My Virtual Assistant is Asking for a Raise

There are many reasons why Filipinos may be reluctant to ask for a raise. Some might feel shy or scared. Some feel uncomfortable talking about their performance and how much they deserve better compensation. When you face this situation it is important that you have a plan in place so the conversation can go as smoothly as possible.

Be Proactive

The best way to handle giving raises is to let them know ahead of time:

• when you’re going to give them,
• how often you’ll give them and
• how much you will be able and willing to pay.

Don’t wait for an OFS to ask you for a raise (this almost never happens) or to wonder when the next one is coming. Make salary increases a regular part of their job and your business.

How Long Have They Worked for You?

Filipinos typically get raises every year, and I would recommend doing this with your OFSs. I give modest raises every year. I also evaluate employees to determine whether I should raise their salary again. Those who perform well and have proven to be valuable to the business will get raises, often around $50 a month. Giving annual or consistent raises can be a way to show appreciation and inspire commitment.

How Long Has It Been Since Your Worker Got a Raise?

If it’s been awhile since your OFS has had a raise, it may be time to give their pay a bump. When employees don’t feel like their pay increases along with the work they’re getting, they get demoralized. Their work ethic and productivity can suffer. Don’t let too much time pass between pay increases. In my case, I am committed to giving my employees a yearly raise.

Have They Performed Well?

You should reward your OFSs for outstanding work, especially if they have exceeded your expectations. Assess your OFS’s performance against goals you’ve set together. As those standards are achieved, you should grant raises accordingly. The amount you give depends on how exceptional the work has been. As a standard raise, I might give a $30-a-month raise. For good workers, I might give a $50-a-month raise. And for the very best workers, I have often given $100-a-month raises.

Does Your VA Possess Unique Talents and Skills?

Sometimes you find that one-of-a-kind worker who just has something special. This person has abilities you don’t see in other people. If you have an OFS like this, you want to do all you can to hold on to them.

Reward an OFS with rock-star skills accordingly. A person like this stands out above the rest, so they deserve to be compensated fairly.

Are There Special Circumstances?

It’s common for a Filipino worker to experience financial hardships or medical emergencies. I don’t give raises in these situations. Instead, I help them by giving them some money on a one-time basis.

I’ve also had OFSs ask me for pay advances. One worker used to do this every month because he couldn’t catch up on his bills. I agreed to advance his pay and did eventually raise his salary to save him the embarrassment of asking me for his pay ahead of time each month. But this situation is unusual.

Asking for a pay raise is a normal part of business. But for your OFS, this can be a touchy subject. It can cause problems if you don’t address this issue head on. Avoid all the awkwardness that can come with this by having a plan and sticking to it.

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About John Jonas
John helps business owners learn to outsourcing to the Philippines and replace themselves with virtual assistants.
He founded and owns OnlineJobs.ph.

He currently employs 14 amazing Filipino workers full-time and loves every one of them. He lives in Utah, has a wonderful wife, 4 amazing kids, and golfs 4-5 times/week.

Find John at JohnJonas.com and Facebook.

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