Managing freelancers and getting the best out of them

Working with a freelancer can be highly beneficial for your business. You and your team get time to focus on other aspects, while the professional does all the work for you. However, the independent contractor you hired via an online portal is not your regular office employee. Managing the contractor can be a daunting task, but there is no other way out. You need to manage and make sure that the work that is done is of high-quality and always on-time.

Let’s have a look how to enrich your professional relationship with the freelancer or the ‘independent contractor’ to get the maximum amount of work done, on time!

Be choosy when hiring

When you hire a freelancer, be very picky and choosy. It will take time but will be worth all the pain and effort. Posting the project online takes minutes, but hiring the right person is something that you need to think about. The freelancer must be on the same page as you, not only for the project but also the work ethics should match up. If the person seems to be a misfit, then it will actually build more pressure on your team. Hire wisely, to work smoothly!

Nurture the relationship

Most employers think that freelancers do not need any nurturing. Once you hire them and pay at regular intervals for the assignments, the job is going to get done. Well, it is true, but independent contractors have the power to choose whom they want to work for and whom they want to avoid working with. You need to make sure their loyalty stays with you. That’s the reason why it is important to build a good rapport and treat them like an integral part of your working team.

Give them space

Most freelancers quit their office jobs; get registered on online freelancing portals to get freelance jobs online as they wished for more independence. It would not be wise if you continuously pester them and ask for work updates. You might knock once or twice, but being at the back of the contractor would do more harm than good.

Feedback is important

If the work is not good, get it redone! If you like it, say it. Feedbacks do matter for freelancers. You may have already rated them well and also given a good review, but to cultivate the person and make the independent contractor work for you in the long haul, feedback can work as a great motivating factor.

Lastly, it is important to be a little more diplomatic and handle freelancers wisely. They are independent contractors, not your regular on-site employees.