Whether it’s to scale a company, test an idea, or find a specialized skillet, an increasing number of companies are turning to fast and flexible freelance talent. How can the growing contingent workforce help you grow your business?
To explain some of the broader possibilities of shifting to virtual talent, these helpful articles from the Hiring Headquarters—Upwork’s resource for businesses, freelancers, and entrepreneurs—look at some of the tech and logistics involved.
How Freelancers Help Businesses
Deciding to incorporate freelancers into your business model can have a positive impact on your productivity. “9 Ways Agencies Can Successfully Scale with Freelancers” looks at how the growing freelance market has changed the work landscape and offers specific examples of how freelancers have been a boon to growing companies.
You’ll also get excellent tips to help you get the most out of the business relationship:
1) Cultivate relationships with reliable contractors. When you find high-quality freelance talent that truly delivers, it’s worth developing a relationship with them so you can leverage their skills as you have projects available. This helps cut down on the time it takes to find additional freelancers, and offers peace of mind that you’ll get great results every time.
2) Facilitate good communication up front. Be clear about things like project objectives, budget, deliverables, and processes, as this can set a positive and productive tone that can carry on throughout the engagement.
3) Bring freelancers aboard earlier. The sooner you can get freelancers involved in a project, the more informed and invested in it they’ll be. It’s also worth having their input and expertise available earlier on to help shape important decisions.
Cloud-Sourcing Your Talent
As modern business practices continue to evolve alongside emerging talent pools and high-tech trends in work, many companies are ditching the old mindset that work has to be done in one specific location. Contracting with remote workers and specialists is becoming the new norm for tech-savvy businesses, allowing some companies to even skip the need for a physical space altogether.
“Meet the New BPO: Cloud-Sourcing” explores the different possibilities that can arise from shifting toward a fully distributed workforce. It looks at changes in the way people work—thanks to the rise of Internet-based business in recent years—and offers examples of organizations that have transitions to a cloud-sourced model.
Among the range of potential benefits this can have for your business, three points stand out as prime perks.
1) Major cost savings. Without the ongoing and expensive overhead costs of a physical space, businesses can save significantly. This is in addition to potential savings from the ability to scale talent as needed.
2) Faster talent engagement. Reduce the time it takes to find new talent from months to days when you have a broad and diverse pool of virtual workers to consider.
3) Easier scaling. Ramping up your business for seasonal peaks is far easier and faster when you work with a virtual team that can grow and expand quickly.
Freelancers as a Cost-Saver
Going through traditional talent agencies to find skilled workers can be a time-consuming affair that may burn through your budget in ways you might not initially predict. When you want to save money while getting the best freelancers to suit your project, it’s worth considering how a Freelance Management System (FMS) can help you hit your goals without breaking your bank account.
“Calculating the True Cost of Getting Freelance Help” uncovers some of the hidden costs that can arise from the talent search process and how to best avoid these financial drains by using a FMS.
The piece looks at important metrics to watch and factor in through the hiring cycle. It also explores the goals of engaging contract workers—filtered through the important lens of quality, speed, and cost savings—and details how a FMS can speed up the hiring process while saving your company significant money.
For more helpful tips on scaling your businesses and finding top freelance talent, check out the Hiring Headquarters.
The post Using Freelance Talent to Enhance Your Business appeared first on Upwork Blog.
from Upwork Blog https://www.upwork.com/blog/2016/11/freelance-talent-enhance-business/
No comments:
Post a Comment