Running a business may have been your life’s dream. Being your own boss, making the decisions, and seeing your vision come to life is exciting and satisfying to say the least.
However, properly growing a company can be challenging no matter how solid your product or service is. Maybe you need help with setting up the framework of fledgling departments, creating social posts for a major campaign, or meeting an unexpected client need. You may ponder what to do next because you don’t need, or can’t afford, a part-time or full-time employee.
No need to spread your team too thin! Hiring freelancers can be the perfect solution for short-term or long-term needs.
Our guide digs into the advantages and challenges of using freelancers and gives you best practices to ensure the business-freelancer relationship is a win-win.
Working with freelancers can be a great way to access specialized skills and supplement your team with flexible talent. However, managing a team of freelancers requires a different approach than traditional employees.
As a manager of freelance contractors, you need strategies to align dispersed workers to company goals, ensure work quality, and build strong relationships Follow these tips to get the most value from your freelance talent
1. Clearly Define Project Scope and Expectations
Leave no room for interpretation when detailing project requirements, quality standards, and success metrics. Provide as much context as possible so freelancers understand business objectives and how their work fits in.
Define key deliverables, milestones, and a timeline. Specify required skills and effort level. Detail communication protocols and progress reporting processes.
Document everything clearly in a freelance contract to set mutually aligned expectations
2. Facilitate Ongoing Communication
With freelancers working remotely, intentional communication is essential. Establish preferred channels and cadence early on.
Daily or weekly check-ins via video chat build rapport and keep projects on track. Consolidate discussions in a project management platform for transparency. Be responsive to questions and provide regular feedback.
Most issues arise from communication gaps and unclear expectations. Proactive interaction prevents problems.
3. Provide the Resources Freelancers Need
Give freelancers everything required to efficiently complete work, such as:
- Background on your company, customers, and industry
- Brand guidelines and assets
- Access to internal systems and tools
- Examples of quality past work
- Contact info for key team members
This enables freelancers to quickly get up to speed. It also encourages them to deliver work consistent with your standards and business needs.
4. Build Trust Through Relationship-Building
Don’t treat freelancers solely as vendors. Invest time building personal relationships and helping freelancers feel like part of the team.
Introduce them to relevant staff members. Include them in team conversations and meetings when appropriate. Recognize their contributions publicly.
This motivates best work and loyalty. Freelancers who feel valued become invested in your success.
5. Set Fair Pay Rates and Payment Terms
Negotiate pay rates in line with industry averages for the required skill level. Offer incentives tied to on-time delivery, volume of work, or performance metrics.
Outline payment terms, invoice requirements, and payment methods. Stick to contractual terms and pay promptly.
Fair compensation and reliable payments keep freelancers satisfied and loyal to you as a client.
6. Provide Constructive Ongoing Feedback
Give regular feedback focused on work quality, not just project status. Praise what is done well. Offer constructive suggestions for improvement.
Feedback demonstrates you are invested in each freelancer’s growth and keeps work aligned with expectations. Frequent check-ins prevent major issues down the road.
7. Use Project Management Tools
A centralized digital system tracks tasks, deliverables, timelines, and communication. Popular options include Asana, Trello, Basecamp, and Monday.com.
Project management software improves collaboration and transparency. Automated features like time tracking and file sharing streamline working with remote team members.
8. Let Freelancers Work When and How They Want
Avoid micromanaging. Judge freelancers based on results, not just activity. Offer flexibility in when and how they complete tasks.
Autonomy boosts freelancer satisfaction and creativity. It empowers them to do their best work in ways that fit their working style.
9. Involve Freelancers in Team Activities
Invite freelancers to meetings, planning sessions, and team bonding events when possible. Get their input on projects and introduce them to colleagues.
Doing so makes them feel valued as team members, not just hired vendors. It encourages commitment to team goals versus just their individual duties.
10. Provide Growth Opportunities
Support freelancers in skill building by offering training and mentorship programs. Assign challenging, resume-worthy projects. Provide references and recommendations.
Investing in freelancers makes them more valuable team members. It builds loyalty and increases retention of top talent.
11. Request and Act on Feedback
Check in regularly about what is and isn’t working from the freelancer perspective. Is the workload reasonable? Are instructions clear? Is anything hindering productivity?
Adjust processes based on constructive feedback to prevent frustration. A freelancer’s outside perspective provides valuable insights for improvement.
12. Offer Ongoing Work and Future Opportunities
Retaining top freelancers is cheaper than constantly onboarding new ones. Let freelancers know you value them and want an ongoing relationship.
