The Covid-19 pandemic has seen some workers facing closed offices or reduced hours, and many have sought freelance work to supplement or replace income. Additionally, with a variety of freelance job sites offering easy access to talent around the globe, many companies are embracing hiring freelance contractors for specialized or short-term assignments, temporary busy periods, or to keep payroll costs down.
Working with freelancers can be a bit of a challenge for HR departments, as they’re not subject to the same hiring rules and processes as regular employees. Tapping into the knowledge of HR experts who have experience signing and training freelance contractors can make the process easier. Below, 10 leaders from Forbes Human Resources Council share some insights into how the HR team can help both freelancers and their employers enjoy a smooth, profitable working relationship.
Members of Forbes Human Resources Council share valuable tips for working with freelancers.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.1. Ensure they’ll have a good impact on your culture.
Ensure freelancers receive a thorough onboarding on company policies and values. Though they’re not technically employees of the company, freelancers will still have an impact on the culture you’re creating. When hiring, look not only at job skills but at values alignment as well. - Natalie Rast, stensul
2. Let them work at their own pace.
People choose to freelance because they prioritize their autonomy. The usual mistake managers make is trying to manage freelancers in the same way as employees, which leads to lower motivation and trust issues. Using “Big Brother” time or desktop tracking software is the worst. Freelancers are most productive when you let them do the work in their own way, at their own pace. - Yurij Riphyak, YouTeam
3. Make sure your managers understand the relevant regulations.
Education for managers on what a freelancer is and how they work (or don’t) is imperative. Those hired under 1099s have different work requirements and standards than W2 employees, and setting expectations at the beginning with managers will ensure success with this type of support. Not only that, but it will ensure your organization is staying compliant as it relates to any regulations for freelancers. - Jessica Adams, Brad’s Deals
4. Look for ready-made solutions for documentation.
Do your due diligence, but don’t reinvent the wheel. There are many wonderful free resources available, from contracts to fee agreements to process workflow documentation. Do your research and find out what already exists from others that you can leverage. - Dominique Farnan, DotConnect
5. Review profiles and proposals carefully.
It is very important to vet the talent on the front end. We use Upwork to find freelancers, so most of my vetting is based on their profile, past and initial message. I will generally not even consider a proposal that is generic and doesn’t reference anything about the specific project or our company because in the past, we found those freelancers very transactional and not successful. - Alex Pantich, Upshift
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6. Establish workload parameters.
The freelance workforce can provide a welcome lift to an already burned-out internal team. At the start, ensure you communicate and understand what workload they’re seeking—is it full time, part time, a few hours a week? Set expectations with these workload parameters in mind. And remember: It is still important for external partners to understand your culture and work within those boundaries. - Keri Higgins Bigelow, LivingHR, Inc.
7. Clearly explain the project requirements.
Be sure to clearly define the role or project the freelancer will be working on and ensure they will fit the definition of an independent contractor according to the IRS. Additionally, take into account such issues as whether in-depth training is needed and if they can reasonably control their own schedule. Make sure the freelancer understands the difference between an employee and a contracted team member, too. - Laura Spawn, Virtual Vocations, Inc.
8. Conduct a two-way performance review.
Ensure there is a two-way performance/experience review, both for the benefit of the business in terms of improving the freelancer experience and to ensure clients get first-class support irrespective of employee type. Freelancers can act as important ambassadors for selling new business and/or attracting more freelancer talent to your door through their networks. - Paul Phillips, Avanade
9. Make sure there are no ambiguities in the contract.
The contract is the ultimate document influencing the success of both the freelancer and the firm. The contract needs to be written with unambiguous details to ensure there is no room for misunderstanding and should contain clear, deliverable, quantifiable measures; specific milestones; and clear remuneration. It must also clearly detail how and when the contract could be terminated by either party. - Ruchi Kulhari, NIIT-Technologies
10. Pay them through a third party.
Freelancers don’t always love this, but usually the best way to minimize risk as an employer is to payroll your contingent workers through a third party, as opposed to hiring them as a true independent contractor. That way, they are technically someone’s employee, so you don’t have to worry about the risks of misclassification and running afoul of legal and compliance rules and regulations. - Tracy Cote, Zenefits
