There’s no big mystery why so many businesses consistently employ freelancers. In addition to being an effective cost-saving measure, working with freelancers can prove highly conducive to productivity and efficiency. However, the fact that your business has a clear need for freelancers doesn’t necessarily mean that freelancers will jump at the chance to work with you. If your company needs help retaining and recruiting freelance labor, take some time to consider possible reasons for this.
Insufficient Job Training
If your business has a unique approach to doing things, expecting freelancers and other new hires to acclimate instantly is unfair. Additionally, depending on the types of jobs with which your business entrusts freelancers, a fair amount of training may be necessary – especially for individuals you wish to work with regularly.
This may include hands-on training with full-time team members, e-learning, or a combination thereof. Should e-learning factor prominently into your training process, it’s best you utilize a cutting-edge, user-friendly digital learning platform. When considering platforms, take some time to consider the question of LXP vs. LMS.
If you find freelancers needing help adjusting to their job duties or your business’s general approach to work, there’s a good chance that a lack of proper training is to blame. More often than not, the fault lies with employers. So, if your business still needs solid training programs, there’s no time like the present to rectify this mistake.
Lack of Timely Compensation
If your business develops a reputation for not paying freelancers on time, the number of freelancers willing to work with you will likely plummet. As long as someone completes their work on time and according to expectations, the absolute least you can do is provide them with timely compensation.
So, at the outset of every project, set a payment date. This will ensure no ambiguity on the compensation front. Additionally, if you’re working with a freelancer paid by the hour, provide them with a date by which any invoices should be submitted.
Please submit payments by agreed-upon dates to reduce the likelihood of freelancers wanting to work with your business in the future. Furthermore, in extreme cases, late payments may result in interest fees and legal action for freelancers.
Lack of Communication
Good communication is essential to the success of any business. With it, expectations will likely be dashed, and projects may turn out differently than envisioned. If you consistently fail to address questions and concerns from freelancers promptly or refuse to communicate with them, the quality of their work may suffer.
That being the case, it’s in everyone’s best interest that you encourage freelancers to reach out whenever they have a question or encounter a problem. This helps keep everyone on the same page throughout a project, diminishing the chances of miscommunications.
Poorly-Defined Expectations
A big part of maintaining good communication is clearly defining your expectations at the outset of a project. A lack of clarity on this front can result in finished projects different from what you expected. So, when outlining a project, you must avoid being vague and leaving things open to interpretation.
Furthermore, as touched upon above, freelancers should be actively encouraged to send any inquiries your way. You may not enjoy addressing these questions, but a little time and effort on your end can go a long way toward ensuring a project is completed as planned.
Dependable freelance employees can be a boon to your business. However, this isn’t to say that the interest of freelancers should be taken for granted. Regardless of how limited someone’s options are, they’re likely to sign on with you with certain conditions.
In addition, your business gaining a reputation for being unaccommodating to freelancers is the last thing you want. So, if your efforts to recruit freelance employees have hit a snag, consider the advice outlined above.
