You’ve laid the foundation; you figured out what to outsource, you have your systems set up, wrote a job description, did the interviews, and found a VA that checks all the boxes! Now you’re ready to make it official and bring them onto your team!

Before you start

System setup is critical to the success of your new team member! At the very minimum, we want to have a project management system set up (unless you are going on theirs!) a password manager, and a file storage system. We do just this in our VIP days by setting up systems in your business before you hire a team member.

Onboarding

The onboarding process ideally lasts 90 days after they sign on. No matter how well qualified your new team member is, your new team member is new to the business and will need an appropriate onboarding process. During this time, it is important to touch base regularly with them.

Yes, 90 days seems like a long time to ‘train’ a new hire, but it actually takes more time to rehire than it does to onboard properly. Similar to how a quick DIY fix might stop the leaky sink for a few months but could easily lead to a bigger problem down the road. 

What to add them to 

Make sure they have everything they need to succeed in their new role. Be sure to add them to all the systems your business uses. 

– email system

– project management system

– password manager

– file storage

– video tutorials 

Training

Everyone has their own way of doing things, so even though your VA knows how to post a blog, they may not know your exact process. This is where I love to have loom videos available. Loom videos not only give a visual, but they are ALWAYS there for your new VA to reference. 

Make it a partnership.

You hired your new assistant to help you grow your business, so make sure you view them as a teammate and that they feel valued. Ask for feedback, give words of encouragement and appreciation. Creating a team atmosphere will help your new hire to stick with you for the long haul! For more information on how to onboard the right VA for your business, be sure to check out my mini-course How to Outsource to a Virtual Assistant.

What does your onboarding process look like?