After registering a new business with the company incorporation services Singapore, if your organization is short on resources or you need a one-off task completed, hiring a freelancer is a terrific method to cover the gaps.
Since they would have completed a variety of activities, freelancers are typically more adaptable, making it simpler for you to choose someone who can meet your needs.
They are great options for young firms with a little marketing budget because you just need to engage them when necessary, which may help you save money.
Although hiring freelancers like those we just described has numerous advantages, there are a few things to watch out for before bringing them on board.
The following are some typical errors businesses make when engaging freelancers:
No clue on how to hire freelancers:
How can you begin hiring freelancers in Singapore?
Even while you can always find freelancers on freelancer sites, social media, or even through a reference, not all of these methods may be effective for you. For instance, if you’re searching for a certain service, like a brand logo design, you’ll need to focus your search on websites that have graphic designers that are experts in this field. Eliminating having to go through several designer profiles, saves time.
In addition, you want someone who comes from a reliable source who is reputable, competent, and good at communicating.
Be aware that there may be con artists even on trusted websites and applications, so do your research. Always keep in mind that if everything seems too good to be true, it generally is.
Beware of freelancers that make empty promises to produce what you want but have no track record to back them up.
Not having the right agreement:
You must get into an employment contract with your permanent employees. Similarly to this, you should have a suitable legal agreement even for contract or part-time staff.
This is to make sure that if a disagreement arises later, both your rights and the rights of the freelancer are safeguarded.
For the freelancer to know what to provide and you to know what to anticipate, the agreement should specify the precise job that needs to be done.
You should also include the following provisions in the agreement after consulting your outsource accounting services Singapore:
- The payment conditions
- Legal responsibilities of both parties
- Penalties if there is a breach of the contract
It’s a good idea to put your expectations in writing even if you are engaging a freelancer for a little, one-time task. Make sure you have copies of all of your payments and transactions with the other party as this is another useful piece of advice.
Again, you’ll have proof if a disagreement develops that you’ve done your part.
Imposing arbitrary deadlines:
You frantically search for someone who can do the assignment for you since you need the work to be done right now. The ideal situation is for the freelancer to work following your schedule.
But keep in mind that if you give them a short deadline, you run the danger of receiving work that was quickly completed and of low quality. Even worse, they may completely sabotage the endeavor.
It’s OK to give a freelancer a set deadline to do a task, but be sure the time frame is appropriate. Contact them well in advance of your deadline so they can make preparations.
You have the right to request updates on your work from time to time, but try to limit your last-minute requests for revisions to prevent being unfair to the freelancer.
Creating incorrect budgets:
Another error when hiring a freelancer is failing to set the proper budget, which goes hand in hand with not allotting adequate time for work. Again, you must be prepared to spend a sizable sum of money if you want to get great work.
This does not imply that you must pay more than necessary. Before approaching a freelancer, research the going rate to prevent overpaying.
Additionally, keep in mind that prices will change according to the level of expertise of the individual. If you’re not sure where to go for the best rate, talk to at least 3 to 4 freelancers to get a general notion of the going pricing.
The next step is to promptly pay the person you hired to execute the assignment for you.
First, decide how the payment should be made, whether it be in whole up front, 50% upfront and 50% after completion, or under alternative terms.
When it comes time to pay, make sure to do it promptly. The freelancer has the right to be paid promptly, just as it is reasonable for you to expect the task to be completed as agreed.
Why using freelancers will help your startup?
Freelancers should be viewed as a helpful extension of the company structure rather than merely temporary labor in case of staffing shortages. They may provide the firm significant benefits that other businesses with solely permanent workers lack.
Flexibility and time to concentrate on what’s important:
Let’s say that your startup is just getting started and that it is unclear which responsibilities are essential to the success of your business or how much effort will be needed in various areas. The founding team would lose precious time on difficult recruitment procedures without knowing which positions will finally be filled permanently if your hiring strategy hadn’t been decided.
By hiring independent contractors, the founders may concentrate on their primary responsibilities and launch your project straight away. Freelancers are proficient in a certain field, work rapidly, and may frequently begin in less than 48 hours. Another benefit is that they may aid in the productivity growth of your firm by working remotely across time zones.
Aside from the time factor, permanent employee recruits are often expensive. resources that are frequently not accessible to a business at first. The employment plan and the number of staff that may be employed will be greatly influenced by any potential financing.
Therefore, recruitment strategies may alter before, during, and following a fundraising round. You can swiftly adjust to shifting conditions when you use independent contractors.
The capacity to wear several hats:
There are many things to be completed at a company at first, and this is with an initially small crew. Because of this, it is necessary for every team member, including the founders, to be able to serve in a variety of capacities inside the business.
The lines dividing the many areas of activity are also not well defined. Here, freelancers may assist and free up your staff. They frequently work on many projects for various clients at once, so they are accustomed to producing deliverables on time and juggling multiple responsibilities.
Additionally, independent contractors can serve as outside consultants for startups. They have extensive market knowledge, are independent, have a wealth of experience, and have a unique viewpoint on internal operations. Knowledge transfer may help startups and their staff.
To lighten the stress on the team, outsource tasks:
Working with independent contractors makes more sense in some departments or for specific jobs than in others. For instance, a marketing team at a company won’t have 5–10 workers right away.
Some jobs, including the time-consuming creation of content, the setup, and management of paid marketing campaigns, or the creation of design assets, are readily handled by an outside specialist. It’s a good idea to get the help of specialists for projects in the IT industry, such as developers, project and product managers, or UI/UX designers.
