So you’ve decided that hiring online workers is the next best step you can take in your business. You’ve read articles and case studies that support this unconventional way of employment and have talked to others who have done the same. You’re convinced, and you decide to finally take the plunge.
But just like any business endeavor or project, hiring online still requires a fair amount of preparation from your end. There are a few things you should do or have in order before looking up online workers or having a company like AwayTeam do the legwork for you.
As business owners or solo entrepreneurs, we sometimes get caught in the trap of thinking we have to do everything ourselves. We have this notion that we should already be experts in all aspects of the company operations. Otherwise, we are somehow failing.
So we continue to wade through mud and try to accomplish tasks and projects, despite possibly having little to no knowledge about them. And in the end, we never seem to get to the things we are actually good at.
The same is true in your business. You may think it’s better that you take charge of every department, despite having zero experience. This can lead to a lot of time inefficiently spent and mistakes that could have pretty serious consequences in the long run.
So let me say to you right now, it’s okay to ask for help! And while self-improvement and being independent are encouraged, we still have to accept the fact that we cannot do it all. I am personally at a point where I recognize my strengths and weaknesses in terms of skills. I am able to say, “This isn’t my skill set, so let me find someone who has this.”
And this is where online workers come in the picture as they can help fill in those weak spots in your business by providing their own expertise. The first order of business then, is to identify those areas that you could use outside sources with.
Take a good look at your company so far and see where you are lacking. Maybe you’re having a hard time juggling with financials since dealing with numbers isn’t your strongest suit. Or you’re not savvy enough to handle the marketing side or promoting your services on social media. You might not be that good at coming up with content like graphics or blog articles.
The good news is, you can hire online workers that are skilled in all areas of your business! You can engage a bookkeeper, virtual assistant, marketing specialist, web developer, content creator, a stylist - anyone who fits the need is available online!
Can you imagine the benefits once you fill in those weak spots with highly-skilled online workers? Think about how good and liberating it would feel to have a load lifted off your shoulders, and how you could focus better on things you are actually good at, and other growth projects for your business.
We all want more efficiency in our businesses and one of the best ways to achieve this is by making sure that systems are put in place. Creating systems help automate processes that are used both internally within your team and when engaging with clients.
Doing this can help streamline workflows and let you know whether these are still applicable to your current business, or if they need to be tweaked and overhauled. You can also spot inconsistencies and weak points in workflows that could be reasons why these are inefficient in the first place.
So once you’ve finished assessing your business, it’s time to take a look at these workflows and processes. Talk to the people who are in-charge of the process and really understand what they do, especially if they’re doing things that you have no experience in. Ask them what they think is working and what areas need improvement.
Encourage them to be as detailed and honest as possible. Be open to their feedback and take note and document everything! Then you can start implementing solutions, and testing if these solutions work.
Creating systems is an ongoing process and you need to be up-to-date, especially as your business grows and prospers.
Remember that if the correct systems are put in place, then there would be little room for error in workflows, letting you reap the long-term benefits of efficient processes.
These are just two of the things business owners need to do first before hiring online workers. Watch out for part two in this series, where we talk about technology and how important it is in online work.
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