Key Takeaways:
95% of HR leaders say working in HR is simply too much work and stress.
On average, it takes 8 days to screen applicants. An HR VA handles this tedious task while ensuring they choose the best candidates.
One-third of the newcomers with subpar onboarding experiences started looking for new jobs, which is why a smooth onboarding process is non-negotiable.
The HR department bridges the gap between your business goals and human potential. It ensures your company recruits and retains skilled professionals who can get you the results you want.
But 95% of HR leaders say working in HR is simply too much work and stress.
When tasks like job posting, candidate screening and employee record maintenance take too much of their time, your HR department can’t focus on workforce and succession planning.
They may also succumb to burnout, which is bad news for your business.
To take some load off your HR team, you can outsource some HR functions to a virtual assistant.
A virtual assistant for human resources will handle all the tedious HR tasks, supporting your internal HR department.
Explore all the tasks an HR VA can manage, the skills they bring and how they support your HR team.
What Is an HR Virtual Assistant?
Every business with a certain number of employees should have an HR department.
The HR division manages the employee life cycle, including recruitment, training, compensation, employee benefits and performance management. Apart from ensuring legal compliance, an HR specialist VA also helps you foster good connections between employees and the business.
An HR virtual assistant (VA) provides HR support remotely. Equipped with their own devices and internet connection, they provide high-quality services with uninterrupted communication.
Hiring VAs is a better option than in-office employees. Since VAs are not your regular employees, you don’t have to worry about overhead costs like insurance, rent and other benefits.
With HR VAs, you can simplify your HR processes without the burden of hiring full-time regular assistants for your HR team!
Read more: Everything You Need To Know About the Virtual Assistant Industry
What Are the Tasks of Virtual Assistants for HR?
An HR VA offers comprehensive support to your team. From maintaining communication with new hires to handling leave applications, they can do it all!
Want to know exactly how they can enhance your HR operations? Take a look!
| Recruit employees | – Prepare job descriptions – Upload role summaries – Circulate on social media – Screen applications |
| Schedule interviews | – Share meeting links – Send follow-ups – Ensure no overlaps – Reschedule interviews |
| Onboard employees | – Send congratulatory emails – Issue offer letters – Introduce to the team – Conduct orientation |
| Coordinate training | – Organize training materials – Share training courses – Send reminders about pending training – Track completion of training courses |
| Authorize leave | – Cross-check leave history – Approve leave – Update leave policies – Set up a leave management system |
| Admin support | – Set up emails and passwords – Handle employee queries – Organize employee records – Ensuring policy compliance |
Recruit Employees
The average time to fill executive positions is 62 days and the average time to fill nonexecutive positions is 54 days. Instead of spending weeks on recruitment, let a professional HR virtual assistant help with recruitment while you focus on your business.
To streamline the recruiting process, an HR VA will:
- Prepare job descriptions.
- Research top job listing sites and upload role summaries.
- Circulate job openings via social media.
- Screen incoming resumes and candidate profiles.
- Create a list of top candidates with their details.
Human resource VAs can also use the latest strategies to simplify your company’s recruitment workflow.
In a survey, 47% of respondents said that they rely on employee referrals. Your HR VA can help you create referral programs. This will help you reduce the time and costs of recruiting.
Your employees, who are aware of your company’s values, will tend to recommend candidates who are more likely to fit in well, resulting in high-caliber applicants.
The survey also found that LinkedIn (71%), Facebook (65%) and Instagram (43%) are the top channels for recruiting. Your VAs can leverage these platforms to advertise job vacancies and find candidates.
Schedule Interviews
On average, it takes 8 days to screen applicants.
An HR virtual assistant will take this tedious task out of your hands while ensuring they choose the best candidates and help you prepare for the interview.
Once the interview is done, HR VAs can take the hiring manager’s feedback and schedule meetings with shortlisted candidates. They will:
- Send follow-ups for interviews.
- Share meeting links with the interview panel and candidates.
- Reschedule interviews in case of sudden changes.
- Ensure no overlapping interviews in your calendar.
A smooth interview process will create a good impression of your business among candidates.
Onboard Employees
In a survey, 1 in 3 employees agreed that they’ve had an underwhelming or terrible onboarding experience. What’s worse is that one-third of the newcomers with subpar onboarding experiences started looking for new jobs.
No employer wants their new hires to begin their journey with a poor experience.
One-third of the newcomers with subpar onboarding experiences start looking for new jobs.
A professional HR virtual assistant knows how to welcome, integrate and elevate the onboarding experience of new hires.
To help with a smooth onboarding journey, an HR VA will:
- Send congratulatory emails.
- Issue offer letters.
- Record important data and documents.
