Free written guide

How to Onboard a Virtual Assistant

Delegate the small stuff, so you can dominate the big stuff. A step-by-step guide to the first month with a new virtual assistant, from the setup before day one to the routines that keep the work on track.

A great hire can still struggle without a clear start. Most onboarding problems come from missing access, vague instructions, and no routine for updates, and all three are easy to fix before they start. This guide covers the first month with a new virtual assistant, step by step.

1. Before day one

• Write down the first five tasks. Recurring tasks with a clear "done" are best: inbox triage, scheduling, invoicing, CRM updates, posting content.
• Set up access. Create a company email address for your assistant. Share logins through a password manager, and use delegated access for your email and calendar instead of your own password.
• Choose your channels. Decide where quick questions go (chat), where tasks live (a project tool or a shared list), and where files are saved.
• Agree on working hours. Set the hours your assistant works and the hours you overlap, so questions get answered the same day.
• Prepare a one-page welcome document. What your business does, who your clients are, your tone of voice, and the people your assistant will work with.

2. Day one

• Hold a 30 to 60 minute welcome call. Walk through the welcome document, the tools, and the first five tasks.
• Have your assistant test every login while you are on the call, so access problems get fixed on day one.
• Hand over one small task to finish that day. An early win builds confidence on both sides.
• Agree on the daily update format (see section 6).

3. The first week

• Hand over one or two new tasks a day, each with a short recording and a checklist (see section 5).
• Do a 15-minute check-in at the end of each day. Answer questions, correct small mistakes early, and say what went well.
• Expect questions. In week one, questions are a good sign: they mean your assistant is checking instead of guessing.
• At Rekruuto, the first week is also the 1-week trial: if the fit is wrong, we find a replacement or refund your money.

4. Weeks two to four

• Week two: your assistant runs the first five tasks on their own. Move the daily check-in to every other day.
• Week three: add the next set of tasks. Ask your assistant to update the checklists as they learn the work.
• Week four: hold your first monthly review. What is working, what needs more training, and what to hand over next.
• By the end of the month, your assistant should own a clear set of recurring work, and you should only hear about it in the daily update.

5. How to hand over a task

1. Record it. The next time you do the task, record your screen and talk through what you are doing and why.
2. Turn it into a checklist. Ask your assistant to watch the recording and write the steps. You review the checklist once.
3. Define "done." Say what the finished result looks like and when it is due.
4. Watch the first run. Review the first one or two attempts closely, then step back.
5. Keep the checklist alive. Your assistant updates it whenever the process changes.

6. Daily updates and weekly reviews

A daily update replaces "What are you working on?" messages. At the end of each day, your assistant sends three things: what got done, what is planned next, and anything that needs your decision. Once a week, spend 15 minutes on wins, blockers, and next week's priorities.

Our free VA accountability worksheet gives you a ready-made four-week format for both.

7. Common onboarding mistakes

• Handing over everything at once. Start with five tasks and add more each week.
• Instructions only in your head. If it is not recorded or written down, it will be done differently each time.
• Sharing passwords in messages. Use a password manager and delegated access.
• No feedback. Silence reads as "fine." Say what is working and what to change, early and often.
• Delegating only the tasks you dislike. Also hand over work that keeps you away from your zone of genius, even when you are good at it.

8. Your onboarding checklist

1. 1First five tasks written down
2. 2Company email address created
3. 3Password manager set up and shared
4. 4Delegated email and calendar access set up
5. 5Chat, task, and file tools chosen and shared
6. 6Working hours and overlap hours agreed
7. 7One-page welcome document ready
8. 8Welcome call booked for day one
9. 9Daily update format agreed
10. 10Escalation rules agreed
11. 11Weekly review booked
12. 12Monthly review booked for the end of week four

Not sure what to hand over first? Start with our free list of 101 tasks coaches can delegate.

From Rekruuto. We place full-time, vetted virtual assistants from the Philippines who work your hours, for a flat $1,800 a month, with a 14-day start and a 1-week trial. Ready to hand the work over? Get matched with your hire. Start in 14 days. More free resources: rekruuto.net/free-tools.