Do you want to know the top secret to getting professional work for an affordable price?
More and more people are taking their skills to the freelance marketplace, where talented individuals offer their services.
Freelancers and independent contractors offer you many benefits as an agency owner, enterprise company, or small business. Below, we'll get into the top 10 benefits you'll get from working with people who aren't on staff, but buyer beware because not all marketplaces are created equally.
Keep reading to learn more and start growing your ability to get things done!
1. The freelance marketplace has many different fields and skills to choose from
The freelance marketplace can help different agency models and diversified businesses in a variety of ways. With the advent of the internet, in the wake of the 2020 pandemic, more people have chosen to forego full-time employment.
In fact, 59 million people do freelance work in the United States, comprising a significant portion of the workforce, according to Statista research.
They don't all do the same types of work, either. Some perform freelance content writing, while others do web design or develop layer-2 applications for the blockchain. From recruiting and providing virtual assistant services to sourcing leads and advising on company boards, freelancers offer many unique services and benefits.
2. You’ll only pay for what you need
If your business needs more help but is struggling to justify bringing someone new on board, you should consider hiring a freelancer.
You can hire freelancers to do only the projects you assign to them, which might constitute a one-time project or ongoing work, maybe indefinitely! So, you don't have to make sure they have a full-time workload unless you want them to.
3. You'll save money hiring freelancers (from the right marketplace)
Businesses that use freelancers often save a lot of money every year because they forgo paying for benefits like health insurance and stock options.
If a freelancer hasn't listed their rates, you should contact them. You might have the opportunity to negotiate a rate that works well for both of you.
Hiring a random freelancer from a more popular but less vetted and oversaturated marketplace could leave you paying doubly for low-quality work. If you are not satisfied with a freelancer's work or work ethic, you risk needing to start over.
It will be more expensive in the end to hire a new freelancer to re-do the job that was done poorly. Why not hire the right freelancer, to begin with?
With Worksome, you can invite trusted contacts who are freelancers you're familiar with or use our vetted pool of elite talent, 100% compliance guaranteed.
4. Freelancers have a lot of qualifications, talents, and expertise
These people often have years of experience and advanced degrees.
If you don't work with freelancers, you're missing out on some of the best professionals in your field. Freelance marketplaces like Worksome's allow you to compare the credentials of available talent, set your job scope, legally classify them, automate your contracts, and pay them without hassle.
Worksome's freelance marketplace allows you to find someone as qualified, or even more qualified, than people looking for full-time employment in some cases.
If a freelancer marketplace doesn't qualify their freelancers and is already oversaturated, you might find workers who don't have the experience you need. Amateurs may not have a structured approach to completing their contracts or tracking their work.
Worksome offers a free demonstration of our freelance management system, making it easy for you to find the talent you need. Request a demo to learn more today.
5. Freelancers can work full-time hours, after hours, and offer quick turnarounds
Some freelancers work for companies for 30-40 hours a week, making them great for clients who need full-time work but don't want to add more employees to their roster.
Increasingly, more freelancers are excited about long-term projects or indefinite, open-ended contracts because it provides security while still affording them the flexibility and freedom they desire.
“Full-time” freelancers, also known as contract employees, are often paid by the hour, and they can work in-office or as a remote team member. For the best outcome, incorporate them in your team meetings so they can build relationships with their "colleagues" and contribute ideas.
Learn more about incorporating freelance workers into your payroll workforce by reading "Worker classification: types of workers and how to manage them."
6. You won't have to provide freelancers office space, or equipment
Most freelancers work from home or out of their own workspace, and they already have most of the products they need to perform their job well. So, you won't have to worry about spending money on an office space or buying supplies unless stipulated in the contract.
You should provide any software or tools specific to how your company does things like Slack or pertinent login information. You can also hire freelancers who are already familiar with your business's tools to cut down on the time it takes to train people.
7. You don't have to pay for benefits, but you may want to!
Because freelancers aren't technically full-time workers, you don't have to offer them benefits. However, a handful of companies do offer freelancers perks that are also available to their full-time employees, which helps them attract better freelancers to their job openings.
This arrangement used to be relatively rare, but the new trend lends itself to the talent acquisition of contracted employees, so you may want to consider dishing perks.
Most freelancers know that they're giving up any guarantee of employment that comes with benefits by going freelance, but offering additional incentives can ensure you secure top talent.
8. You don't have to pay their taxes
Under U.S. law, freelancers are considered self-employed workers. As such, you don't have to pay taxes on their paychecks, and they are responsible for paying and filing themselves.
First, the independent contractor fills out Form W-9 and returns it to you, the employer. You’ll need to provide them with a 1099 form if you paid them more than $600 over the course of a year, but that's it.
9. No long-term commitments, but long-term relationships instead
You can hire freelancers for as long or short-term as you wish. The hired talent gets to add your company to their portfolio, and you don't have to worry about how you'll part ways once you no longer need their services. You can always call them up again the next time you have a project that suits their qualifications.
Worksome is all about retaining and building long-term relationships with quality freelancers. We offer the management tools necessary for you both to enjoy the process of working together.
Working with freelancers can be a delightful indefinite experience, especially when the work you get is of phenomenal value, and the process is made easy with Worksome's tools.
10. Ultimately, you get flexibility
Freelancers are known for their high levels of flexibility. Because they're not full-time workers, they set their own hours. If you need something done fast, you'll likely find a freelancer who has the time to work on it, and you won't have to pay them overtime or after-hours pay.
The global workforce is opting for flexibility more than ever, and your business can benefit.
Are you ready to hire talented freelancers?
Now that you know about the benefits of working with freelancers, you might be ready to look for some.
A quality freelance marketplace allows you to browse through hundreds of qualified candidates. You can read reviews from previous customers and get an idea of the person's credentials. Once you've found the ideal candidate, you can reach out to them for more information.
Learn more about how our freelance platform can help you find freelancers for your business!
Want more information? Read "Indicators of a smooth hiring process, contracting, payment terms, and benefits.”