Are freelancers worth it? Why should you hire freelancers and how to incorporate them into your Team!

"We are on the verge of the greatest migration the human race has ever seen." These are the word of Varun Mayya, CEO at Avalon. What kind of migration, you might ask. The migration of daily commuters to remote work. A study by The Economist found that there will be 1BN remote workers worldwide by 2035. It is a significant event, and it will have a major impact on every profession. This is an excellent opportunity to explore as a business owner because you will have abundant choices in hiring workers. Whether you should hire a part-time or full-time employee, remote or non-remote, or Freelancers, this guide will help you make your decisions.

Generally, having some exposure to freelancers in your hiring strategy will always help you save money and get quality results. Freelancers are independent workers/independent contractors. As a business, you don't have to provide any service or benefits to them like a traditional employee. Freelancers are not subject to employee benefits such as healthcare and retirement support. Since they have been working for quite a time and have industry experience, freelancers do not require training, thus saving you on training and stipend.

There is a reason freelancers always try to deliver their best work. An employee's performance can go up and down depending upon the task. But freelancers work on a project basis. Freelancers sign a contract with an organization that can be renewed if the client is satisfied with the deliverables. And to avoid uncertainty, they always try to keep loyal clients who keep coming back for their services. Hence they always try to do their best. An employee may be given a task outside of his/her expertise. But freelancers have an option to say no. Therefore they only do work in one domain and achieve excellence in that. The difference in the quality of work between an employee and a freelancer is vast.

Freelancers are time bound and more punctual. And since they work on a project basis, hiring a freelancer can give you ease during work overload. Finally, a freelancer is more straightforward to fire and replace than an employee. Hefty paperwork is involved when you fire and replace an employee. In comparison, a freelancer can be terminated and hired in a few clicks or a meeting.

Freelance marketplaces or gig economy sites are the most suitable for hiring freelancers. Platforms such as Gig4u have more than thousands of monthly active freelancers open to work. The second choice can be hiring through social media. Search for the right keywords, and you might find the perfect freelancer for your business.

Incorporating freelancers into your team is a relatively easier process, given that you have found the ideal freelancer. Freelancers can fill those skill gaps that your business is facing. You need to be clear on communication; otherwise, things can go in the wrong direction. Define deliverables, project timeline and revision on the contract. Ensure both parties' expectations are met. Invest in project management tools such as Trello and Workzone to increase efficiency and remove the hassle of sending files and instructions back and forth to everyone. Communicate with them regularly. It would be best if you have weekly meetings with your freelancers to discuss personal and professional life. Treat them as your teammates, just like any other employee. Build an atmosphere where every employee feels equally valued. It is beneficial to everyone involved.