Blogs
The cost-effectiveness of hiring a VA compared to a full-time employee in the UK.
If your business requires less than 1,029 hours of support work annually (roughly 19.8 hours/week), congratulations, hiring a VA is the most cost-effective way to grow your business.
How did we work it out?
Full-Time Employee (FTE)
37.5-hour work week
5.6 weeks of annual leave (including public holidays)
4.4 average sick days per year
1 hour plus daily for lunch and tea breaks (unpaid)
Effective Annual Working Hours for FTE:
Total hours/year: 52 weeks x 37.5 hours = 1,950 hours
Less annual leave: 5.6 weeks x 37.5 hours = 210 hours
Less sick days: 4.4 days x 7.5 hours = 33 hours.
Effective working hours/year: 1,950 - 210 - 33 = 1,707 hours
FTE annual costs approx. £36,000.
VA hourly rate: £35/hour.
Break-even hours for VA: £36,000 / £35/hour = 1,029 hours.
When hiring a VA, there are NO:
- employee benefits to pay
- National Insurance contributions to pay
- need to supply any equipment or training courses
- rent to pay for an office
If you'd like to find out more, about how a VA can support your business, get in touch!
Assumed data based on industry averages and general knowledge as of 2023