- Welcome and introduce new employees to the team to break the ice.
- Share company policies.
- Conduct orientation.
- Answer routine questions about the company and their role.
Coordinate Training
Trends show that, by 2030, 59% of the world’s workforce will be expected to upskill or reskill.
Of the 53% of HR managers who report a skills gap within their organization, over half (51%) say their main approach to solving it is by training existing employees.
An HR virtual assistant can share updated training modules with both the new and existing employees. This will help your employees update their skills, stay relevant in the industry and contribute meaningfully to your company.
Some training-related tasks that an HR VA can take over include:
- Organize digital training materials and knowledge bases.
- Giving access to training courses and documents on tools and processes.
- Send reminders to employees about pending training modules.
- Track completion of training courses.
- Collect post-training feedback and prepare reports.
Authorize Leaves
From managing paid and unpaid leave to authorizing sick leave or vacation leave, an HR VA will look after employee leave management seamlessly.
They will:
- Cross-check employee attendance, leave history and leave balance.
- Check leave application validity.
- Approve half-day and full-day leave.
- Update leave policies.
- Set up a leave management system to streamline the process.
Admin Support
Stephanie Wells, the co-founder and CTO of Business Directory Plugin, says,
Administrative tasks are generally mundane and repetitive and yet often time-consuming … outsourcing such tasks can save a lot of time for CEOs and help them focus on things that matter.
Apart from recruitment tasks, your HR virtual assistant can also handle basic HR-related admin tasks.
You can delegate tasks like:
- Setting up emails and passwords for new hires.
- Handling basic employee queries and grievances.
- Organizing employee records like address, contact details, resumes, etc.
- Ensuring employees comply with legal and internal policies.
- Research team-building activities for employee engagement.
What Are the Benefits of Virtual Assistants for Human Resources?
The quality of employees decides the quality of the company.
With skilled HR VAs handling recruitment, you receive a list of pre-screened candidates, ensuring only the most suitable applicants move forward. This helps you maintain high hiring standards and onboard employees who add real value.
HR VAs also handle time-consuming tasks to help you and your internal team focus on strategy and growth.
Here are some other benefits of hiring HR virtual assistants.
Streamline Recruitment
Mistakes like piled-up applications, poor application screening and miscommunication regarding interviews are not a good sign for your business.
They can cause delays in filling critical positions or lead to hiring unqualified candidates.
In a survey, 49% of respondents said they left the recruitment process when it took too long to schedule an interview. This shows that poor recruiting experience can lead to candidate drop-offs.
On top of that, you’ll also waste time and resources. A tarnished company reputation in the job market is yet another side effect.
With proactive candidate sourcing, focused applicant screening, clear communication and organized interview schedules, an HR virtual assistant will ensure a hassle-free recruiting process.
Such steps will ensure:
- Faster hiring, especially for important positions.
- Higher quality hires due to structured screening.
- Better candidate experience.
- Improved employee retention due to strong job–candidate alignment.
- Strong brand reputation.
Enhanced Candidate Experience
In a survey, 93% of employees who were highly satisfied with their onboarding experience felt fully informed, engaged and confident compared to low-satisfaction groups.
Creating a good impression on candidates during the initial hiring process is crucial. A professional hiring experience is not only a reflection of your company culture but also goes a long way to attract top talent for your business.
HR VAs can be the first point of contact for your candidates, ensuring a professional approach. They’ll communicate the interview schedule, offer constant updates and resolve any queries, improving candidates’ hiring experience.
They will also be approachable and make new hires feel welcome, ensuring a smooth onboarding process.
Access Global Talent
Why limit yourself to a single location when you can hire professionals from around the world?
It’s always better to choose global talent with the best skills instead of recruiting local talent with a limited skillset.
Andrew Cohen, CEO & cofounder of Work Better Now, says,
Extending your options to include overseas talent can help ensure you find just the right skilled employee for each opening in your organization.
When you hire overseas virtual assistants, you can cross geographical limitations and hire remarkable talent, that too at affordable rates!
Manage Leaves Effortlessly
Organized leave management is crucial in any business to enhance work planning, assign leave effectively and process payroll accurately.
A dedicated HR virtual assistant will approve leave requests fairly and strategically to maintain workflow while ensuring employee satisfaction.
They’ll also use a leave management system for centralized records and better coordination.
Upgrade Data Management
Accurate and up-to-date data is key to smart business decisions and peak compliance!
Whether it’s employee details, attendance and leave records, payroll data, recruitment data or policy documents, an HR VA will organize, update and secure HR data efficiently.
Organized data management helps you streamline recordkeeping, supports informed HR decisions and enhances compliance.
For example, data-rich reports on recruitment can help you analyze your applicant trends, hiring efficiency and retention rates.
