Ashmita Das explains how businesses can integrate freelancers successfully and shares her tips for preparing in-house teams for the hybrid workplace
There are over two million freelance workers in the UK alone and, according to MoneySuperMarket, 22% of these are delivering business support. As companies get back on their feet and prepare for a post-Covid world, external specialists can provide vital knowledge and skills.
Following the Covid-19 pandemic and the onset of the first lockdown in March 2020, working practices changed dramatically, going from office to home overnight. According to the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS), in April 2020, 46.6% of people in employment did some work from home and 86% of those surveyed did so because of the pandemic.
Many businesses have already started thinking about their post-Covid plans. According to a 2020 survey by KMPG, 68% of CEOs are planning to move operations online and downsize their office space. Similarly, a BBC survey carried out in August 2020 found that 50 of the UK’s biggest employers had no plans to return all staff to the office full-time anytime soon.
Is out of office the new in?
Something we expect to grow in the post-Covid business world is demand for the skills of third-party specialists. This is a natural, but accelerated, progression from the already rapid growth of the gig economy across many industries in recent years. Research by the University of Hertfordshire found that the UK’s gig economy doubled in size between 2016 and 2019.
While significant growth has been in brands like Uber and Deliveroo, freelancing in the knowledge economy is also hitting the mainstream. It has historically been difficult for smaller businesses to access specialist science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills, particularly for very niche or specialised projects. Research and development for medical device or biotechnology projects is already hugely expensive, so SMEs looking to introduce new products may find it difficult to bring them to market quickly. Larger companies are more likely to have sizeable budgets or special relationships with universities that provide access to academic expertise.
The rise of specialist gig economy platforms has helped to bridge this gap for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Knowledge-economy gig platforms help businesses fill skills gaps while offering new work opportunities for individuals. These platforms provide businesses with flexibility; they can access on-demand expertise without hiring full time, permanent in-house teams.
In the post-Covid world, the knowledge and expert economies could play a vital role in helping businesses recover. Many businesses are cash conscious and these platforms mean they can recruit skills on demand, rather than having large in-house research and development (R&D) team on the payroll. Freelancers can therefore help with new product introduction, to help develop new revenue streams for small businesses.
There are several things to consider when integrating a freelancer for the first time. Often, it will mean a change in company policy, as well as a cultural shift for those already working in the business.
Choosing a freelancer
For many companies, the tolerance for risk may be low and, as they recover after lockdown, there is little room for error. This means there is an even greater emphasis on trust and confidence that the external colleague can carry out the task required.
A good place to start when choosing a freelancer is their qualifications, which can provide some reassurance. Some gig platforms also display a public CV along with any previous literature that the freelancer has published. This means businesses can compare specialists and decide which one is best suited to their needs based on what research they have published.
Having procedures in place
The start of lockdown in 2020 saw many businesses working from home for the first time. According to a YouGov survey, 68% of British employees had never worked from home prior to the outbreak. This was a huge challenge for businesses, who had to scramble to establish IT infrastructure, communications technology and more. Like remote working, integrating a freelancer successfully may require different employment procedures and practises, so it can help to set them up well in advance of recruiting someone.
Companies will need to change payroll processes, recruitment strategies and HR policies to account for contract workers. The good thing is, once they are established it becomes very straightforward to recruit additional freelancers. For example, by preparing a contract template and a master services agreement, the company can even transfer this information over if it decides to work with a different gig platform.
One of the major concerns while working with external employees keeping the company’s sensitive data secure. When hiring a freelancer, there are several steps employers can take to protect intellectual property (IP). One option is asking the freelancer to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). Businesses can also protect their data by not sharing identifiable information and using password protection whenever possible. Finally, allowing restricted access to documents with user-specific permissions can provide extra security.
How to prepare in-house teams
One of the biggest challenges is encouraging in-house employees to collaborate with an external workforce in a fluid, cohesive way. It is the responsibility of business owners to proactively change employee attitudes towards freelance colleagues. The ‘we need someone in the office’ mindset was common practice before lockdown and often this was often a barrier to integrating external workers, many of which work remotely or from home.
The pandemic has already changed the way that many people interact and work, so employees are more used to seeing colleagues through a screen, rather than sat at their desk. Nonetheless, there may still be caution and resistance about bringing temporary employees into the company fold. As companies move towards remote working on a more permanent basis, it will become easier to integrate freelancers as working from home has become like second nature for many.
When trying to change employee mindsets, there are many ways of providing the necessary reassurance and information. This includes holding detailed company-wide briefings that explain to staff how freelancers will work with in-house employees. These briefings could also identify the specific tasks that the specialists will be working on and any input that they may require from in-house staff.
The hybrid workplace was being discussed years before the pandemic, but as more businesses embrace flexibility it will become cemented into everyday busines practice. In my experience, more businesses are willing to experiment with new methods of managing their workforce than you might think. Establishing the required processes and procedures is only a temporary hump and once the business overcomes it, it will have a wealth of industry expertise and talent at its disposal.
While 22% of UK freelancers are currently engaged in business support, this will inevitably increase as more companies try to enhance their in-house teams. While companies may need to adjust age-old procedures and take measures to protect their IP, hiring external specialists will provide valuable flexibility in the post-COVID world of work.
Ashmita Das is CEO of Kolabtree, the world’s largest freelance platform for scientists, helping organisations hire experts on demand. The company has a global network of 15,000 scientists and subject matter experts, offering consulting, research, writing and analysis services. Project owners can post a project for free and receive quotes from experts before deciding on a freelancer to work with. quotes from relevant experts before deciding on a freelancer to work with. Are you looking to hire your first freelance scientist or industry expert? Visit https://www.kolabtree.com/ and post your project for free.
