How to integrate a Freelancer into my company's culture

How to integrate a freelancer into my company's culture

The transition to flexible working is here to stay and companies who want to equip themselves for this future understand that freelancers play a big part in this transition. Working with freelancers allows companies to supplement their permanent workforce and enable them to better react to economic trends and potential shortage of skilled workers. Research shows that companies that use freelancers measure an increase in productivity of more than 10% resulting in more innovation and growth.

To get the most out of working with freelance talent it is important to get off to a good start, have a proper onboarding system in place, communicate clearly and provide feedback at the end of the project.

Why is freelancer onboarding important?

Onboarding as a process to familiarize permanent employees with the structures and culture of a company is a well established practice. However, onboarding is not only important for the permanent workforce, it is also vital when working with freelancers. Onboarding for freelancers ensures open communication, motivation and commitment which leads to a better project performance and outcome. Proper onboarding of freelancers is also beneficial for companies where freelancing is not yet part of the corporate culture.

How to onboard freelancers?

The onboarding of freelancers differs from the onboarding of permanent employees. It has its own requirements and it is important to understand the differences to ensure an outcome that results in a smooth process and successful project completion.

Discuss the project scope in detail. Be clear on what is expected and what the goals are. Also be clear on availability, skills requirement and time frame in general. Engaging with a freelancer on the Freeely platform can help with this stage of the onboarding process. Input of data including availability, skills and project description to establish a match with a freelancer means the key requirements of the project can be considered right from the start of the process. Good communication is also important in the onboarding process, and the Freeely platform's 'in app' messaging feature, can help with this.  

To recap a shortlist of what to consider in the (pre-) onboarding stage:

Project(s) scope

How the project will be executed (remote/hybrid/or is some physical presence required) and availability in general

Success metrics

Payment

Required software and tools to execute the project

Introduction to the company (values/structure/routines/workflows/ customer communication)

Freelancer contract: service or work contract

Non-disclosure agreement / NDA including data protection

To the extent required, non-competition clause

Assess the resources required to execute the project

Freelancers typically use their own hardware but it is important to assess any IT requirements upfront that are essential for a successful collaboration.

Be clear to communicate any specific programs or access to internal platforms that are necessary to complete the project.

Provide feedback

Communication is key to successful collaboration, and this applies at the beginning of a project but also at the end or when reaching important milestones. Regular feedback will ensure a good working relationship and result in better project outcomes.

Interested in working with the Freeely platform Book a discovery call today.

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