sellers and buyers have successfully finished transactions remotely for many reasons. Closing could be from your home in another state, a hotel lobby if you’re traveling, a coffee shop, really anywhere…
Handle everything in your business remotely and seamlessly with a MyOutDesk Virtual Assistant. Schedule your GoRemote with MyOutDesk Virtual Assistants Strategy Session today to find out how!
In guidelines issued by the National Association of Realtors, agents have been encouraged to propose alternative marketing opportunities for their sellers’ consideration such as video tours and other methods to virtual tour a property. This isn’t really new is it? All your properties for sale are already online anyway, so now all you have to do is find a way to make your marketing and advertising more interesting and most importantly, more detailed.
There are many new methods, programs, and other tools that have come into the market recently and now might be the perfect time to test them out. Instead of your traditional virtual tour or photo gallery, you might consider looking into 3D walkthroughs or even hosting live video streams instead of an open house where you go through a home for sale, sending invitations out online before you do it. You can have your virtual assistant or someone on your team moderate the live video where you can address specific questions and accommodate requests to see specific areas or features of the home. The best part is that you can have the video up for people to watch later and you can continue to engage with any additional questions or comments that come in even after the live stream.
Closing remotely can be really easy if you plan ahead and make sure that you accommodate for the time it may take for any documents that need to be mailed over and the like and that all parties that need to be informed are aware that you are using this route.
-Find out from the title company if they have an office in proximity to the buyers/sellers. If they don’t, the closing paperwork must be taken to a notary to sign. The buyer/seller will want to review the closing paperwork prior to signing with a notary. It is a good idea to schedule a time to review the documents with the Realtor to answer any questions prior to signing.
– The buyer/seller needs to confirm with the title company how they will deliver the closing documents. Will they send them to the buyer’s home or office via FedEx? Email everything? Emailing the documents can be an easy and quick process, but this also takes a lot of printing. After the buyer has signed the documents they cannot be scanned and emailed back because the title company must have a “wet signature”, meaning the original signature with a pen rather than one that is copied or scanned.
– Make sure to clarify deadlines of when the title company needs the documents returned to them, what time the local FedEx overnight drop-off times are and if the buyer/seller is in a remote location (Alaska) accounts for possible delays in shipping.
– It’s a good rule of thumb to sign the closing documents and overnight them back to the title company 1 business day early to allow for any delays. For example, once the date of closing is confirmed with the title company and they need the documents by (Monday) May 23rd, notarize and overnight the documents back on the (Thursday) May 19th so they arrive at the title company on (Friday) May 20th.
– In the process of coordinating the mail out, the wire transfer to the title company must also be scheduled! Each title company is different and they will provide instructions on how to wire funds. Following these instructions is very important to ensure a safe and successful transfer.
Requirements are different state by state. Always confirm with the title company or attorney in regards to specific requirements when closing remotely. Some states allow closings via facsimiles while others do not. To avoid confusion, mistakes, and any problems the buyer/seller must do their research; know what it is expected of them and all parties involved from the very beginning.
If you MUST physically show a home or take a buyer to visit a property NAR reminds you to be mindful of the following precautions set by the CDC:
The CDC urges individuals to take these measures to protect themselves and others:
Additionally, to help prevent the continued spread of coronavirus, on March 15, 2020, the CDC recommended that for the next 8 weeks, all in-person events consisting of 50 or more people, such as conferences and assemblies, be canceled, postponed, or modified to virtual events On March 16, 2020, President Trump announced new guidelines, advising that individuals avoid groups of more than 10 people for the next 15 days. Avoiding these in-person gatherings is an effective measure that will reduce your risk of contracting or spreading coronavirus.
When an infectious disease, such as coronavirus, is associated with a specific population or nationality, fear and anxiety may lead to social stigma and potential discrimination. REALTORS® must be mindful of their obligations under the Fair Housing Act, and be sure not to discriminate against any particular segment of the population. While the coronavirus outbreak began in Wuhan, China, that does not provide a basis for treating Chinese persons or persons of Asian descent differently.
Lastly, suddenly taking all your responsibilities online can be a challenge. This may be the perfect time for you to hire a Virtual Assistant to help you manage all your responsibilities. The best part is, they already work remotely and can help ease you into the new norm we all have to adapt to. Make sure to book a GoRemote with MyOutDesk Virtual Assistants Strategy Session with us today. Stay safe and healthy!
