Guest Article
The gig economy is now a huge advantage for small business owners. But you will need to adapt your company structure manage virtual and contract employees. Global freelancing platforms such as www.upwork.com enable businesses and professionals to collaborate with one another on a short or long term basis. Hiring locals has given my business a much better understanding of the market we’re operating in, and deep insight that can’t be achieved without living and breathing in that country.
Local knowledge is paramount
My firm finder.com is based in Sydney, Australia. When launching in the US in 2015, we started off with the support of our global team, based in our headquarters. However, it soon became clear that we were missing local context. This was particularly true where our content was concerned, where some things may have been deemed insensitive or offensive to publish, even if it was acceptable back home.
Once we found local talent who understood the US market and local issues, our content became more genuine and relevant for our target audience, which resulted in higher quality work.
Have a staffing plan
When launching a search for new staff, it is important to determine what resources you need, and when, to ensure you get up and running successfully with your new team. Projects, deadlines, and team dynamics vary. When you’re unsure of how many full-time staff you require, sourcing local talent provides you with options, and often those people can refer others to work for you as well. You can hire for short and long term needs, meaning that if you suddenly need more hands on deck, external resources are could be available quickly.
As freelancers work on contracts, they are almost always on the lookout for new projects to work on. If expectations are exceeded, motivation is high, and work is delivered within a quick timeframe, you will keep them on a short list of people you can reactivate when needed. Not only is this perfect for you, but for them, too, as being reliable not only results in a five-star rating, but potentially future work. Everybody wins!
Make payment simple
Once you’ve decided to hire local talent as contractors, it’s important to consider your payment options. Using money transfers is a common method, it your based outside the US, but you can be easily stung by hefty fees. Some payment services such as Paypal, Square, charge more than others, and your contractors may complain about the percentage they must pay, so it’s important to compare providers to uncover which is best for your business and your workers.
Utilizing modern hiring tools, like Upwork, Toptal, and LinkedIn Profinder, takes care of the stress of payments for staff working remotely to you. Freelancing platforms such as these provide multiple payment options, and can deliver these payments to countries all across the globe. Work is also paid when authorized by you, for added peace of mind.
Immeasurable creative talent
The great thing about sourcing locally is the abundance of creative talent available to you, in all kinds of fields. Whether you’re looking for designers, writers, animators or producers, these online hiring platforms truly have it all. No longer do you have to rely on phone calls, emails and face-to-face interviews (although these are still beneficial) to find your dream team.
When you’re going through your hiring process, or even simply looking into the kind of people you want to work with, take your time. It’s not a race, and there are so many helpful tools at your disposal. Look beyond a well-crafted resume, think carefully about the type of people you want representing your business, and take your business to the next level.