It’s not only freelance workers that can benefit from the growth of the gig economy. There are many reasons why hiring freelancers can be advantageous for businesses. Contributor Ramya Sriram, Digital Content Manager – Kolabtree.
The word gig was first used in the 1920s to describe jazz-club musicians whose income depended on the number of gigs they played. During the UK’s financial crisis in early 2009, many people made money wherever they could by finding short-term jobs, or gigs, which led to the phrase, the gig economy.
A decade on, the economy has recovered but the idea of the gig economy has persisted. In 2017, The Guardian reported that the UK’s gig economy had grown by 70 per cent since 2010. Workers liked the freedom that came with freelance work — they could plan their working hours around their personal lives and the increasing cost of childcare made it is especially beneficial for parents.
Myth busters
Despite the popularity of freelance work, a lack of understanding of the gig economy means businesses are often hesitant to hire freelancers. A common myth is that training a freelancer requires more effort than it’s worth. However, most freelancers possess highly specialised skillsets that allow them to rapidly adapt and integrate into business projects, which means the initial training they require is minimal.
Businesses are often deterred from hiring freelancers because they don’t always know where to look for someone with the skills, experience and expertise needed. To ensure you are choosing a freelancer from a large pool of experts in your field, avoid the generic freelancer platforms and post your project on a platform that is specialized in your field.
Kolabtree has a database of over 5,500 scientific experts, many with PhDs, from highly reputable institutions such as the University of Cambridge and NASA. These freelancers are highly skilled in disciplines such as scientific writing, experimental design and statistical analysis.
Many businesses fear for the security of information they post on freelancer platforms. Kolabtree provides non-disclosure agreements for its clients so that confidentiality does not have to be a concern. The company prides itself on the outstanding commitment and quality of work its freelancers bring to client projects. However, in the rare event that you do not receive a satisfactory service, the company holds your payments securely until the freelancer has completed the job to a high standard.
As, well as believing the myths associated with the gig economy, many businesses are unaware of the benefits they can gain from hiring freelancers.
What’s in it for you?
Workloads in small businesses fluctuate. Thanks to the gig economy, you only have to pay for staff when you need them, not during quiet periods. This gives you the opportunity to scale your workforce up and down based on the needs of the business. Kolabtree makes it easy to find the right freelancer at short notice, with very minimal effort from you. Also, because Kolabtree takes on the task of finding relevant freelancers for your project, you don’t have to search for them — they come searching for you.
For freelancers, the gig economy offers flexibility in the way they work. They can choose to work on one job at a time or take on multiple jobs simultaneously. This, plus the fact that their income depends on their productivity, makes them exceptionally skilled at time management.
Freelancers are also effective communicators, due to their need to market themselves and negotiate good rates for projects. In addition, their wide range of experiences means they have many skills and a solid understanding of the industry they specialise in. All of these skills can be of considerable benefit for your business if you hire a freelancer.
Recent technological advancements have enabled businesses to break geographical and political boundaries and broaden their search for the right freelancer. Roles such as scientific consulting, literature searching and data analytics can be performed remotely, meaning you can hire someone from anywhere in the world.
Before you get started
The gig economy has had more than its fair share of negative press coverage in recent years. Companies like Uber and Deliveroo have dominated headlines about the vulnerability and poor rights of freelance workers, which has created the perception that the gig economy is damaging to society. Rather than avoid hiring freelancers, businesses should respond by helping to grow the gig economy in moral way.
Don’t forget that many people choose to freelance due to the flexibility, so when you hire a freelancer you must accommodate the flexibility they require. Provide freelancers with a contract of employment that ensures they receive payment on time and possess the workers’ rights they deserve. If you’re worried that a freelancer will not demonstrate enough loyalty and commitment to your project, pay them fairly and you’ll find this won’t be a problem.
When you post your project on a platform like Kolabtree, write the job description in a way that is suited to freelancers rather than people looking for full-time employment. Focus on the skills and abilities you need for the project rather than overarching descriptions of what you look for in an employee. This will help ensure you find the right person for the job.
You’ll also need to make sure the platform you use is trustworthy. Check the payment system it uses is secure – if it is payment card industry (PCI) compliant, you can rest assured it handles sensitive data appropriately. Before hiring a freelancer, interact with them through the hiring platform. This will allow you to confirm they are a real person rather than an automated bot and check they have the relevant skills and experience.
The gig economy provides a win-win situation for freelancers and businesses. Rather than believing everything you read in the news, play your part in supporting a moral gig economy and reap the benefits as you do so. You may not require a jazz musician, but there are a large number of skilled professionals that could help your business thrive.
