We’re a freelancer management platform, so of course we’re advocates of working with freelancers to handle the ebbs and flows of projects! We do however recognise that there can be challenges involved in working with a contingent workforce, especially when it comes to remote freelancers – Would you agree?
We asked our LinkedIn, followers if they had faced any significant challenges working with remote freelancers – the results were as follows:
Yes 17% I No 83%
Pre-covid these results might have been skewed the other way, but it seems companies have found a way to make it fit with remote workers, minimising risk and maximising trust. So what challenges are those 17% still facing? And how can they overcome them?
As we’ve discussed on our platform many times, freelancers are an indispensable asset for many companies, so it’s essential we acknowledge and overcome these hurdles. Let’s explore some of the most common challenges businesses face with remote freelancers.
Potential Challenges or Barriers:
The issue: If you’re allowing for remote work, this often means different regions and/or time zones, which can sometimes lead to delays in response times, missed deadlines, and misaligned expectations.
The fix: Best practice communication tools to bridge the gap, regular communication via messaging apps, video calls and clear briefs to maximise productive communication.
The issue: Accountability. With remote employees, it can be difficult to establish accountability as there may be a lack of hierarchical structure and supervision, which may cause misalignment around output of work, or the quality of the work altogether.
The fix: Setting deadlines, clear expectations and regular check-ins. Freelancers are usually bought on for a specific project due to their specialism, and therefore minimal management is usually a benefit, but be mindful that resourcing the management of your contractors or freelancer talent pool is still prudent.
The issue: Data Security and Confidentiality. It’s sometimes unavoidable that you will need to share confidential information with a temporary worker, who may only be with you for a short period.
The fix: NDAs and data security measures and protocols are always a must.
The Issue: Legal and compliance issues. If you’re allowing for freelancers globally, you’ll have to be prepared to deal with the taxation, payroll and employment laws that differ from one country to the next.
The fix: The &FRIENDS platform can manage payment of freelancers for you – Ask us how!
The issue: Collaboration. – Without everyone in one spot, the collaboration aspect can often be lost, and for creative businesses, this is usually pretty important.
The fix: Utilising collaborative tools like Slack or Asana, and sticking to scheduled virtual meetings for group discussions.
