Employee Handbook

2 Our Values & Culture

We're a small, close-knit team. That means your work matters, your voice is heard, and your effort is noticed. Here's what we value:

Ownership

Don't wait to be told. If you see something that needs fixing, fix it. If you're unsure, ask — but don't stay silent. We hire people who take responsibility for their work.

Honesty

If you made a mistake, say so. If you don't know how to do something, say so. If you're running behind, say so. Honesty is always better than silence. We won't punish you for being transparent — we'll help you fix it.

Reliability

Show up when you say you will. Deliver when you say you will. If your client can trust you, everything else follows.

Growth Mindset

We don't expect you to know everything on day one. We do expect you to be curious, ask questions, and improve over time. The best VAs are the ones who never stop learning.

Respect

Treat everyone — clients, teammates, managers — with respect. We're a professional team, and we act like it.

3 Your Role & What We Expect

Your specific responsibilities depend on your client and role. But every Armasourcing team member is expected to:

4 Working Hours & Schedule

Your working hours depend on your client's timezone and agreement. Most of our setups are:

Your exact schedule will be confirmed when you start. Once set, stick to it consistently.

Key Rules

• Be on time. Start your Hubstaff timer at the agreed start time, not 15 minutes after.
• Take breaks. You're entitled to a lunch break (typically 1 hour for full-time). Stop your Hubstaff timer during breaks.
• Overtime must be pre-approved. Don't work extra hours without asking first.
• Schedule changes must be communicated at least 24 hours in advance (except emergencies).

5 Time Tracking with Hubstaff

We use Hubstaff to track working hours and activity. This is not optional — it's how we ensure transparency with clients and how you get paid accurately.

How It Works

1. Start the timer when you begin working
2. Hubstaff tracks keyboard and mouse activity in the background
3. Stop the timer when you take a break, eat, use the restroom, or step away for any reason
4. Resume the timer when you're back

Activity Percentage

Hubstaff calculates an activity percentage based on your keyboard and mouse usage. Here's what the numbers mean:

Do's and Don'ts

What Happens If Activity Is Low?

1. First time: Your manager will check in with you privately to understand why. No penalty — just a conversation.
2. Pattern of low activity (3+ days): A coaching session to identify the root cause and create an improvement plan.
3. Continued issues: Escalation to Eli for further action.

We're not here to micromanage you. We're here to help you succeed. If something is affecting your work, talk to us.

6 Communication & Tools

Good communication is the single most important skill for a remote worker. Here are the tools we use and how to use them:

Our Tools

Communication Guidelines

Response time expectations:

• During work hours: Respond within 15 minutes to messages from your client or manager
• Emails: Reply within the same business day
• If you'll be slow to respond (on a call, deep in a task), set a status message

Writing professionally:

• Use proper grammar and spelling. Proofread before sending.
• Be clear and concise. Get to the point.
• Use a professional greeting and sign-off in emails.
• Avoid slang, excessive emojis, or ALL CAPS in client communication.
• When reporting a problem, also suggest a solution.

When You're Going to Be Late or Absent

1. Message your client and your Armasourcing manager as early as possible
2. If it's an emergency and you can't give advance notice, message as soon as you can
3. Never just disappear. A "no-show" with no communication is a serious issue.

7 Working with Clients

Your client is paying for your time and expertise. How you interact with them directly impacts whether they stay with Armasourcing or leave. Here's how to be a great VA:

Golden Rules of Client Work

1. Treat their business like your own. Care about their success. If something looks wrong, flag it.
2. Underpromise and overdeliver. It's better to say "I'll have this by Thursday" and deliver Wednesday than promise Tuesday and miss it.
3. Ask clarifying questions upfront. Don't spend 3 hours on something only to find out you misunderstood the task.
4. Give updates without being asked. Don't wait for your client to check in. Proactively share progress.
5. Admit mistakes quickly. Clients respect honesty far more than cover-ups.

What NOT to Do with Clients

• Never discuss your Armasourcing rate or how much Armasourcing charges them
• Never share one client's information with another client
• Never agree to work directly with a client outside of Armasourcing
• Never complain about Armasourcing or other team members to a client
• Never promise something you're not sure you can deliver

8 Daily & Weekly Reporting

Reporting keeps your client informed and builds trust. It also protects you — if there's ever a question about what you did, your reports are your proof.

Daily Updates

Send your client a brief end-of-day summary. Keep it simple:

Weekly Summary

At the end of each week (typically Friday), send a summary of what you accomplished, total hours worked, and priorities for next week. Your manager may have a specific format — follow it.