Lock-downs, social distancing, and community quarantines are in full force all over the world, and for those whose who are able to accommodate it, working from home is the new norm for many businesses as well. Switching from a normal office setup to a remote setting can be a huge adjustment and those of us who have been doing this for years would like to share some tips and insights on what you can do to ensure that you and your business continue to thrive despite this major shift. Make sure to read all the way to the end, we’ll be sharing some other articles we’ve posted in the past that might be helpful as well!
Navigate the ins and outs of running your team remotely with a MyOutDesk Virtual Assistant. Book a consultation with us today to find out how.
Setting up a home office can be a great way to ensure that you continue to remain focused on your daily grind. If you don’t have one already, make sure you have enough space and all the materials and supplies you need. Anything from stacks of notepads and sticky notes, a corkboard, and even a snack drawer think of everything you usually need at your office desk and make sure you have them handy. You might need to invest in some hardware or technology that could be very helpful to you as well. Like a good pair of noise-canceling headphones or headset, a webcam, etc.
If space is an issue for you, putting up a divider of some sort can be a great option. If you have children, roommates, or other people who are staying home just like you, have a conversation about what you need and perhaps agree on “quiet time” or “do not disturb” hours so you can all focus on what you need to get done.
The important thing is to focus on the positives of working from home, like your fully equipped kitchen and the fact that you can wear your PJ’s to work, oh and did we mention the short and hassle-free commute from your bed to your desk?
Leading a remote team will have its unique challenges but if you are able to set it up well then you can expect smooth sailing. By setting specific parameters that you not have had to do in your office, you can all go on as you usually do. Assess the roles in your team and how working remotely might change the dynamics of that role and find solutions to how those differences can be addressed in your new setting. As time goes on, make sure you are all clarifying and re-clarifying goals and roles so that nothing slips through the cracks.
A disruptive event like coronavirus will generate new and competing tasks across the business. As a result, leaders need to continually clarify goals at the team and individual levels to stay focused on key priorities. A great way to keep track of this is by using a project management tool like Monday or Slack. Make sure all members of your team are\updating their boards consistently and in real-time so that nobody gets lost and everyone knows each other’s progress.
Keep your team’s unity strong by creating ways to interact online. Schedule regular meetings via applications like Zoom or GoToMeeting. Many programs offer free subscriptions and many are offering free services for companies and businesses in light of the coronavirus. Make sure you also set time to have interactions that are not work-related so that you and your team have a chance to check in on each other’s personal lives.
The Harvard Business Review suggests the following:
Take a virtual tour. At the start of a project, encourage each person to take a few minutes to show the team his or her home workspace and share some personal context. What are the possible distractions — like barking dogs, noisy passing trucks, or kids coming home from school? The aim is to help colleagues develop an understanding of each person’s work context so they can be more sensitive to each other’s constraints.
Acknowledge non-traditional workspaces. Michael, a millennial working in New York City, lives in an apartment with multiple roommates and doesn’t have private office space for working at home. If some of his roommates are also working remotely, he is likely to face the challenge of people walking or talking in the background during video calls. Let Michael know you appreciate his challenge and are open to discussing alternatives like flexing work hours so that calls happen when it’s quieter for him.
Keep your assumptions or stereotypes in check. Sarah, an executive participating in a conference call, received a text message from a colleague: “Mute yourself. We can hear your baby crying.” She replied: “My baby is napping. That’s Matthew’s son you heard.” The ambiguity inherent in having team members working from home can lead to biased assumptions about focus and commitment to work.
Here are some articles we’ve published that might further help you out as you lead your virtual team:
While the coronavirus and other such calamities might lead to disruption and cause you to have to change things quite drastically, we now have technology and means to be able to adjust with the right strategies.
If you would like to find out more about MyOutDesk Virtual Assistants and how they can become key players in your team during this time, please schedule your consultation so we can help you out.
The threat of the Coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic is steadily growing in the United States and as a result, many companies have turned to order their employees to work remotely. As this continues many companies face the challenge of reframing their business protocols and processes. The increasing uncertainty and anxiety about the personal dangers from the potential pandemic and its impact on the economy will make the challenge of adjusting to these work changes even greater.
