How virtual employees are better than offshore freelancers - Hindustan Times
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How virtual employees are better than offshore freelancers

ByYogita Tulsiani
Oct 01, 2019 05:16 PM IST

The recruitment industry has created the concept of the Virtual Employee. The aim is to drive a business model that is lean and result oriented.

Technology has prompted the utilization of resources that are unconventional but effective in the modern business model. Every entrepreneur has a goal to recruit the best fit at the lowest cost. The staffing solutions are designed today as a collaborative and synchronized with the purposes of the employer. The employee has no geographical boundaries and can be present anywhere in the world if found to be the right fit and can contribute positively.

Virtual employee does not have the pressure of relocation, and the employer gets a value proposition that potentially increases the profit margin.(Shutterstock)
Virtual employee does not have the pressure of relocation, and the employer gets a value proposition that potentially increases the profit margin.(Shutterstock)

The recruitment industry has created the concept of the Virtual Employee. The aim is to drive a business model that is lean and result oriented. The company looks to gain an employee who possesses niche skills and talent and has handled a similar profile and skills required to perform the requisite role. The employee does not have the pressure of relocation, and the employer gets a value proposition that potentially increases the profit margin. The organization gets personnel who fill niche skill-set gaps in any geography across the globe.

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The need for training and infrastructure is low in the case of Virtual Employees. The on boarding lifecycle is minimized, mitigating downtime, and maintaining business relevance. This is particularly effective in the technology sector, where skill relevance and advancement is a significant consideration.. The employer gets immediate access to a talent pool that can be replenished from any corner of the world at minimum overhead cost. The cost of infrastructure like space, hardware, and other facilities is reduced significantly while employer leverage remains the same. Studies have proven that a business can save up to $20000 per annum on each virtual recruit and contain costs.

Remote employees use collaborative communication tools like Skype, Zoom, and the like to communicate. The natural impediments, like local political or weather conditions, have no significant adverse effect on productivity. Studies show that virtual resources take fewer leaves and work longer hours. Relevant studies show that Virtual Employees are more effective as they have no commute and increased flexibility. The innovation allows freedom to employees to enjoy a better work-life balance. This reduces stress and promotes higher job satisfaction levels. They have access to all the benefits and superannuation that a regular employee gets and that aids retention.

The virtual employees are integral to the workforce and share the same KPI’s and SLA’s as other employees. The company stands to avail around-the-clock service as different locations may allow time zones that are a perfect fit to cater to global perspectives. The accountability quotient is much higher when the employee is sustained on the payroll and is not a freelancer. Technology can track productivity and job completion targets, making supervision seamless. Most virtual resources are contractual, and that also keeps legal hassles to a bare minimum.

The virtual employee dedicatedly works for the organization and has specific work timing and targets. Freelancers are often used as stop-gap measures and can only give time as and when their work commitments allow. The employee is more likely to have a lower turnaround time to respond and act. The dedicated employee can be trained to manage tasks as per company guidelines, but freelancers are not generally available for organization-specific jobs.

The employer has complete control of the resource and can leverage the same to get better results. The strategy can be to hive off non-core tasks or highly technical jobs to virtual workforce to get tactical jobs completed with minimal hassle. The employee understands that with all the perks of working locally in a global perspective, they are required to provide quality work. Revenue is enhanced automatically.

Creating opportunities in remote locations allow local talent to access global platforms. More qualified candidates can be accessed without location barriers, and this effectively widens the available pool. The saved costs can be productively channelled into employee satisfaction measures and product development which results in a truly global and capable workforce.

{Author Yogita Tulsiani is MD and Co-founder, Ixceed Solutions (Global Tech-Recruiter Provider). Views expressed here are personal.}.

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