Fractional is the new F word

Fractional is the hottest word in my industry right now.

But what exactly is fractional support?

It's executive administrative support for exactly the time you need it, at a cost you can manage and control. It's support designed around the way you and your team work. It's delivered by an experienced administrative professional running their own business. And it's support that shows up ready to go, with none of the complexities or overheads of an employee.

Fractional support is a real game changer, both for those in my industry and for those engaging us.

Why are Australian businesses turning to fractional?

There was a shift post-Covid, when the world was introduced to remote working. Companies and executives no longer needed someone sitting next to them 9-to-5, Monday to Friday. They may have preferred it that way, but Covid allowed EAs to step away from the desk and deliver impact and outcomes virtually.

This was a game changer for us, a profession made up predominantly of women. Working from home revolutionised the way we work and plug into our families. It opened up opportunities for those who couldn't work full-time because of family commitments. When organisations demanded EAs back in the office, a few of us forged our own path, creating businesses that let us work on our own terms. It also showed organisations that their workforce could look and operate differently. You could actually design the way you work.

A smart strategy for your bottom line

Fractional support makes sense at both ends of the scale.

For mid-size organisations, NFPs and small businesses, your administrative budget might not stretch very far. With fractional support, it stretches as far as your dollar can, and that support is focused on the tasks with the greatest impact.

Maybe you're a not-for-profit that needs to move the dial and make a real impact, but you've only got one, two or three major events a year. You can't justify a full-time hire, and you shouldn't have to.

At the higher end of town, executives can use fractional support to redefine what their administrative function looks like. Perhaps they travel a lot, want to downsize the office, or something in their life has prompted them to change the way they work without downsizing their CV. An experienced fractional EA can help them do just that.

The regional advantage

One of the biggest winners of fractional support has been regional organisations. Based outside the major cities, they're working with a smaller talent pool. Fractional support flips that. You get corporate experience that helps you drive goals forward and expand, because regional executives need experienced senior EAs just as much as their big-city counterparts.

Why did I become a fractional EA?

Honestly? For many of the same reasons my clients choose fractional support. I wanted to design the way I work.

Work-life balance gets talked about a lot, but for me it's not a buzzword. It's the difference between being present for my family and constantly feeling like I'm letting someone down. Fractional work lets me build my week around what matters, not squeeze what matters into the gaps.

Then there's the reality of being a working mum. Anyone who has tried to stretch four weeks of annual leave across twelve weeks of school holidays, plus sick days, school assemblies and the odd surprise pupil-free day, knows the maths just doesn't work. I was tired of rationing leave and apologising for having a life outside the office.

I also wanted to use my senior corporate experience differently. I'd spent years as the right hand to one executive, and I loved it. But I knew I had more to give. As a fractional EA, I get to bring that experience to several leaders and organisations, each with different goals, challenges and ways of working. It keeps me sharp, and it means more businesses benefit from the skills I've built over my career.

And if I'm really honest, I wanted to stretch my wings. I wanted to be in control of my own career, choose who I work with, and set my own value rather than waiting for an annual review to decide it for me.

The real F word

What excites me most is that fractional isn't a win for just one side. Australian businesses get experienced support they might not otherwise access or afford. Executives get a partner who understands how they work, without the overheads of a full-time hire. And administrative professionals, many of them women who've been squeezed to choose between career and family, get a way to do both.

So yes, fractional might be the new F word. But for me, it stands for flexibility, freedom and a future of work that finally works for everyone.

If you've been wondering whether fractional support could work for you or your organisation, I'd love to chat.