Offer to keep them in mind for future work in their field. Check in between projects. Discuss opportunities for expanded responsibilities or scope over time.
13. Be Flexible and Understanding
Freelancers juggle multiple projects and clients. Expect occasional obstacles like technology issues or conflicting deadlines.
When appropriate, extend grace around delays or rescheduling needs. Offer help troubleshooting problems. Don’t penalize for occasional issues beyond their control.
14. Provide Contingency Plans for Key Freelancers
Proactively develop backup options in case a freelancer becomes unexpectedly unavailable for an extended period.
Identify secondary resources who could fill in if needed. Document processes so work could be transitioned seamlessly. Having contingency plans prevents disruption.
15. Manage Legal and Regulatory Considerations
Consult an attorney when initially developing freelance contracts to ensure proper work for hire, confidentiality, and IP ownership provisions.
Understand tax, insurance, and liability factors surrounding independent contractors. Follow labor laws regarding freelancer classification and overtime eligibility.
16. Set Clear Policies Around Moonlighting
Detail if, when, and how you permit freelancers to do work for your competitors. Many clients prohibit moonlighting to avoid conflicts of interest.
Clarify rules around use of proprietary information and intellectual property developed while working with you. Defining policies up front prevents potential legal issues.
17. Conduct Thorough Onboarding
Provide comprehensive onboarding covering your company, culture, processes, tools, and training on your standards.
Assign a point person to answer questions during ramp up. Check in frequently to ensure the freelancer feels supported in getting up to speed.
Smooth onboarding enhances work quality from day one. Ongoing training develops freelancers over time.
18. Offer Avenues for Ongoing Feedback
Create open channels for freelancers to provide input anonymously regarding processes, technology, or team interactions.
Welcome constructive criticism non-defensively. Adjust policies and culture based on freelancer insights to improve collaboration and output.
19. Build in Performance Metrics and Accountability
Define objective criteria for evaluating work quality and timeliness. Conduct periodic performance reviews based on agreed metrics.
Underperformance should trigger retraining, enhanced communication, or ending the relationship if issues persist. Accountability ensures high standards.
20. Express Appreciation Publicly and Privately
Recognize freelancers during team meetings for achievements. Highlight their work through internal channels. Send thank you notes.
Celebrate milestones and praise exceptional work. Express your gratitude for their contributions and value to the team. Appreciation boosts morale.
By implementing these best practices, you can build cohesive, productive teams that seamlessly blend freelance and employee talent. Managing freelancers effectively unlocks immense potential for your business.
They’re more cost-effective than hiring a full-time employee
We all know that when companies bring on employees, salary is only one part of the overall cost. There’s the benefits package, training costs, equipment costs, paid time off, and more. These expenditures can overload a small business that’s trying to grow, especially if you need multiple teammates.
On the other hand, freelancers are already trained on what you’re hiring them to do, so there’s less ramp-up time and no training costs. In addition, they’re independent contractors, so you don’t have to pay for benefits like you would full-time staff. Even if a freelancer’s compensation rate seems steep, when factored into the big picture, most of the time a freelancer saves the company money. You may also be able to negotiate pay structure, like a monthly retainer instead of a more expensive hourly rate.
There’s a chance of being ghosted during a project
Businesses generally have less insight into a freelancer’s background and work ethic than their staff. Full or part-time employees most likely won’t disappear from the office or virtual work environment one day. Freelancers might.
If you get ghosted by a freelancer, it can leave you in the lurch and cause major workflow problems, missed deadlines, and very irritated clients or customers. The good news is that you can proactively take steps to prevent this issue, which we’ll discuss below.
How I Work With Freelancers
FAQ
How do freelancers usually get paid?
How do freelancers work?
Relations with freelancers are based on excellent contractual arrangements. The IP created by freelancers belongs to the agencies, and all creative output is automatically transferred to the agencies. Infringements are mostly detected during the analysis of competitors’ activities.
Should you be a freelancer?
Freelancing in your line of work or doing something you enjoy can be a side hustle, but also your main source of income. Working as a freelancer means you likely won’t get any added employment benefits like health insurance or paid time off, but instead, you should receive a higher rate or compensation to account for this.
How do freelancing websites work?
These freelancing websites generally allow users to advertise their skills and the price of their services. Employers who are interested in hiring these individuals will contact them. Some sites, like Freelancing.my, allow employers to list their projects and budgets. Individuals who meet the criteria can bid for the projects.
