I write a lot about how much I love being a freelance writer. There are a lot of perks that come with freelancing, from setting your own hours to being location independent.
However, freelancing isn’t just an advantage for the worker. With new trends in the global workforce, it can be to your advantage to use freelancers in your business. Here are three reasons to consider hiring freelancers to accomplish at some of the work you need:
1. Access to a Wider Talent Pool
There are no geographic limitations when you use freelancers for your business. You can find people all over the world to help you with a variety of tasks.
In the United States, 53 million people are now freelancers. That represents about 34% of the workforce. Tapping into that talent pool can provide you with more qualified people to work on different aspects of your business, whether you need content production, a virtual assistant, or help developing your website.
When you can’t find the quality help you need in your immediate geographic area, a freelancer from the other side of the country — or even the other side of the world — can help. You aren’t limited to your town when it comes to finding talent. You can cast a wider net and find quality people.
2. Quick Access for Temporary Tasks
Another advantage when you use freelancers for your business is that you can get quick and easy access for temporary tasks. Not everything you do with your business requires someone to work on-site full-time or even part-time. There are times that you need help with a project or a campaign, and you don’t need a permanent fixture to take care of that. A freelancer can be a great resource in these instances.
If you have a project that requires temporary work, freelancers can take care of it, get paid, and move on. When you find someone who does a good job, you can return to him or her for work in the future. It’s possible to develop relationships with freelancers in a way that allows you to use them temporarily, but still come back to them later.
A flexible workforce can help you remain agile as you grow your business, and when you use freelancers, you have a more flexible workforce.
3. Lower Cost
At some point, we have to think of the bottom line. The truth is that you can save money when you use freelancers. Even the higher-cost freelancers can represent a cost savings. When you hire an independent contractor, you don’t have to worry about paying that portion of FICA taxes. Additionally, you don’t have to worry about paying benefits. Freelancers also don’t have the same overhead costs. You don’t need to provide a workspace or equipment.
The natures of business and the workforce are changing. You can tap into that when you use freelancers. You have access to a wider talent pool that is more flexible, and you can save money to boot. Figure out which tasks and projects you can outsource to freelancers, and reap the benefits for your business.
