Why executive assistants are important – Benefits of Hiring an EA

Most startups operate with similar mindsets: a sense of urgency, everyone getting their hands dirty, and moving fast, even if some things break along the way. Similarly, startup executives tend to have common pain points, some more pressing than others, depending on which word comes after “Chief”. If you’re wondering why executive assistants are important, keep reading.

Why executive assistants are important?

One of the executives we onboarded had a very clear need: Admin work was taking up so much of her time that she was barely focusing on her executive work. The fact that day-to-day chores were so time-consuming caused her not to be able to operate like an executive and keep her company from growing faster than it could if she had had the time to focus on truly impactful work.

“What I find myself doing is acting as a second generalist more so than an executive.
All of my executive work keeps getting pushed down”. 

Sound familiar? If so, you may need a remote executive assistant. 

What is an executive assistant? 

To answer this question, let’s first talk about what an executive assistant isn’t. A common misconception about executive assistants is that their responsibilities are limited to handling emails, scheduling meetings, and coordinating travel plans. However, this job description is merely 20% of their role. In truth, an executive assistant has the potential to evolve into a strategic ally, serving as a thought partner who questions your perspectives, assists in reassessing your convictions, and helps you accomplish your priorities consistently, and efficiently.

When you trust your executive assistant and let them get to know you, they acquire such an in-depth understanding of who you are, where your priorities lie, and even how you think, so much so that your EA can easily fill in for you in several ways: by sending emails on your behalf, training a new hire, or even preparing for and facilitating town hall or all-hand meetings you no longer have time for.

What do executive assistants do

As we’ve said before, executive assistants come with a set of skills any executive can benefit from, but the key to truly succeeding when it comes to leveraging your EA, lies in how bought-in you are. In other words: Your EA is most effective when you fill them in on your priorities, expectations, and struggles. That’s how they learn what you need from them and do everything in their power to make it happen. 

Your EA can become an extension of you, whether that’s acting as a calendar gatekeeper and preventing team members from booking time with you, taking your email to inbox zero, serving as an accountability partner, making sure you work on what you’re supposed to be working on without delays, or helping you lead your team. Your EA can become an extension of you. That is – if you allow them to.

Signs it’s time to hire an executive assistant

If you’ve been thinking about getting support but are still not sure if it’s worth getting an executive assistant, take a look at these six pain points you might be struggling with. They might feel unmanageable, but the good news is: that they can all be solved by getting your own EA. 

You’re always trying to catch up 

Startup executives are known for having to wear many hats, but if you’re operating as the de facto CFO and CHRO on top of being the CEO, chances are you will be always busy but will never be able to complete the work of three full-time employees. 

If you can’t manage your time well, you’ll run out of energy for important tasks. Deadlines will keep getting pushed back until they’re put on hold. This means a lot of hours for projects and ideas are wasted. Losing these hours hurts how well an executive performs. When faced with too many tasks, executives become reactive managers instead of proactive leaders. This takes away your ability to think strategically about what’s coming next.

If you’re always busy but never get to tick all the boxes on your to-do list, it’s time for an executive assistant. An EA will make sure you focus on truly impactful work, delegating less critical work to other team members and picking up some of the slack themselves. 

You feel overworked

Executives tend to have 10-12 hour work days. They even work on weekends, planning their upcoming week or answering “just a few emails.” It’s no surprise that they end up feeling overworked. 

Not knowing where to draw the line between working hours and personal time is a dangerous pattern that can lead you directly to burnout. Avoid that by making sure you take enough breaks throughout the day. Your brain functions in a unique way when you take breaks. It’s not just about reducing fatigue at the end of the day; it’s about enhancing your capacity to concentrate and actively participate during meetings.

An EA won’t just make sure you complete your work; they can help you regain control of your life by establishing clear boundaries between your time at the office and family or personal time. To make sure you don’t feel overworked, our EA can block time in your calendar when you need to pick up the kids, go for a walk, or simply grab a bite to eat. 

You’re not effectively leading your team

If you have an insurmountable amount of work you need to complete every day, you’ll likely stop prioritizing your team. You might attend all meetings and answer emails here and there, but are you really present when your direct reports come to you? If you’re physically present but mentally elsewhere, it’s time for you to re-evaluate the way you work. Find a balance between getting important work done and being a good leader for your team.

If your team is not as engaged as they once were, your EA can help you boost their morale. Your EA will make sure you meet regularly with your direct reports, arrange team socials, plan team-wide offsites, and bring your attention to any issues that may be arising within your team.

You don’t get enough time for deep work

Scheduled deep work time is a dedicated, uninterrupted block on your calendar intended to provide a focused space for work. It enables executives to concentrate deeply, addressing pending tasks, making important decisions, or staying well-informed about critical company matters.

Establishing deep work blocks in your calendar shouldn’t be seen as a nice-to-have bonus. Rather, it should be a critical and non-negotiable time of the day. Why? Because otherwise, you might get sucked into an endless list of urgent but not important work that becomes a distraction, even if you think you’re being productive.

Your EA will create deep work slots for you to focus on the areas where you would make the biggest impact, but they won’t stop there. Your EA will make sure you’re working on what you should be working on and hold you accountable every single time. 

Your inbox is out of control

Handling your inbox by yourself is manageable when you receive a couple of dozen emails daily. However, when the count reaches hundreds or thousands, knowing which messages need your attention and which ones can be discarded becomes a big, time-consuming challenge.

Reaching inbox zero may sound like an impossible scenario, but all it takes is a systematic approach, clear rules, and constant monitoring. As a startup executive, you probably don’t have time to keep your inbox in order, but the fact that you can’t take that responsibility doesn’t mean it cannot be done. 

If your inbox is out of control, give your EA access to your email so they can establish rules, classify, draft responses on your behalf, or flag time-sensitive emails you should personally address right away. 

You have lots of overlap in your calendar

It’s not rare for startup executives to have double or even triple bookings on a daily basis. It’s also quite common to have your entire day completely packed with back-to-back meetings and little to no time to do focus work or even stop for lunch. 

Managing your calendar is part of what it means to be productive. An overflowing calendar that doesn’t reflect your priorities means you’re going to stay busy at all times, but you’ll rarely be effective. 

If your calendar looks like a poorly stacked Jenga, it’s time for an EA to act as a gatekeeper of your calendar and your time. Being accessible to your team is nice in theory, but allowing anyone to just get time in your calendar whenever they want, is counterproductive. Your EA can decline the meetings you don’t need to attend and ensure that every day, you’re using your time in the best way possible.

Self-assessment: Is an executive assistant right for you?

• Do you spend most of your day in meetings? 
• Have you consistently neglected personal time in the past few weeks? (Gym, rest, family time, kids, etc.) 
• Do you skip lunch regularly? 
• Do dinner and work often overlap? 
• Is it normal for you to work over the weekend? 
• Has team engagement declined? If you don’t know, you might have your answer…

If you answered “Yes” to any of the above, it’s time for you to at least explore getting support from an executive assistant. Whether through us, you hire in-house or another firm – our goal is to help leaders operate as their most productive version. They won’t only make you more productive; they will help you regain control of your life. 

If you want to understand more about Viva’s remote EA subscription service, talk to our team. They will be thrilled to guide you through our process and answer any questions you may have.