Freelancing is taking over the world. The freelance market is estimated to reach $1.5 billion with a CAGR of 15%. Many businesses – startups, small businesses, and enterprises are already hiring freelancers to outsource their work and scale their ventures.
Freelancers are an excellent resource for companies as they take off the additional work from the in-house team and get it completed by experienced professionals without compromising on the quality.
The developments in technology and infrastructure have helped freelancers to work from professional workspaces and complete their assignments without any distractions. Coworking spaces are the most preferred workplace solutions for freelancers because of the flexibility and amenities it offers. The latest coworking statistics suggest that freelancers contribute to 42% of the workforce in these flexible workspaces.
Freelancers are investing in improving their work environment and processes to deliver quality work. Similarly, businesses too can contribute to help them work better.
In this post, we shall share some excellent tips to help you get high-quality work done by your freelancers on time.
6 Tips to Motivate and Empower Your Freelancers
1. Fine-Tune Your Onboarding Process
Design a streamlined freelancer onboarding process that introduces them to your company and educates them about your business objectives and goals. Create an onboarding guide that provides them with the right understanding of your customers and the products or services you offer.
Here is a quick freelancer onboarding checklist that you can follow.
- Collect the required contact details – work email, phone number, postal address, and any other additional information
- Draft a freelance work agreement or contract
- Schedule a meeting for a project briefing
- Share the company style guides
- Set up a channel for the team communication
- Provide access to the necessary software tools
2. Treat Freelancers Like a Part of Your Team
Build true partnerships with your freelancers and introduce them to the rest of your team. Get them involved in team meetings and work discussions to ensure they are aware of your mission, expectations, and business goals. This will help them understand your work processes better and deliver excellent quality work on time.
It will also help you manage your freelancers better and motivate them to perform to the best of their abilities.
3. Invest in the Right Tools
Eliminate the need for long email threads and lengthy meetings by employing the right tools to collaborate with the freelancers. This will ensure that your in-house team and freelancers are on the same page regardless of where they are working from.
Some of the tools you should consider investing in are –
- Collaboration tools
- Project management tools
- Meeting software
- Document storage software
- Contract management tools
4. Give Honest and Constructive Feedback
Provide detailed feedback to the freelancers that offers actionable advice and insights about their work. This will offer them a solid understanding of your expectations and help them craft their deliverables in line with your company voice and vision.
5. Pay Them on Time
Be prompt with the payments. Discuss with the freelancers about the compensation structure, mode of payment, and the time when the payment for completed work would be reimbursed. If the scope of the project changes, ensure that you pay the freelancers for the additional time they invest in finishing the work.
6. Acknowledge Their Work
Reward your freelancers with appreciation and incentives for a job well done. A simple thank you, a shoutout in your company’s Slack channel or a small gift basket during the holiday season can make them feel special and valued.
Wrapping Up
Working with freelancers can at times be challenging. However, if you follow the tips we mentioned in this post, you can build long-term partnerships with your freelancers and empower them to do their best at work.