For the last few years, gig economy has become a global trending phenomenon. In Singapore itself, more people are reported to choose working freelance despite having high-paid and stable job. For the talents, freelancing offers the comfort of working flexibly from anywhere and anytime, as well as the freedom to pick out any project they want.
On the other hand, for employers, hiring freelancers can be an effective alternative when you happen to be short of talent to finish particular tasks. In today’s highly-digitalised world, gig economy has become the new norm. Accordingly, freelancing transforms to be a new trend, as more and more Millennials opt to work independently rather than dedicating their whole time for a company.
If you need some advices to scale up and leverage your freelance workers for better and more productive business outcomes, below we share 7 essential tips on how to get the most of freelancers in the gig economy:
1. Define your goals and provide guidelines
Before assigning freelancers to start certain project, first you have to align your value with theirs. You need to find freelancers who share the same value and working ethics as you, so it will be easier to communicate your intention to them. Define the goals of the project, their roles in making it works, what you expect from the freelancers to achieve, as well the guidelines on how the project should be conducted.
2. Set the timeframe
Avoid future confusion about when they should complete the tasks by sketching out the schedule and time agendas. Provide them a well-arranged timeframe of when the project starts, when they should report the progress, as well as when they have to hand in the final reports.
3. Prepare necessary tools
Given that most freelancers work remotely, technology is crucial enabler to keep the communication flow run smoothly. Therefore, make sure that your company has prepared the needed tools to always keep in touch with the freelancers, including speedy internet connection, project management software, and webcam to hold video call.
4. Encourage open communication
Communication is the key to maintain good relationship between freelancers and employer. You should initiate regular chat and hold occasional meeting with them to update about the progress and ask about the obstacles they might find along the way. Be it via Skype, chat messaging, or emails, you should not lose contact with freelancers, or else your project timeline will be in a mess.
5. Respect their freedom
Well, there is ‘free’ in freelancers. You should bear in mind that people choose to work freelance for the freedom and flexibility it offers. Hence, do not ask them to comply with the whole company rules like the other full-timers. For example, freelancers value the fact that they do not have to get up early in the morning to go the office, so you should not force them to start working at 9 am sharp. As long as targets and deadlines are met, let the freelancers do it with their own methods.
6. Ask for some feedbacks
Do not just ask freelancers to finish monotonous and administrative errands. They work with creativity and will be more than happy to bring in fresh and new perspectives to your projects if they are asked to. You should ask for their opinions about the projects and what can be improved to make it better. You never know what great ideas might pop up.
7. Evaluate and review
Just like your regular employees, freelancers need constructive feedbacks to improve their skills. When freelancers submit their tasks, evaluate it right away by giving brief feedbacks. Not only help them review their own works, this method will help you check whether the projects and costs you invest on the freelancers stay on the right track.
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