One of the main challenges for human resources departments continues to be attracting, developing and retaining talent. Hiring highly qualified employees remains a major concern today, as 79% of CEOs agree according to PwC’s report Talent Trends 2019: Upskilling for a digital world.
In the absence of these qualities in their workforces, companies are increasingly turning to freelancers.
This type of employee offers short-, medium- and sometimes long-term solutions to companies whose employees have not acquired the necessary skills to perform certain specialized tasks.
Hiring a freelancer implies a specific contract or agreement to carry out a specific task, having the performance of this task assured.
Six reasons why you should hire a freelancer:
1. Less risk in hiring.
Initially, instead of assuming the costs of a labour contract, the employer pays exclusively for the service that the company needs. Thus the risk for the employer is quite low. A freelance employee is not technically employed by the company, they do not receive any insurance or bonus from the company. The employer can always dispense with the services of the freelancer if the freelancer does not perform his work according to the specifications and expectations of the employer.
2. Cost savings.
Another advantage in terms of cost reduction for the employer points to the tax withholding versus payroll responsibilities. In addition to the costs of registering an employee in the respective country, the employer will also save on health insurance and pension benefits. As for the workspace, technological equipment and supplies needed to perform the work, the freelancer saves costs, as he can work from home or coworking with his own equipment.
3. Hire who you need.
Hiring freelancers allows the creation of efficient work teams and allows specialized functions to be covered. Freelancers have knowledge and skills in a specific field, can perform very specific tasks within the company, thus providing experience and expertise. Often, these professionals offer services that no member of the staff can perform.
4. Flexibility.
When the employer is faced with an increase in work, freelancers can be a perfect solution to cover the needs that cannot be covered with the company’s internal team of workers. Freelancers are extremely flexible compared to salaried employees, adapting their availability to the needs of their clients.
5. Self-training.
The possibility of working with different clients provides freelancers with experience and knowledge in their area of work. 64% say that “learning a new skill” is an important factor when choosing a project. In addition, the time these freelancers spend on their own training is five hours a week, so we are talking about real experts. Freelancers represent themselves through the quality of their work and building and nurturing their relationships is a very important part of ensuring they deliver high-quality work.
6. Competitiveness and innovation.
To be competitive in a company, it is necessary to innovate constantly and the fast execution of tasks becomes paramount. When the employer relies on full-time employees to perform certain tasks, he runs the risk of hindering this innovation. Freelancers often offer a fresh approach to certain situations by not sticking exclusively to the company’s production routines. Another advantage of freelancing is the possibility of global expansion and access to other labour markets without the need to open a new office in the country in question.
“The percentage of freelancers in growing steadily”
Long-term relationships between freelancers and employers have a bright outlook, in short; companies get more for less. The percentage of freelancers is growing steadily (more than 5% every year for the last 5 years according to the Freelance Focus report by Graydon and UNIZO), with good reason; freelancers are attracting more and more interest from companies.
Are you a freelancer? Join the Freelancers in Belgium group on Facebook!
Are you looking to hire freelancers? Check out our community partners GIGHOUSE and Malt.
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