Freelance work has become very popular in recent years. There are entrepreneurs who hire freelancers for their company’s different works to be completed. Freelancers have their own way to work, their requirements and habits. Working simultaneously with several freelancers can be challenging as a diverse group of people working with you may speak different languages, may be located all over the world, and are assigned to different tasks or projects.
It’s crucial to learn how to manage your freelance team well if you want to make your freelance projects more effective and increase productivity. Here are three crucial tips to take with you if you want to successfully manage a team of freelancers.
1. Stay in touch with your freelancers
Communication is key to success in every business or work. Spending time getting to know the freelancer as a person and as a professional will help you better incorporate them into your team and workflow. Find a common ground and try to establish a friendly relationship. It can enhance freelancers’ response and the quality of their work. Establish a channel of communication that is open so they may express their thoughts and share their progress, especially if they are working on a collaborative project.
Regular communication might help avoid issues as well. Building trust with your freelancers and managing a project both require effective communication. Keep in touch with your freelancers during the project to foster a relationship. Even if they have such busy schedules and you are not their sole priority, it is always important to stay in touch with them to check the status of the work or discuss ongoing details.
2. Set clear expectations
A freelancer is unfamiliar with how your business operates or how you prefer to complete projects. To guarantee that the final result meets your expectations, first of all integrate the right recruitment management system to hire professional and appropriate freelancers. Then, you must carefully specify your expectations and all the specifics of the project. Set clear criteria for each project phase using the conventional project management methodology and inform freelancers about every detail concerning the project.
Be as specific as you can about what must be done a certain manner or included at any costs and what can be done with greater latitude. Avoid being overly prescriptive unless it is really required as creative work demands freedom and room to explore. Project expectations include project objectives, measures of success, deadlines, necessary materials, project budget, changes in the scope of work, priorities, and deliverables. Therefore, make sure the freelancer is aware of both the initial project expectations and any later adjustments.
3. Use digital tools more
Digital technologies have made a lot of changes in the working environment too, in the positive direction.So consider integrating digital tools into your freelance projects as working in a remote team of freelancers requires effective communication and teamwork, which is why these tools are so crucial. Consider using project management apps and platforms for effective communication. Find clever solutions to make teamwork simpler and more enjoyable.
When you have to connect with freelancers using several platforms and applications, such as email, Slack, Google Drive, and others, managing them can become challenging. Consolidate your work in a single project management solution rather than dividing collaboration over several apps. In this way, your freelancers will always have a single source of information regarding projects and tasks.
Conclusion
Freelance working management requires so much time, tools, communication and clear expectations. Things will go much more smoothly if you become organized, pick the right freelancers for your team, and be clear about how you will work together. In the end, streamlining your management of freelancers may need work and planning, but it will ensure that you receive a valued and skilled addition to your regular staff, which will help your company achieve high project quality.
