6 Reasons to Hire a Freelancer
Let’s talk about a life-long dispute - should you outsource work to freelancers?
Although freelancing is becoming a more popular and recognized working model, some companies still avoid hiring freelancers. Why? It’s difficult to say whether it’s because of rumors about scammers, a few bad apples in the field, or a lack of control over remote workers. Whichever it is that might scare you, I want to guide you through the opposite - the benefits of hiring a freelancer.
The current pandemic situation calls for a strong remote team, which can be difficult to achieve in a short period of time. So, here’s where freelancers come in handy. Freelancers are a more affordable and productive workforce that can help reduce the impact of the current crisis.
The freelance workforce is growing, and so is the need to outsource work.
According to Upwork, the freelance workforce grew by 36% during the COVID-19 pandemic, and with the new lockdowns emerging around the world, the number is predicted to increase.
But if you aren’t convinced that freelancing is the future, let’s see what the benefits of hiring a freelancer to do the job are.
Benefits of hiring freelancers
Cost-effective
On average, freelancers make more money than their in-house counterparts, but that doesn’t mean that freelancers are more expensive to the company. While you may pay more to a freelancer, you save money and time on onboarding, holidays, sick leaves, social security, retirement benefits, etc.
Freelancers are already equipped with a workspace, computer, digital tools, and other devices needed to do the job. You also don’t need to pay just for the sake of keeping an employee. Most freelancers charge per project or hourly, which means you don’t need to pay for their lunchtime, coffee breaks, and other things in-house workers spend their time on during the day.
Flexibility
Freelancers provide more flexibility to the employer. Getting a job done by a freelancer is faster than searching for the right full-time candidate and onboarding them. You can hire a freelancer for one project or a series of projects, and after the job is done, you don’t need to worry. Contract termination is usually fast and painless, as well as rehiring them when new projects arrive.
Creativity and independent vision
It’s always good to have someone else look at your work. Freelancers are independent workers, making them perfect outsiders to complement your company’s vision. After a long time of working on the same projects, your in-house team might not be as observant and sharp. Freelancers usually have a diverse set of clients, which keeps them agile. Since a freelancer comes from a different background with a different set of skills, they can provide you with a more creative and relevant perspective.
Up-to-date skills
Freelancers are business owners, and like any self-respecting entrepreneur, they need loyal and satisfied clients to stay in the market. At the same time, competition among independent contractors is fierce, pushing the best freelancers to step up their game. If you hire an expert, you can expect them to provide you with the most current market knowledge and skills.
The versatile nature of freelance work motivates workers to always improve and bring a diverse set of skills to the table. Freelancers normally have more than one client, which is a great way to learn new techniques and implement them across different projects.
Easier communication
Communicating with an individual is easier and faster than, for instance, dealing with an agency. If you need some changes, edits, or you have a question, just jump on a call or shoot a Slack message. If there’s an emergency, and you’ve agreed to, freelancers can work during weekends or holidays, making them a flexible and productive alternative to in-house employees.
Lower risks
Okay, so things aren’t working out with a freelancer. Well, most of the time, you can easily terminate the contract and replace them. I don’t say that it should be your go-to solution, but we all know there are always a few bad apples in the field.
Things happen, maybe your vision is different, and you don’t match as a team. There can be plenty of other reasons to terminate a contract, but there aren’t that many legal requirements to do so. You don’t need to pay them unemployment insurance or compensation, which ultimately adds to lower risks and saved costs.
Hiring a new team member is an important job that will affect your team’s synergy. Even if you’re hiring a freelancer, it’s important to find the best one. Searching in the wrong places and overlooking their credibility can lead to a negative experience with a freelancer and missed opportunities for great experts. If you’re looking to outsource your writing work, don’t cross out freelancers just yet.
Let's chat to see how a freelance content writer can benefit your company's content creation.