For example, the social media platform Twitter has encouraged its employees to work from home to do their part in preventing the spread of the virus. Other companies such as the tech giant Google and investment bank JP Morgan are also amongst the companies currently exercising remote working protocols for safety. While only a third of people in the U.S. currently work remotely, this sudden shift may be a taste of what experts predict that in the year 2025, 70% of workers will be working remotely. If you want to learn more about remote & virtual solutions, Schedule a Free Consultation Now.
A global poll from 2018 by data and insights company Kantar found that of 33,000 people, 32% valued a job where they could work from home. Joe Hirsh, a leadership and communication expert, told CNBC that he believed the outbreak of the coronavirus has the potential to make working from home more common practice. He argued that if more companies follow in the footsteps of Twitter and Google, this could “shift workplace dynamics.” Jon Addison, vice president of talent solutions EMEA at LinkedIn, agreed that businesses would inevitably find it more challenging to continue with “business as usual” under the current circumstances if they lack the technology infrastructure to work remotely or flexible working policies. For some, he said, the coronavirus outbreak could act as a “wake-up call” to enact this change. He said that working from home could actually prove advantageous for certain tasks, such as those which require “deep focus or privacy due to the sensitive nature of what’s being worked on.”
As more and more companies are following suit in asking their employees to work from home, some may worry that they are not equipped to handle such a change despite the necessity. Fortunately, many systems and programs already exist and have been around, being utilized by those businesses and companies where remote, virtual and outsourced staff is not by any means new. Many platforms are offering free access in light of the Coronavirus outbreak while many others have free account options already available.
Cisco’s WebEx, for example, reported that traffic on its backbone connecting China-based Webex users has increased by 22 times since the outbreak began. At the same time, it’s seen four to five times as many users in Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with the average time spent on Webex video meetings doubling among users in those countries. Simultaneously, free signup rates in countries with infections have increased by 700% or more.
If you are setting up systems for your team and or business to prepare for the possibility of having to work remotely, here are some options you may want to look into:
Long-time conferencing service WebEx’s default-free plan offers you conferencing for up to three users with HD video, screen sharing on desktop and mobile devices, and limited recording options. It supports up to 50 participants per meeting, with meeting times capped at 40 minutes and online storage limited to 1GB.
With its special, Webex is offering unlimited usage with no time restrictions, support for up to 100 participants, and toll-call dial-in in addition to existing VoIP capabilities. This offer is being made with a free 90-day license to businesses that are not already Webex customers.
Google, with 8,000 employees in Ireland, has already put its remote working conferencing to the test when it asked for all staffers to work from home for fear of possible coronavirus infection. Google isn’t offering free conferencing services to new users, but it is rolling out free access to its advanced Hangouts Meet video-conferencing capabilities to all its G Suite and G Suite for Education customers. This includes larger meetings, for up to 250 participants per call live streaming for up to 100,000 viewers within a domain; and the ability to record meetings and save them to Google Drive.
These features are typically available in the Enterprise edition of G Suite and in G Suite Enterprise for Education, but they will be available at no additional cost to all customers until July 1, 2020.
LogMeIn is another experienced video conferencing company that usually comes with a 14-day free trial. Now, according to the company, starting immediately, it will provide critical front-line service providers—including eligible healthcare providers, educational institutions, municipalities, and non-profit organizations—and current LogMeIn customers with free, organization-wide use of many LogMeIn products for three months through the availability of Emergency Remote Work Kits. This includes its flagship program, GoToMeeting and GoToWebinar.
Microsoft Teams, which is more of an Office 365 feature than a separate service these days. In response to the virus threat, Microsoft is offering a new six-month Office 365 E1 trial offer that includes full meetings, collaboration, and workflow capabilities and will enable all global customers—e.g., hospitals, schools, and businesses—to start using Teams immediately. In addition, beginning March 10, Microsoft is rolling out updates to the free version of Teams that will lift restrictions on user limits and make it possible for users to schedule meetings for video calling and conferencing. The free version of Microsoft Teams was already impressive in its own right. It supports up to 300 members, with guest access, one-on-one, and group video and audio calls, shared files (2GB per user and 10GB per team), screen sharing, and document collaboration using online Office apps.
