If you run a small business, then you’ll know how tough it can be to keep customers happy and get everything done on a typical working day. You know that, if you hired another member of staff, you’d be able to take your business to the next level and reach even more customers. But if you’re finding it tough financially to hiring a new member of staff, you may want to consider the benefits of hiring a freelancer or temporary contractor to carry out the job. Here’s why.
1. You’ll be hiring an expert
Forget endless training programmes and schemes; if you hire a freelancer, then you’ll be hiring an expert in their field. Marketing freelancers, for example, will be able to take charge of your content marketing, social media, SEO, PPC and web design, and you won’t have to hire a dedicated Marketing Manager at the cost of £25,000+.
2. There are no strings attached
If you’ve had a successful month or you’ve got a busy week ahead, you can hire a freelancer to help you get the job done, without worrying about their long-term future at your business. With freelancers, there are no strings attached; you can end your agreement and their employment as soon as you want to.
3. Freelancers aren’t always expensive
One of the most significant benefits of hiring a freelancer is cost. Unlike hiring a permanent member of staff, you’ll only pay a freelancer for the work they carry out. This can be significantly more cost-effective than hiring a permanent member of staff, who’ll require a salary and lead to other expenses such as tax, insurance and office space. Simply put, freelancers can save you a whole lot of money.
4. You’ll never have to meet them
Whether you’re anti-social, you don’t have the time to meet candidates for interview or your office is too small, hiring a freelancer can be done remotely. There is a whole host of websites offering access to freelancers, or you could post a job ad and have an interview over Skype. Of course, having a one-on-one chat with a freelancer makes sense, but they don’t have to be in the same room as you for it to work.
5. You can scale rapidly
Startups and national companies alike want to scale and grow their brands, and freelancers allow you to do exactly that. The lack of commitment involved means that you can hire a freelancer to work on a project at the drop of the hat, without the responsibility that usually comes with a new employee. Just take companies such as Uber and Deliveroo, using freelancers and self-employed staff to scale their business around the world. If it can work for them, it can certainly work for you, too!
What are your thoughts? Do you hire freelancers for your business? Are you struggling to find reliable talent? Let us know your story in the comments.