5 reasons why hiring a freelancer is the solution to your staffing challenges during COVID-19

This post is all about sharing five reasons why hiring a freelancer could be beneficial or your business due to the challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Many businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic are facing uncertainty and unforeseen challenges in the weeks and months ahead. Yet some businesses are facing challenges now. Staffing issues due to employee sickness, self-isolation or furloughing can create gaps in expertise and capability at an operational level. And yet, the idea of hiring permanent staff to fill these gaps is unfeasible given the amount of unknowns, the expense and time needed to find the ideal fit. Hiring permanent employees now also poses challenges later on as in time the gaps are likely to rectify themselves once health is restored and lockdown eases.

So, how do you fill the gaps in expertise and capability now, without causing issues later down the line when your team are able to come back to work and without the expense of a hiring and on-boarding process?

The answer is simple, you embrace the gig economy and hire freelancers.

Here are five top tips on why hiring can be beneficial for your business:

1. Freelancers are experts in their field

To be a successful freelancer you need to experienced and a specialist in your field. As a communications consultant and writer I am experienced across companies of different sizes and types of industry. I also specialise in writing content and copy which means I have a portfolio showcasing my adaptability and capability with the written word. This is a classic example and works if you’re looking for a graphic designer, project manager or other consultant. Freelancers have as much, if not more, experience of their field than many permanent employees because they are regularly having to develop skills, adapt to new businesses and engage with their capabilities in new ways on a regular basis.

2. Cost effective

When your businesses hires a permanent employee you’re making a sizeable commitment which includes: benefits packages, pensions, sick and holiday pay, not to mention the agreed salary. With a freelancer you are paying for their expertise on that particular project. That’s it.

3. Project work is standard

Projects are by their nature temporary. Not all projects need a fulltime presence, but expertise and capability to deliver when it counts. This is where freelancers are able to shine. I’ve worked on projects on a full-time and a part-time basis for some big corporate clients and smaller SME’s, they’re all projects and they all require the same level of commitment and understanding of what needs to be delivered when and what availability the project needs. And, another thing often projects require a degree of flexibility and know how when it comes to solving problems and providing expertise and alternative ideas. Freelancers can often provide this because they have worked in a variety of businesses and on many different projects – seeing and experiencing how alternative ideas work in practice.

4. No expectation for employment after the end of the gig

Freelancers have a tolerance for the unexpected and the short-term. Otherwise they wouldn’t be freelancers. This means there’s no awkwardness when the project ends, no expectation of employment and no expectation of what next… of course if you’ve loved working with them if other projects come up in the future you already have a number of someone you can call.

5. All good freelancers are self-motivated and are used to working remotely

The serious pro of freelancers at the moment is that unlike many businesses and employees freelancers are used to working remotely and are self-motivated. It takes time, commitment and capability to become a respected and well-known freelancer, so self-motivation is a given. Which means you can be confident you will get the work you’ve asked for, when you asked for it.

As you can tell I am pro hiring freelancers, as I am one I admit to bias. But, that said all the pro points I’ve mentioned I believe to be true. Finding a freelancer who can work with your business can be hugely beneficial. And, right now with the uncertainty and the challenges faced by businesses of all shapes and sizes I do think hiring a freelancer is an effective and efficient way of ensuring your business can continue to operate today with the expertise it needs to get ready for the future.

Things to consider...

There is of course a health warning, no situation is without risk. It’s really important that when hiring a freelancer you are clear about your expectations and the activities you need them to be capable of completing and communicate this clearly. Trust is a big factor, so it's essential that you do your research when hiring a freelancer. Look for websites, online portfolios and Linked In profiles to get a feel for the person and the skills they offer. And, of course, wherever possible seek out feedback from those who have previously worked with them to give you added confidence.

If you’ve not hired a freelancer before and are unsure of where to begin keep your eyes peeled on my blog for my next post all about ‘How to hire freelancers successfully’.

Until then if you’ve got any questions about how Alcea Consulting can help you and your business drop Ellen an email at: alceaconsulting@outlook.com today to arrange to have a chat about your needs.