Today, we’re looking at 8 ways you can effectively manage freelancers to get the most out of the relationship for the benefit of your company, your clients and for the freelancers themselves.


1. Identify the need for freelancers in advance

First of all, it’s good to sit down and have a think about whether or not you’ll require freelancers for your task. Analyze your situation carefully and ask yourself if you really do need outside help. This also includes things like whether you have sufficient resources within your company to do the job. If you decided that you really do need a freelancer around, then you should...


2. Create an annual budget for freelancers

It is more efficient and less of a hassle to create an annual freelance budget than to deal with budgeting every time you need to hire someone. Freelancers themselves have different rates, so it’s good that you’re able to settle on a long-term contract if you can, depending on your project. You’ll save money as freelancers will cut their rates because they’ll be happy about having guaranteed work.


3. Hire the right freelancers for the job



This is a very important point. Hire people who represent the values of your company. Hire freelancers whose skills match the project. Don’t hire someone just because they say they can do it, because you won’t get what you want. Also, hire the right level of freelancer for the level of work to be completed. For example, don't hire someone with 20 years of experience for a junior-level project and vice versa.


4. Be upfront to your client

Remember that a freelancer’s work is still your work. And clients hire you for your work. So be up-front about it, most clients don’t care as long as the freelance work is included in the budget and is part of your agreed work plan. This also takes into account the quality of work; ensure that it passes your company standards, or else you’ll face the wrath of your clients.


5. Brief your freelancer accordingly



Get the freelancers you hire a precise brief, just as you would an internal team. Make sure the freelancers know exactly what the project is and what's needed, including budget, deadlines, materials, and most importantly, deliverables. Leave nothing open-ended. Define what you’ll pay for and what you won’t to clear things up from the get-go.


6. Set timeframes and expectations

Make sure freelancers know what’s expected of them beyond deliverables. This includes any special requests that you have for them, like coming into the office or attending briefing sessions. But not all freelancers want to come into the office, and that is fine. For very good freelancers and those you’ve worked with before, it's usually not a problem for them to work from home. Just make sure you’re managing their deliverables well.


7. Don’t only give second rate projects to freelancers



This is a definite no-no. Not only will your company get a bad reputation, no one will want to work with you. Freelancers are also always looking to improve themselves, and their careers mean something to them. Treat them as well as you would treat your own employees because they actually are.


8. Be clear on reporting structure

If you’re sharing freelancers across departments, make sure that you’re aware of the hours racked up. Make sure that the freelancer knows who he or she is reporting to, so that you won’t be shocked at the end of the month when the bill comes. Many times, freelancers don’t know who they are working for, and will bill accordingly whenever they get a task assigned to them. Don’t let this happen. Make it clear who they report to.


If you’re still not sure where to begin with your journey into looking for freelancers, why not check out Rtist? We have one of the biggest creative talent communities in Malaysia that matches you with freelancers. We also have our Handpick Service, which helps you find the most suitable creative talent within 3 days!