While the utilization of freelancers is trending in the corporate world, there are often misconstrued ideas surrounding this line of work and whether or not companies should hire freelancers. Businesses, particularity small companies, can be reluctant when deciding whether to use a freelancer for a project because they think that freelance work is too expensive, can be risky, or the work may result in poor quality. According to CNBC, “Out of more than 2,200 small-business owners recently surveyed by Manta, only 36 percent currently use contract workers. Eighty-five percent, meanwhile, said that they have no intentions of hiring any contract workers this year. The reasons for this hiring reluctance range from general employer-staff relationship fears to legal and compliance worries.”
In this article, we’re going to unpack the benefits of employing a freelancer.
First of all, what is the definition of a freelancer? A freelancer is someone who works for many different companies instead of being employed by just one. However, the term “freelancer” doesn’t necessarily encapsulate all the forms of this trade can take. There is a variety of freelance work available to companies as well, such as contracted work (where a company promises regular projects to their freelancers), pitches (where freelancers pitch ideas to companies when there is availability), and off projects (one-time projects with a freelancer).
In today’s market as of late, the freelance industry is booming. According to Inc.com, fifty-five million Americans are doing freelance work. The more in demand freelance work becomes, the more experience an individual freelancer can receive, and thus, the more predictable and reliable that freelancer’s work will become. This article states, “According to the Intuit 2020 Report (PDF) in just a few years traditional employment will no longer be the status quo. More than 80 percent of large companies say they will be significantly increasing their use of flexible workers.” All in all, hiring freelancers is becoming a new norm for any kind of business.
So, what exactly are the benefits of utilizing freelancers for your company? Well, first of all, the quality of work will be high, particularly if freelancing is their main source of income. This is their work and livelihood, just like the work someone is doing at their 9-5 office job. Additionally, freelancers tend to be more creative, thorough, and responsive because they are working on their own rather than through the conventions of a particular company. Quality of work shouldn’t be in question when it comes to freelancers because many of them have experience working with a variety of companies across many industries, resulting in dynamic portfolios and refreshing perspectives.
Hiring freelancers save money. According to the software company, Recruiterbox, “Even at a higher hourly rate, expect to save 20 to 30 percent annually with a freelancer when you factor in not having to pay for benefits, like health insurance and retirement, as well as Medicare and Social Security. If your worker is remote, you also reduce the need for office space and lower your office supply costs.” A popular misconception is that freelancers charge too much. Rather, the ability to hire a freelancer when you need them and pay accordingly is what makes these creative individuals a great resource for a company’s budget.
In order to determine whether you’d like to hire a freelancer or not, it’s important to ask the question “why would someone become a freelancer?” Well, the freedom and flexibility that comes with this line of work are attractive to designers and other creatives. Think of the company Uber. Drivers for this ride-sharing service can work whenever they’d like. Similarly, freelancers make their own schedules, meaning they will also have the time set aside to complete your projects in an appropriate manner. Going through a business’ internal process to complete a project can entail numerous meetings, email threads, and revisions. Hiring a freelancer is a convenient way to alleviate this process.
It can be challenging for freelancers to find work, especially if these negative stereotypes remain in place. In the CNBC article above, CEO Jonathan Weber, of the small company Marathon Studios, had this to say is about why he hires freelancers: “As time goes on, you start to build relationships with a network of individuals who have worked with you before, and will be able to directly approach them with work without having to face the uncertainty and risk of hiring someone new.”
Similarly, ConceptDrop’s artificial intelligence technology uses specific metrics such as time zones, language preferences, skill sets, and industries to satisfactorily pair customers with their perfect freelancer. This allows users to skip the inconvenience of scouting a freelancer on their own. While skill sets between freelancers may vary, hiring a freelancer from ConceptDrop is credible because we personally vet our freelancers, measure their performance with customer surveys, and implement strict confidentiality agreements.
Overall, when it comes to utilizing freelancers at your company, you can expect to save money, time, and receive quality end-products.
