The Ultimate Freelance Team: How to Work with Freelancers

A freelance team is only as good as the freelancers it’s made up of. If you’re working with freelancers, it’s important to do it the right way – they’re not like your regular employees…

So, what is freelance work? Why is outsourcing a growing trend?

If you aren’t sure how to hire a freelancer, and your business isn’t already working with them, you could be missing out. According to the Freelancing in America 2016 survey, nearly 35% of the US workforce have turned freelance. That’s a huge chunk of the talent pool right there, and it’s only going to increase. Make sure you’re getting a bite – there is plenty of freelance outsource projects to go around.

Don’t believe us? Here are just a few benefits to working with freelancers: 

• Costs can be saved and workflows are sped up by utilising remote teams and freelance workers.
• You aren’t limited to the local talent – thanks remote working!
• Research says freelancers tend to be happier due to working to their own schedule. 
• Research also states freelancers tend to be better trained, as a career of working for yourself means you need to know what you’re talking about!
• Many freelancers have worked in various industries with a multitude of clients, meaning they may have better-rounded approaches and opinions due to their enriched experiences.

But, we’ll be the first to admit that managing a remote freelance team can often be more difficult than it first looks. It’s important to remember that creating freelance jobs, and employing a remote worker, is a whole different ball game to looking after an in house employee.

This is why we’ve written this article – to get you putting the best foot forward when dabbling with the talented freelancing lot! Without further ado, here are 4 tips to consider when working with freelancers:

1. Clearly Define the Project

Freelancers work in a particular way and so are suited to a particular type of project; they’re not supposed to take the place of full-time employees. At the end of the day, if you need someone full-time you should hire someone for that purpose. Freelancers normally work on short-term, clearly defined projects.

What do we mean by a clearly defined project? Well, if you need someone to oversee your content marketing or social media indefinitely then that is not a single project. You’ll need to hire either a full time or part-time marketing executive, manager or intern.

Typically, freelancers are hired for skills that companies don’t have in house. So, for example, you might have a designer in house but need an animation or a video for your home page. Hiring freelancers is a great way of getting high-quality content quickly and cost-effectively, with plenty of freelancing websites for this purpose!

A clearly defined project for your freelance team should be well explained, with a clear deadline and scope of how you entail the project to look. Overexplaining isn’t a sin here!

2. Make Check-ins Often

Although you should remember that you can’t treat a freelancer as you would any old contract employee – i.e. setting their hours, supplying them equipment or making them work in your office – they are still being employed by you.

With that in mind, you need to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth as well as the right result for your project. Give feedback often and in plenty, without looking over their shoulder constantly. You have to give them the space to get to work and let their skills shine. 

Just be aware that if a project isn’t going how you want it to, the freelancer won’t know unless you let them know – so don’t leave it until the last minute!

3. Know You Aren’t the Only Client

Again, they aren’t an in house employee, therefore they may not be able to answer you immediately. This is something you need to be aware of when working with anyone from a freelance team. 

Expect punctuality – i.e. your freelancer shouldn’t be late to a meeting, or not submit work for a specific deadline – but if you suddenly want an immediate, unarranged call, they may not be able to help you. This includes any last-minute requests you might have; when working with a freelance team, time is your enemy, so plan ahead. 

Freelancers can have sometimes dozens of projects on at one time. You are their employer, so they will be dedicated to your project, but they may not be able to answer a call 8 times a day…

4. Be Mindful with Tax Obligations

To recap, a freelancer, or a remote worker in a freelance team, is essentially somebody who works entirely for themselves – an independent business.

As their temporary employer, you aren’t responsible for withholding taxes from their wages nor for paying certain payroll taxes. This is entirely on the freelancer’s behalf – and they should arrange this for themselves accordingly.

It’s vital you get this information right – wrongful procedures when paying your freelancer can result in one nasty legal battle. In order to avoid this, check out this test on determining contractor status (US only), or for more information on creating contracts, check out this page from gov.uk.

5. Pay Fairly

Whatever you do – don’t negotiate down to pennies! 

We know what it’s like to want to scrimp and save wherever possible, especially as a startup where funds are low, but in the long run, you need quality. Paying more and picking a higher quality freelancer will ensure you’re dealing with a more refined skillset, better expertise and an overall more positive experience. 

And don’t forget to pay on time, too! Respect your freelancer as you would a business partner – pay them in good time so that the trust between your freelance team continues. Not to mention, this is a freelancer’s entire livelihood – how else do you think they’re paying their bills?

We’ve compiled a fantastic free ebook – The Ultimate Guide to Working with Freelancers – which talks you through how to manage freelancers in ten easy steps. Our downloadable guide will give you tips on everything from how to judge your freelancer’s abilities to how to ask for revisions

Download our free e-book guide to working with freelancers here.

Ready to hire? Our marketplace of over 410,000 freelancers have the skills and expertise needed to skyrocket your business to the next level. From marketers to designers, copywriters to SEO experts – browse the talented bunch here!