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.
• Others feel uncomfortable talking about their performance and
• whether they deserve better compensation.

When you face this situation, it’s crucial to 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 one,
• how often you’ll give them, and
• how much you’re able and willing to pay.

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

How long have they worked for you?

Filipinos typically get raises every year, and I recommend doing this with your OFSs.

I give modest raises annually and also evaluate employees to determine whether I should increase 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 is a great way to show appreciation and inspire commitment.

How long has it been since your worker got a raise?

If it’s been a while since your OFS received a raise, it may be time to give their pay a bump.

When employees feel like their pay isn’t keeping up with the work they’re doing, they get demoralized. Their work ethic and productivity can suffer.

Don’t let too much time pass between pay increases. In my case, I’m committed to giving my employees a yearly raise.

Have they performed well?

You should reward your OFSs for outstanding work, especially if they’ve exceeded your expectations. Assess your OFS’s performance against the 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 increase. For good workers, I might give $50 a month. And for the very best workers, I’ve 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—abilities you don’t often see in others. 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 by giving them some money on a one-time basis.

I’ve also had OFSs ask 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 eventually raised his salary to save him the embarrassment of asking for an advance 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 the issue head-on. Avoid the awkwardness by having a plan and sticking to it.

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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