Freelancers come from all corners and have very different backgrounds and educations. In recent years, especially after the pandemic, hiring freelancers has become an incredibly popular trend for businesses, especially when it comes to working on creative projects.
Freelancers are experts in their field and they have the flexibility to complete projects on time, and another great benefit is that the budget and timing can be agreed upon on a per-project basis. It’s an extremely cost-effective option for businesses to find experts equipped with a wide range of experience.
In the article below, we share some essentials when it comes to hiring skilled freelancers and running a successful freelance business in 2022.
Invest in the Right Technology
First off, when you have a big team of freelancers, one of the biggest challenges you might face is finding the best way to ensure that all the projects are completed in time, especially if your team of freelancers is located in different locations and time zones. Fortunately, with all the technological advancements, today we have a plethora of tools available that can help freelance businesses with that.
If you want to ensure that all of your employees are completing their tasks while centralizing all your information and simplifying your workflow, you should consider using a user-friendly freelance management system. This tool will help you streamline your workflow by enabling you to source, onboard, manage, and pay your freelance workforce.
Smooth Onboarding Process
As the talent market remains scorching hot, you must be decisive when it comes to hiring and retaining your top freelancers and independent contractors. For this reason, you should put some thought into your freelancer onboarding process, which is a set of steps you take to provide your new freelancers with all the necessary information about your business.
Since freelancers are uninformed about your daily office rituals or meeting schedules, you need to build a solid freelancer onboarding process to make this experience smooth and hassle-free.
The first step is to prepare their freelancer work contracts and even though the paperwork isn’t fun, you should create a standard set of legal assets for co-signing that can make everything much easier.
Another way to make your new hires feel welcome is to create a freelancer digital welcome package that includes an email that includes background on your company’s mission, vision, and project goals. You should also send them technical guides, and other relevant documentation organized in one place. To make them understand your ways of work better, include quick video tutorials and checklists and make sure they have access to key contacts and log-in details to necessary tools.
Keep Open Lines of Communication
As in every business, communication is crucial to successfully managing your freelancers. The more detailed it is, the better. As a manager, you should always encourage transparency and continuously provide them with all the detailed information they need for their assignments and projects.
Your internal team should be clear on goals, deliverables, and timelines before starting to communicate with the contractors. You must have a clear process on how you are to work with freelancers and what your expectations are. If any of their work is connected to the work of other team members, make sure to introduce them to each other and give them access so they can be involved in the entire process as the rest of your team. Effective collaboration between everyone creates job satisfaction and increased productivity.
Giving constructive feedback is essential when looking to guide the freelancer in the right direction and ultimately it will improve the overall work. You should also ask them for occasional feedback as it will help develop trust on both ends, maintain high engagement, and improve operational efficiency.
Remember that freelancers are used to their freedom so there is no need for you to try to have total control. Be prepared to give them their tasks and hear from them in a couple of days. When it comes to progress reporting rules, discuss what works for you and the project and find a balance that works for everyone. This will eliminate delays and help diagnose potential problems in time.
Final Thoughts
Freelancing is becoming a common practice and its popularity is growing but there are some things you must keep in mind when managing freelancers and building a successful freelance business in 2022.
Focus on the onboarding process so that they feel more enthused and effective. When they have the proper knowledge of the company and its values, they will become easily adjusted and this will greatly benefit your company. Always make sure to provide them with the right tools, keep open lines of communication and track their progress by implementing the right technology.
Dignitas Digital is a digital marketing agency that helps brands scale their online business using paid and organic marketing strategies. Want your business to grow with us? Reach out to us or shoot us an email at contactus@dignitasdigital.com.
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