You’re busy. Your inbox is full and your calendar is packed. Something is slipping, and you know you need help.
The next question is a harder one. Do you hire someone full time, or bring in fractional support?
In this article, we will explain the difference so you can choose what fits your business.
What is fractional support?
Fractional support means you work with a senior professional for part of the week, not all of it. You pay for the time and skill you need. Nothing more.
Many small firms can’t afford to hire a senior executive assistant full-time. Fractional support changes that hurdle, as with this model, you get a seasoned professional for a share of the cost.
At PEAS, our team has over 120 years of combined experience in executive support. That depth is hard to find in a single full-time hire, and harder still to afford.
When a full-time hire makes sense
A full-time assistant can be the right call, if you have a full schedule of assistant work every week, the numbers may work.
Be honest about that, though. Many leaders find their workload is uneven. Some weeks are packed. Others are quiet. A full-time salary pays for both.
A full-time hire also takes time to find, train, and replace. If they leave, you start again.
Where fractional support does better
- Cost. You pay for the hours you use, not a full week.
- Experience. You can bring in senior talent your budget might not stretch to otherwise.
- Flexibility. Your needs will change as your business grows. Fractional support can change with them.
Give your assistant context
Whichever route you take, one habit matters more than any other. Give your assistant context.
Include them in emails, meetings, and message threads. Do it even when there is nothing for them to do. They learn how you think, who matters, and what you’d decide. Over time, they can act for you without checking in every time.
It also sends a signal. When others see that your assistant is trusted, they go to them first. That’s when you start to get real time back.
Where does AI fit?
AI is useful. It can draft a first version of an email or sort through a pile of information. It does these jobs well.
But AI doesn’t know your clients. It doesn’t know your history, your habits, or the unwritten rules of your business. A trusted person does.
The strongest setup is a skilled assistant who uses AI as a tool for specific tasks and checks the results. The tool saves time. The person brings the judgment.
How to decide
Ask yourself three questions:
- How many hours of support do I need each week?
- How much experience does the role require?
- How likely is it that my needs will change in the next year?
If you need fewer than a full week of support, want senior experience, or expect change, fractional support is likely a good fit. If you need a full week of support and expect that to stay the same, a full-time hire may suit you better.
Our experience
We’ve worked with over 125 executives and delivered more than 13,000 hours of executive support. We know what it takes to make this kind of support work, and we’ll tell you honestly if it isn’t the right fit.