9 Performance & Evaluations

We track performance to help you grow — not to punish you. Here's how it works:

What We Measure

Evaluation Schedule

• Weekly: Your manager reviews Hubstaff data and may share quick feedback
• Monthly: Formal evaluation with scores and written feedback
• 30/60/90 Day: Onboarding milestone check-ins (for new hires)

Client Feedback

Your clients also rate you on communication, work quality, and timeliness through our VA Performance Dashboard. This feedback is shared with you transparently. If a client raises an issue, we'll work with you to address it — you'll always have a chance to improve before any action is taken.

10 Compensation & Payment

How You Get Paid

• Pay period: Monthly (1st to last day of the month)
• Payment date: Within the first 5 business days of the following month
• Payment method: Bank transfer, PayPal, or Wise — based on your preference
• Currency: USD or PHP, as agreed in your contract

What Your Pay Is Based On

Your compensation is based on your Hubstaff tracked hours multiplied by your agreed hourly rate. This is why accurate time tracking is so important — if you don't track it, we can't pay for it.

Rate Reviews

Rate increases are not automatic. They're based on:

• Consistent excellent performance
• Positive client feedback
• Expanded responsibilities
• Length of service

You can request a rate review after 6 months. Your manager will discuss it with you during your next evaluation.

11 Leave & Time Off

Types of Leave

How to Request Time Off

1. Message your Armasourcing manager with the dates and reason
2. Wait for approval before confirming with your client
3. Once approved, inform your client directly
4. If possible, complete urgent tasks or hand off work before your leave

12 Confidentiality & Data Security

You will have access to sensitive information — client data, business strategies, login credentials, financial information. Protecting this is not just a rule, it's a legal obligation covered by the NDA you signed.

Rules

• Never share client data, logins, or business information with anyone outside Armasourcing
• Never post client work, screenshots, or details on social media
• Never download client data to personal devices or cloud accounts unless required for work
• Use strong, unique passwords for all work accounts
• Enable 2FA (two-factor authentication) wherever possible
• Lock your computer when you step away
• Don't use public WiFi for work without a VPN

After You Leave

When your engagement ends (for any reason), you must:

• Delete all client data from your devices
• Return or revoke access to all shared accounts
• Stop using any tools or subscriptions provided for work

13 Code of Conduct

We keep it simple. Treat people the way you'd want to be treated.

Expected Behavior

• Be respectful and professional in all interactions
• Support your teammates and celebrate their wins
• Give and receive feedback constructively
• Respect different cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives
• Maintain a positive attitude, even when things get tough

Not Tolerated

• Harassment, bullying, or discrimination of any kind
• Dishonesty — lying about work done, faking activity, falsifying reports
• Sharing confidential information
• Working under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Using company time for personal projects or freelancing
• Soliciting clients to work with you directly (bypassing Armasourcing)

Disciplinary Process

For most issues, we follow a progressive approach:

1. Verbal coaching — a private conversation to address the issue
2. Written warning — formal documentation with an improvement plan
3. Final warning — last chance with clear consequences
4. Termination — if improvement isn't made

Serious offenses (fraud, harassment, NDA breach, faking Hubstaff activity) skip straight to termination.

14 Growth & Training

We invest in your growth because better VAs mean happier clients, and happier clients mean a stronger business for everyone.

What's Available to You

• Onboarding Hub (onboard.armasourcing.com) — your onboarding portal with training modules, documents, and quizzes
• Training Library — curated courses, guides, and videos (including Udemy, YouTube, and internal resources)
• Community Learning — digital marketing articles, reflection prompts, wellness resources, and daily challenges in Community
• Peer Learning — learn from teammates who have different skills and experiences

Your Responsibility

Growth is a two-way street. We provide the resources, but you need to:

• Complete assigned training modules on time
• Apply what you learn to your daily work
• Ask for new challenges when you're ready
• Share knowledge with teammates in Community

15 Raising Issues & Getting Help

If something's not right — whether it's a technical problem, a client issue, a teammate concern, or a personal challenge affecting your work — don't keep it to yourself.

Who to Contact

No Retaliation

You will never be punished for raising a genuine concern. We want to know when things aren't working so we can fix them. If you ever feel your concern isn't being addressed, escalate directly to Eli.

16 Separation & Offboarding

If You Want to Leave

We hope you'll stay, but we understand if you need to move on. Here's how:

1. Give at least 2 weeks written notice to your Armasourcing manager
2. We'll coordinate a transition plan with your client
3. Complete any handover documentation
4. Return/revoke access to all tools and accounts
5. Final payment will be processed within 5 business days of your last day

If We End the Engagement

Armasourcing may end your engagement for:

• Client loss or budget reduction (not your fault — we'll try to reassign you)
• Performance issues after the disciplinary process has been followed
• Serious misconduct (immediate termination)

After Separation

• Your NDA and non-solicitation terms remain in effect
• Delete all client and Armasourcing data from your devices
• We're happy to provide references for team members who leave on good terms