20/08/2023
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF WORKPLACE DISTRACTIONS - IS YOUR FIRM LOSING MONEY?
Workplace distractions can have a significant impact on productivity and cost Australian law firms valuable time and money. From excessive social media use to office gossip and coffee breaks, these distractions are having a substantial impact on your firm!
I have explored the statistics and dollar value associated with these distractions…. which is shocking…. but will then discuss how hiring a virtual legal assistant will save you a tonne of money!
SOCIAL MEDIAL USE
According to a survey by Sensis, Australian office workers spend an average of 1.5 hours a day on social media WHILE THEY SHOULD BE WORKING! Considering an annual employee salary of $60,000 who works a 40-hour week, this amounts to employers paying their staff approximately $11,250 per year to engage in nonwork-related social media use!
OFFICE DISTRACTIONS
A study by Udemy found that employees spend an average of 56 minutes a day engaging in office distractions such as conversations with coworkers and internet browsing. Again considering an annual employee salary of $60,000 per year who works a 40-hour week, employers are currently paying their employees $6,980 a year to engage in pointless office distractions!
COFFEE/SHORT BREAKS
While taking breaks is essential for rejuvenation, excessive breaks disrupt workflow. A survey by Workthere revealed that Australian employees take an average of 3.6 breaks per day, with each break lasting for at least 15 minutes. Shockingly, employers are paying their $60,000 per annum employees approximately $6,751.20 per year to take a break!
PERSONAL PHONE CALLS
A study by CareerBuilder found that 53% of employees make or receive personal calls during work hours. Assuming that an employee spends 20 minutes a day on personal phone calls, earns $60,000 per year, and works a 40-hour week, employers are paying their employees around $2,475 a year to take/make nonwork-related phone calls!
PERSONAL MATTERS
While there is no specific data available on the amount of time employees spend on personal matters each day at work, I will assume that each employee spends at least 20 minutes per day on personal matters at work. This amounts to employers paying their $60,000 employees $2,475 per year to deal with personal matters at work!
SO HOW WILL HIRING A VIRTUAL LEGAL ASSISTANT SAVE YOU MONEY?
Virtual legal assistants are typically hired on an hourly basis, meaning you ONLY PAY FOR THE HOURS WORKED! No more paying for someone to browse social media, take personal phone calls, or duck out for another coffee break!
But there are also further cost benefits to engaging the services of a virtual legal assistant, such as:
REDUCED OVERHEAD COSTS
When you hire a virtual legal assistant, you don't need to provide them with office space, equipment, or supplies. This eliminates the need for additional expenses such as rent, utilities, furniture, and office supplies, which results in significant cost savings for your firm.
NO EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
Virtual legal assistants are usually independent contractors, which means you are not responsible for providing employee benefits such as sick leave, holiday pay, or superannuation contributions. This can result in substantial savings for your firm compared to hiring a full-time employee.
INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY
Virtual legal assistants are skilled professionals who specialise in specific tasks or areas. By delegating time-consuming or repetitive tasks to a virtual legal assistant, you can free up your own time!
FLEXIBILITY AND SCALABILITY
Virtual legal assistants offer flexibility in terms of the number of hours they work and the tasks they handle. You can adjust their workload based on your firm’s needs, allowing you to scale up or down as required without the financial burden of hiring or laying off employees.
Hiring a virtual legal assistant undoubtedly provides massive cost savings by you only paying for actual work done, reducing overhead expenses, avoiding employee benefits, increasing productivity, and offering flexibility. It also allows you to access professional assistance without the financial commitments associated with hiring a full-time employee.
If you would like to further explore how a virtual legal assistant can benefit your firm, please get in contact with me.