Reduced Stress
When HR VAs handle all the routine tasks that keep you and your team from core business functions, you delegate without worry. With VAs, you can rest assured that the duties are in the hands of a professional.
They allow you to spend your energy on important tasks like developing strategies, managing resources and taking breaks that refresh you.
In short, with them, you and your team can experience a better work-life balance.
Utilize the Latest HR Technology
Daily HR tasks can be streamlined using the right technology. This can significantly boost business efficiency.
Your HR VAs can research the latest software and tools that match your company’s needs.
They can test these tools and check if the software meets your security requirements. They’ll ensure quick and secure data migration to the new software to reduce downtime and avoid mistakes.
Your VA will also share tutorials with your team to help them navigate the new software with ease.
Read more: Game-Changing Benefits of Hiring a Virtual Assistant
What Are the Skills of Virtual Assistants for Human Resources?
Want quality work at a faster rate?
You need to ensure your VA has the right skills and qualities that your business needs.
Not sure what to look for? Some good qualities of a VA for human resources you should look for include:
- Knowledge of good HR practices
- Organizational skills
- Strong communication
- Proactive nature
- Conflict resolution skills
- Strict confidentiality
- Empathy and approachability
- Technical proficiency
Finding the right match for your needs can be a tough task—even with this comprehensive skills checklist!
But you don’t really need to worry about how to hire a good virtual assistant for your business.
Zenius can help you find, vet, hire and onboard new VAs quickly at a cost-effective rate.
What Are the Tools That HR Virtual Assistants Can Use?
HR tools and software allow virtual assistants to collaborate seamlessly with others.
Here are some essential tools an HR VA uses.
1. HR Management Software
When hiring a new HR VA, you must ensure they use the latest HR software for tasks like centralizing employee records and automating payroll processing.
Tools like BambooHR and Rippling will help them manage HR functions seamlessly.
2. Communication Tools
With the right communication tools, your HR VA can communicate information with team members on policies, collect documents, answer queries and more.
Communication tools like Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and Slack will make real-time collaboration easy.
3. Recruitment Platforms
Since HR VAs will assist your recruitment process, ensure they are familiar with the necessary platforms.
Tools like LinkedIn, Indeed and ZipRecruiter will allow them to post jobs online, screen candidates, organize applications and make the recruitment process effortless.
4. Time Tracking Applications
Time-tracking applications help your HR VA track work hours and attendance of your employees.
They can use tools like Clockify and Hubstaff to monitor and record employee activities to increase employee productivity and accountability.
Which Industries Can Hire Virtual Human Resources Assistants?
Virtual assistants are useful for many businesses. But you need a VA who understands the specific needs of your industry.
Here is a list of the top industries that can benefit from hiring an HR VA.
1. IT and Software
When you run an IT and software business, you need to frequently hire roles like developers, engineers and designers.
An HR VA can streamline the recruitment process, ensuring top-quality professionals in your workforce.
2. Healthcare
The healthcare industry experiences constant staffing needs for doctors, nurses and other admin staff.
An HR VA knows that your industry needs experienced professionals who have proper training and can work under high-pressure situations.
Your VA will search for the right candidates and track certifications to ensure the best support for your patients.
3. E-Commerce
The e-commerce industry is highly susceptible to seasonal and demand changes. This makes hiring for business a real challenge.
HR VAs can help you simplify hiring by handling job postings, screening and onboarding.
Read more: How E-Commerce Virtual Assistants Boost Brand Awareness and Sales
4. Creative Services
Creative and entertainment industry businesses have unique working environments.
To build dynamic teams and onboard project-based hires, HR VAs will sift through resumes, screen candidates and manage contracts seamlessly.
5. Education
The education industry needs a high-caliber faculty of teachers and administrators.
An HR VA will help you recruit people with the right education and professional experience, ensure the faculty undergoes continuous training and ensure positive relationships among your staff.
6. Construction
HR VAs can find the most skilled workers for your construction business.
They’ll also track attendance, store contracts, share safety training manuals and ensure team coordination.
7. Finance
HR VAs in the finance industry will handle payroll data, help maintain compliance with state and federal regulations, share policies on ethical practices and more to offer the best HR support.
Final Thoughts
An HR department is a crucial aspect of every business to ensure smooth onboarding, employee compensation and policy compliance.
Hiring an HR virtual assistant is a cost-effective alternative to a traditional HR professional. From recruiting to retaining employees, they’ll handle all HR tasks with careful precision.
HR is not just about hiring—it’s about people and positive workplace culture.
When hiring a VA for human resources, remember to look for a professional who has the interpersonal skills to turn everyday interactions into lasting employee trust.