Businesses today are realising there are more cost-effective ways to hire professionals for the work they need. In the past, full-time and part-time positions provided businesses with the needed manpower to complete work. However, these came at a much higher cost than many new businesses could afford. While freelancing and contracting are slightly different, with both designations, businesses have the freedom to choose top talent from around the world, much less one geographic location.
For contractors and freelancers, alike, being able to command your own time and take autonomy over your own professional life are the perks that come with working independently. These independent contractors also benefit from relationships that develop when working with businesses. However, while businesses benefit greatly from using independent contractors, building strong relationships can be the key to securing a reliable workforce.
Keep reading to learn how you can build strong relationships with contractors and freelancers to ensure your team is as efficient as possible.
Make Timely Payments
One of the best ways to create a relationship with contractors and freelancers is through trust. Once the contract has been signed, a good independent contractor is going to follow through with the work and expect payment. More than just being considerate, paying your freelancers and contractors on time is one way to a build trusting relationship.
To guarantee your contractors are paid on time, consider downloading or purchasing an invoice app that will allow you to pay your employees in a timely manner. These apps can help you not only make payments, but they can also track payments and sync your business bank and credit accounts as a part of bookkeeping. Furthermore, these apps prevent miscalculations making for more accurate records.
Invite Them Into The Culture
One disadvantage of being a contractor is working independently can make for a very lonely professional existence. For this reason, making a concerted effort to include contractors and freelancers in company conversations can really impact their perspective on working with the company. Bringing independent contractors into the fold allows them to get a sense of the brand, so when they complete work for your business, they do so from a certain vantage point.
Provide Structure
Providing structure to freelancers and contractors is another way to encourage your independent contractors to remain loyal. Without micromanaging the people you hire, find ways to bring a little organisation to the table. Setting milestones and tracking work progress are two ways to keep your freelancers and contractors on task and aware of their progress.
Because these designations allow professionals to work freely, it is very easy for professionals to not remain focused. For this reason, it is important to meet with your hires routinely to keep them abreast of any changes in the project and so they can report their progress to you as well. Plus, a meeting is a perfect time to re-establish any expectations regarding the project.
Establish Company Guidelines
Another way to attract and retain loyal freelancers and contractors is to establish professional guidelines, so that work is completed in compliance with any standards that govern your business. These guidelines, while also providing structure, can also make it easier for your hires to complete work satisfactorily because it gives them guidance on how to work. In the end, your hires can rise to the demands of the job because they know exactly what is being asked of them.
Building A Foundation For Relationships
While socialising can be one way to team build, nothing takes the place of building relationships through establishing a foundation. When team members know exactly what is expected of them, complete their assignments according to instructions, and get paid in a timely manner, they appreciate working for the client. Once the groundwork for business has been laid you have plenty of opportunities to build relationships.