Zoom is offering, for its Basic (free) users in China, unlimited meeting time for conferences with more than two participants. Like Microsoft Teams, its default-free offering is good enough for many small-to-medium businesses (SMB). Its free tier allows unlimited 1-to-1 meetings group sessions of up to 40 minutes and 100 participants.
Other major conferencing services, such as Slack and Zoho Meetings, haven’t announced any special deals although it is safe to assume that they and all other conferencing services will be offering new deals soon. The demand for remote-meeting software is spreading faster than the virus as worry infects the business world. You may also want to look into project management software such as Monday or Basecamp.
For those who are new to the world of virtual and remote work, these are just a few programs and tools you can utilize to make sure that everything is business as usual, despite the change in location. Next week we’ll share tips on how to manage your new work situation, in the meantime check out our other awesome articles about remote teams and remote work.
We hope everyone is safe and doing well. In times like these, the best thing to do is stay informed, keep calm and hope, and pray for the best. Learn more about MyOutDesk remote & virtual solutions: Schedule a Free Consultation Now.
As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to peak this season, is your business equipped to respond to all urgent concerns? As a business owner, you have to think about the trigger points in your business so that you can make a quick and informed decision to adapt your systems and processes. Remote work is an effective preventative measure that will immediately decrease risks in community health and safety—as well as keeping businesses afloat.
We are offering you a free guide to set up your employees for remote work. For business owners who want to make the switch the right way and stay productive, this guide includes three easy steps to get started.
Download the Fast Guide now and set up your team to work effectively from home immediately.
[Download] Fast Guide: Setting Up For Remote Work Amid A Health Crisis (.doc)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends businesses actively encourage employees to stay home and, when at work, to practice good hand hygiene and coughing and sneezing etiquette. You also may consider doing the following for your employees:
Here are some crucial additional actions that you can take to increase the health and safety of your staff:
[Download] Fast Guide: Setting Up For Remote Work Amid A Health Crisis (.doc)
In response to the health crisis, the uptick in remote work may be temporary, but the truth is that remote work is a stable trend. Businesses are moving away from traditional offices to a blended remote and physical organization.
Luckily, MyOutDesk Virtual Professionals are most optimally positioned to work remotely from their homes. We encourage businesses to take advantage of and utilize the telework tools and systems that are already in place with having MyOutDesk Virtual Professionals for expanding remote work for all employees.
We have 12 years of expertise working with thousands of clients and remote employees in a virtual environment. Nobody knows remote work as we do, and we’re to answer your questions! Schedule a free consultation with us now.
Starting back in 1989, outsourcing has become an integral part of corporate practice for major companies across the USA, and over the last four decades, it has percolated down to become part of small to mid-size businesses as well. Despite the rise in outsourcing within the U.S., there are still many who debate for and against it with no clear result as to which side is legitimate.
Outsourcing remains to be a hot-button topic with strong arguments for each side. If you’re considering outsourcing, it is important to educate yourself in order to make the best decision for you and your business – and don’t forget to book a Double My Business Strategy Session today to find out how a MyOutDesk Virtual Assistant can bring value to your business!
According to the Population Reference Bureau, Offshoring is the movement of jobs and tasks from one country to another, usually from high-cost countries, such as the United States, to low-cost countries where wages are significantly lower. Offshoring is often confused with outsourcing, which is instead the movement of jobs and tasks from within a company to a supplier firm. The offshoring of manufacturing jobs has been occurring for decades, but the offshoring of service-sector jobs is an incipient phenomenon, emerging in substantial numbers since 2002 and growing rapidly.
From the early research on offshoring, a primary motivation was to explain the inequality in the earnings of labor. Evidence from the United States and other countries showed that during the 1980s the relative wages shifted towards more-skilled workers so that a “wage gap” developed between those with higher and lower skills. The story for the 1990s and later is quite different. There has continued to be an increase in the relative wage of skilled workers in U.S. manufacturing, but the relative employment of these workers has sometimes fallen. That finding is strongly suggestive of the offshoring of service activities, whereby the more routine service activities are sent overseas.
Outsourcing is the business practice of hiring a party outside a company to perform services and create goods that traditionally were performed in-house by the company’s own employees and staff. Outsourcing is a practice usually undertaken by companies as a cost-cutting measure. As such, it can affect a wide range of jobs, ranging from customer support to manufacturing to the back office.
