Discover How SMARTER Core Values Create Lasting Partnerships That Solve Retention Challenges 

Every strategic plan gets derailed by unexpected departures. You can’t build for the future when you’re constantly rebuilding your present team. The energy that should go toward innovation and growth gets consumed by recruitment, onboarding, and damage control. Recent Gallup research shows that 51% of U.S. employees are actively searching for new opportunities, and with replacement costs reaching up to 200% of an employee’s salary, traditional hiring feels like an expensive gamble you can’t afford to keep losing. That’s exactly why forward-thinking business owners are turning to virtual employees as a strategic solution to break this costly cycle. 

Mark and I understand this frustration completely. As serial entrepreneurs who’ve run seven successful businesses, we’ve experienced the exhausting cycle of hiring, training, hoping, and then starting over when things don’t work out. That’s exactly why we developed HireSmart Virtual Employees with our SMARTER core values at the foundation of everything we do. 

The Hidden Cost of Values Misalignment 

Here’s what most business owners don’t realize: the difference between a virtual employee who transforms your operations and one who becomes another expensive mistake comes down to shared core values. When values don’t align, you get surface-level compliance at best. When they do align, you get genuine partnership. 

According to Mercer’s 2025 Workforce Turnover Survey, the average turnover rate sits at 13.5%, but what they don’t tell you is that most of this turnover stems from fundamental mismatches in expectations and values. Virtual employees without strong core values become just another task-completer who requires constant oversight and delivers minimal impact. 

Your business deserves better than that, and good staffing agencies understand this fundamental difference. 

Why SMARTER Values Create Different Results 

When we developed our SMARTER framework — Service, Mindfulness, Availability, Respect, Teamwork, Ethics and integrity, and Relationships — we weren’t creating corporate jargon. We were establishing the foundation for genuine business partnerships that withstand challenges and create mutual growth. 

Consider availability as an example. At HireSmart, our virtual employees must respond to client inquiries within two minutes. This isn’t just a rule; it’s a values-driven commitment that recognizes your time as precious and your success as our priority. 

This level of availability stems from mindfulness about what truly matters in business relationships. Your virtual employee understands that delays in communication create delays in progress, which ultimately impacts your bottom line and peace of mind. 

The Staff Development Advantage of Values-Driven Partnerships

Traditional hiring often focuses solely on skills and experience, missing the crucial element of growth mindset. Virtual employees guided by SMARTER values actively pursue staff development opportunities because they understand how their growth directly benefits your business. 

This commitment to continuous improvement sets values-driven virtual employees apart from typical staffing solutions. Rather than requiring you to manage their development, they take ownership of becoming increasingly valuable to your operations. 

The compound effect of this staff development approach becomes evident over time. Your virtual employee develops institutional knowledge, specialized skills, and deep understanding of your business processes that would be difficult and expensive to replace. Good staffing agencies recognize that ongoing staff development creates stronger partnerships and better long-term outcomes for their clients. 

How Values Transform Daily Operations 

When your virtual employee operates from a foundation of ethics and integrity, you experience something most business owners think is impossible: complete trust in remote work relationships. You sleep soundly knowing that confidential information, client communications, and critical business processes are handled with the highest professional standards. 

Service-minded virtual employees don’t just complete assigned tasks. They actively look for ways to improve processes, solve problems before they escalate, and contribute meaningfully to your business growth. This proactive approach stems from genuine care about your success, not just task completion. 

“RJ is such an asset to the accounting team, he is detail oriented will ask questions and always willing to help with a project that may take additional time outside his typical job duties,” said one client about their HireSmart virtual employee. “He is always positive and upbeat with his demeanor.” 

The Relationship-Centered Approach to Business Growth 

Our seventh core value, Relationships, recognizes that lasting business success depends on genuine human connections, even in virtual environments. When your virtual employee prioritizes relationship-building, they become an extension of your company culture rather than an outsourced task-handler. 

This relationship focus creates employee retention advantages that traditional hiring struggles to achieve. Virtual employees who feel genuinely connected to your mission and values demonstrate loyalty and commitment that reduces turnover concerns. 

Good staffing agencies understand that successful placements require more than just matching skills to tasks. They prioritize cultural fit and values alignment to create lasting partnerships that benefit everyone involved. 

Building Your Values-Driven Virtual Employee Partnership 

The transformation begins with recognizing that skills can be taught, but values alignment creates the foundation for everything else. When you partner with virtual employees who share your commitment to excellence, integrity, and service, you’re not just filling a position – you’re adding a dedicated team member who genuinely cares about your success. 

At HireSmart, we’ve spent over a decade perfecting the process of identifying and developing virtual employees who embody these values. Our 98% successful placement rate reflects the power of values-based matching combined with comprehensive staff development programs. 

Good staffing agencies invest heavily in their selection and training processes because they understand that quality placements require quality preparation. The best agencies don’t just find candidates; they develop partnerships that create mutual success for clients and virtual employees alike. 

Creating Sustainable Business Growth Through Shared Values  

Picture working with someone who responds to every request within two minutes, proactively identifies opportunities for improvement, handles confidential information with complete integrity, and genuinely celebrates your business victories. This isn’t wishful thinking – it’s the natural result of values-driven partnerships that good staffing agencies work tirelessly to create. 

Click here to schedule a free consultation and discover how a values-driven virtual employee can transform your operations while you focus on strategic growth and the work that truly energizes you. 

About the Author 

Anne Lackey is the Co-Founder and CEO of HireSmart Virtual Employees, where she helps businesses scale with full-time, highly trained remote staff. With decades of experience in business operations and systems, Anne is a recognized expert in virtual staffing, process efficiency, and team building.