3 Reasons Why Hiring Freelancers Makes Sense For Corporate HR

Scroll down to read more!

3 Reasons Why Hiring Freelancers Makes Sense For Corporate HR

Scroll down to read more!

Table of Contents

I was working from a Berlin cafe a few days ago when I noticed a young man at a table next to me. He was that typical creative, preppy type. As I glanced across his laptop screen, I spotted the familiar interface of oDesk. He was looking for freelancing gigs.

Next to him was a pair of men in a semi-formal job interview. From snippets of their conversation that were bouncing around the room I figured that one of them was a startup founder; the other was quite a savvy-sounding coder, who was offering his services on a casual basis. I regularly employ freelance employees in my business, as well. A few of them have gone on to become trusted, permanent staff who form the core of my business.

Are Freelancers Stigmatized?

While startups and freelancing have traditionally been viewed as a natural match, the same can’t be said for matching up freelancers with corporates. When I think back to my corporate HR days, I remember seeing a certain stigma attached to job applicants who didn’t fit a certain mould (full-time, in-house, history of similar roles, etc). I think it’s time corporate HR teams have revisited their views on freelancers.

In this brave new world, where the boundaries between full-time and project-based work, as well as corporates and startups is blurring, they’re emerging as a possible answer to some of the biggest challenges which corporate HR is grappling with.

1. Better Hiring Decisions

In recent times we’ve seen quite a few posts which reveal that we’re quite terrible at making hiring decisions.

Turns out, out trusted interviewing methods are quite poor predictors of on-the-job performance. Many hires don’t work out and the cost of such mistakes to is huge (especially for companies with small teams).

Freelancing can be used as an extended trial period during which a person’s true colours are revealed. Putting someone through a series of clever interviews is one thing; working with them for 3 months is another.

2. Attracting Better Talent.

Studies show that the new generation values flexibility and meaning at their work over pay and perks.

If corporate HR doesn’t want to miss out on a pool of young, ambitious, talented people, large enterprise will now require a hybrid workforce of full-time and freelance teams.

3. Enabling Easy Scaling.

In the new economy employers require a new kind of team: one which can be scaled up and down as needed.

This trend is combining with maturity of sites such as LinkedIn, which makes it far easier for HR managers to find freelancers talent through social media and create streamlined, in-house hiring processes on order to effectively support business goals.

How are you using freelancers in the workplace? Have you seen good or bad things from it? 

Did you like this post? Share it!

One Comment

  1. Unfortunately in the US it is becoming much harder to use freelancers or independent contractors. Neither the IRS or the Dept of Labor like you doing so. The contract has to exist, they have to be beyond your behavior control and you have to focus on their results and not their time.

Comments are closed.

A Word From Our Sponsors

Ads help make Workology resources free for everyone. We respect your privacy. To see our Privacy Policy click here.

Recommended Posts

27 Companies Who Hire Adults With Autism

List of companies who hire and employ adults who are neurodiverse. ...

The Costs of Form I-9 Software

Read the complexities of Form I-9 compliance software costs. We break down pricing structures, features & benefits to help HR professionals....

Episode 415: Registered Apprenticeship Programs in the Clean Energy Sector With Dr. Janell Hills

In this episode, we interview Dr. Janell Hills from IREC about developing registered apprenticeship programs in the clean energy sector....
Sanjay Sathé, Founder & CEO of SucceedSmart, is no stranger to disrupting established industries.

Q&A With Sanjay Sathé, Founder & CEO of SucceedSmart

Sanjay Sathé, Founder & CEO of SucceedSmart, is no stranger to disrupting established industries. ...
supporting caregivers: the sandwich generation at work

Supporting Caregivers: The ‘Sandwich Generation’ at Work

Are companies doing what they should to support employees who become caregivers? ...

Recruiting Reimagined: How Specialized Software Strengthens Hiring in 2024

Even during fluctuating economic crosswinds, the war for talent remains white-hot across most industries. To efficiently staff crucial openings while staying within strained budgets,...

Checkout Our Products

Ads help make Workology resources free for everyone. We respect your privacy. To see our Privacy Policy click here.

More From Workology

Recruiting Reimagined: How Specialized Software Strengthens Hiring in 2024

Click on read more to open this post on our blog.
supporting caregivers: the sandwich generation at work

Supporting Caregivers: The ‘Sandwich Generation’ at Work

Are companies doing what they should to support employees who become caregivers?
Sanjay Sathé, Founder & CEO of SucceedSmart, is no stranger to disrupting established industries.

Q&A With Sanjay Sathé, Founder & CEO of SucceedSmart

Sanjay Sathé, Founder & CEO of SucceedSmart, is no stranger to disrupting established industries.

Episode 415: Registered Apprenticeship Programs in the Clean Energy Sector With Dr. Janell Hills

In this episode, we interview Dr. Janell Hills from IREC about developing registered apprenticeship programs in the clean energy sector.