| and Elance are both outsourcing/offshoring service | | | | This may at first seem unusual and unrealistic, |
| providers. With Elance and employers can | | | | how can I employ an employee all the way in |
| outsource a wide variety of office based work | | | | India? How will I work with and how will the |
| and make significant savings. The similarities | | | | employee work for me when he is sitting |
| between and Elance however end there, for and | | | | thousands of miles away? With modern |
| Elance serve two very different outsourcing | | | | technology and the support/management |
| markets. | | | | services provides, employing your very own |
| With Elance, one can outsource office based | | | | employee from India is a straightforward |
| projects in a variety of different fields, (such as | | | | process. “Please click here to read more |
| law, programming, accounts..etc) to freelancers | | | | about Employing a Virtual Employee – How it |
| from around the world. Elance is used by | | | | Works”. |
| companies that have short term projects, (often | | | | Hence the most significant difference between |
| one off projects) that need to be completed in a | | | | Elance and is that with the former you outsource |
| couple of weeks/couple of months. Although | | | | and pay for the services of a contracted |
| Elance successfully serves this market, the | | | | freelancer whilst with the latter you outsource |
| limitations of Elance are abundantly clear. The | | | | and an employ your very own employee. With |
| most evident drawback namely being, if your | | | | you can outsource your work on a continuous |
| requirements are ongoing and long term. If you | | | | and permanent basis. |
| want to outsource work regularly or for instance | | | | The way in which you work with a Virtual |
| need a programmer, engineer or graphics designer | | | | Employee as opposed to a Elance freelancer will |
| on a full time, permanent basis Elance would be | | | | also vastly differ. places great emphasis on |
| unable to help. | | | | creating a virtual environment whereby you are |
| Herein lies the biggest difference between Elance | | | | able to interact and actually work together with |
| and provides employers with their very own full | | | | your employee. To achieve this goal provides |
| time, dedicated and permanent employee rather | | | | your Virtual Employee with all the latest |
| than freelancers who work on a short term as | | | | technology needed to create a virtual work place. |
| provided by Elance. The key word here is | | | | Another significant difference between and Elance |
| “employee”. Although you are outsourcing | | | | is from where the Virtual Employees actually |
| thousands of miles away to India, enables you to | | | | work. Elance is a portal through which businesses |
| actually employ your very own employee who will | | | | are linked to many freelancers throughout the |
| work for you on a permanent basis. Unlike | | | | world. The freelancers do not themselves work |
| freelancers from Elance, your Virtual Employee | | | | from an Elance office. All Virtual Employees |
| works directly for you and with you, just like an | | | | however work directly from the office. This not |
| employee would when working from your office. | | | | only enables to provide employees with all the |
| The only difference with a Virtual Employee is | | | | latest technology, we further provide your |
| that they work for you remotely and use | | | | employee with management and technical support. |
| technology to bridge the physical distance. The | | | | All Virtual Employees are monitored at all times by |
| working relationship between employer and Virtual | | | | a manager and we offer any support needed to |
| Employee nevertheless is identical to any normal | | | | you and your employ should it be needed at any |
| employer – employee working relationship. | | | | time. In contrast to a freelancer from Elance, |
| You instruct your employee as to their daily | | | | your Virtual Employee is not only accountable to |
| instructions, you work directly with your | | | | you but additionally a manager will also be |
| employee and your employee is responsible and | | | | physically present monitoring your employee |
| answerable to you. Your employee will become | | | | work. With being a US company and being |
| a valuable and integral part of your organization | | | | present to resolve any issues this will give you a |
| and team, someone with whom you can build a | | | | greater peace of mind when outsourcing your |
| long term relationship. With Elance freelancers | | | | work. For instance, when dealing with issues such |
| working on a project by project basis the same | | | | as data security can have your Virtrual Employee |
| level of rapport is difficult to develop. | | | | sign a non-disclosure agreement. |