How to make optimal use of freelancers for your company
Using freelancers for special projects has already become a well-established process in many companies. The hiring of highly qualified freelancers is a profitable alternative, especially for self-contained digital projects. In many companies, the special skills required are not sufficiently available and would take too much time to develop internally. When hiring specialists who are looking for digital challenges, including temporary employees on a project creates a win-win situation for both sides. We’ve compiled a list here for which tasks and under which conditions temporary cooperation with experts can prove to be worthwhile.
Freelance work: An opportunity for flexible project planning
According to a recent PwC study, 80% of companies report a shortage of skilled workers when it comes to digitization. Even in turbulent times or in phases of restructuring or reorganization, employing freelancers offers the necessary flexibility to react to the current demand for personnel. Especially for special assignments that have to be completed in a limited time frame, at first glance it can be more cost efficient to fall back on freelancers, even for very high fees.
For which projects are freelancers the right choice?
According to the classic cost-benefit model and especially when it comes to assignments of less than nine months, using freelancers can really pay off. Freelance experts are usually already familiar with project work in their field, and are extremely experienced. Taking advantage of their expertise saves valuable time during training and creates the greatest possible transfer of know-how into your company.
A brief check: Is it better to run projects internally, or utilize outsourcing?
Taking an objective look at the process on the financial side of things is a good first step, but fails to provide the whole picture. When deciding on a freelancer, you should broaden your perspectives a bit. Freelancers are particularly well-suited if you want to fill qualification gaps in your company and are experts in their respective fields. This special expertise can be used for precisely defined tasks. Often, even those that charge a relatively high fee for your project can pay off at first glance.
Clear task definition for precise selection
You should define the tasks precisely before you search for a suitable candidate. What are your objectives for the project? Which skills are already available in the project team and which skills would you like your freelancer to have? What hard and soft factors are important for a successful project?
Setting short-term goals for measurable success
At this point, you should precisely define the scope of duties and expectations for a potential temporary employee and make them measurable in KPIs. What skills do you expect? What know-how do you expect the candidate to have and how should this be incorporated in the company? Are there special requirements in your internal processes? When taking this approach, it will already be clear what requirements you have before the start of the project. This also gives the potential contractor the opportunity submit a tailored application and saves you a lot of time in the selection process.
Planning: Time and internal capacities for onboarding
If you choose a freelancer, you should prepare everything in advance in order to launch your project successfully. Do the internal key persons have the time capacities for an introductory meeting? What content is to be conveyed here? Are all necessary resources and work equipment available to the freelancer? Ideally, you should provide your new team member with a partner to accompany him or her during the first days of the assignment. You can also rely on the technical support of your personnel service provider, who will be happy to monitor the onboarding for you.
Read here for more about how you can optimally present your company to freelancers.