As the face of the business world constantly and rapidly changes, the reality of the practicality of outsourcing is becoming more and more evident to business owners, regardless of the size of their business. What are your thoughts on outsourcing? Would you ever consider it or if you currently are outsourcing, what advice can you give to anyone who is considering it? Let us know in the comments!
Managing any team is a perpetual challenge within itself in any industry. Throw in the virtual element, and you’ve got another challenge altogether. While many aspects will largely remain the same, many elements will change the consequent dynamics and force you to tackle things differently.
Obviously, your first and most important step is building the best team with the right people. While many experts say that 2020 is the year for remote working options, it is not for everyone and does not suit everybody.
Managing a virtual team is easy with MyOutDesk Virtual Assistants. Schedule a Double My Business Strategy Session today to find out more.
Once you have found your winning team, you will normally face challenges that you would normally and some you may not expect. So how do you ensure that you are leading your virtual team to success?
Establish Clear Communication
Leading a virtual team means that you do not have the normal means to communicate with your team, you can’t visit them in their office or cubicle or walk around and peek over their shoulder or even call them into your office, your communication will largely take place via the phone or over the internet. As you will largely be relying on technology, finding a system that will serve your needs the best is important. Aside from a platform where you can talk, you will need several other systems such as a project management platform, an online document sharing platform, and even chat. The great news is that many systems offer all of that and more. You just need to do your research and find one that works for your business. Be careful when using chat, as there is a huge possibility that your “tone” may be misread. Always be clear about what you expect, and most of all, listen and listen well.
Establish Trust
Building relationships and loyalty can be much tougher with a virtual team. Since you largely work in separate spaces, you do not have the advantage of propinquity on your side. Therefore, you need to find different ways to establish these connections and foster an environment of trust. Do not micromanage. Checking in too much will send the message that you do not trust them, and they, in turn, will get frustrated. You might even see a high turnover rate. Instead, establish clear expectations, set deadlines, and even create timelines, and then allow your team to take ownership and responsibility for the parts they play.
Track Productivity
In the beginning, when you are building your team or when you have a new team member, you might want to use an activity tracker so you can have the peace of mind that each member of your team is using their time wisely. You can also reinstate it when you need to figure out why someone is lagging, perhaps or if you have any doubts. You can also create trackers for various tasks and, as we mentioned earlier, use a project management platform that clearly outlines each team member’s responsibilities. Through this platform, they should also check off finished tasks, ask for help if they encounter and hurdles, and keep everyone updated and informed about their progress.
Foster Engagement
Building trust requires engagement, and building engagement with a virtual team can be difficult, but it is not impossible. Most of the time, you don’t get the same opportunities in a remote environment for team-building events or casual, watercooler conversations that help to build that engagement. So you have to find other ways to promote teamwork and get people enthused about your company.
What you can do is create spaces and find time to create the engagement virtually.
It’s all about your company culture and how you can build this in your virtual space. It can be challenging but completely fulfilling at the same time. Are you ready to build a winning virtual team and lead them to victory? Book your Double MY Business Strategy Session today, and let’s get you started!
Remote staffing and virtual teams have seen a dramatic rise in popularity over the past decade. Surprisingly, even during the course of the upcoming 2020 year, experts are predicting that virtual & remote staff will become far commonplace & accepted as a part of the business than in the past – especially in organizations with a lot of tasks that don’t require a physical presence in the office.
A recent study found that a company can save over $10,000 annually when it hires remote staff. Findings also said that remote or virtual staff show a higher level of productivity, greater satisfaction rate, and not to mention access to a wider global talent pool. Despite these great findings, businesses and their consequent leaders still face many challenges in managing a global, remote team.
Build your global team of superstars with MyOutDesk Virtual Assistants. Schedule A Double My Business Strategy Session today to find out how.
All in all, creating a virtual team can reap many benefits for you and your business. It can open up many doors and solve many of your pain points. However, always keep in mind that it is always a two-way street, and you must match their efforts. Different challenges will come up that you may have to deal with in ways you never thought possible. It would be best if you gave the same zeal and diligence to go with an in-house team. The circumstances will be re-framed.
MyOutDesk can help you build your dream virtual team with our talented Virtual Assistants. So book your Double My Business Strategy Session today to find out how!
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