We all know it requires skills to get the best out of the freelancer because of the privilege of working from home. There are different factors to be considered for smooth management between you and the freelancer. Depending upon your organization, different ways would work for different clients. But, there are some basic rules which remain the same across the globe. The question arises, how do I treat the hired freelancer to get the maximum out of them? The answer is simple: “Treat them well, just like you would treat any other team member”. It is very important to consider and understand that the feeling is mutual for both the clients and the freelancers when approached for the first time. Think like a freelancer to know them better. That’s how you’ll be able to get the most out of them. Without wasting a minute, let’s take a sneak peek into the freelancer's mind. <h2>Treat them Fair</h2> Currently, if you’re thinking that you are paying for a freelancer’s skills and time, then “why worry about all this? Freelancer is anyway working from home”. You need to stop thinking about this right away because just the invoice at the end of the month won’t get you good results. When you approach a talent for the first time, just like you the freelancer is also thinking <ul><li>How is the client?</li><li>Will I get paid fair?</li><li>How would the client treat me?</li></ul> Yes, it matters! It's a simple rule of business, when an employee or freelancer feels valued they work harder, efficiently, and deliver the best quality work. Moreover, you’ll notice more interaction and pro-activeness from their side. After all, that’s what the businesses want. Working from home can become more demanding at times. Hence, it is strongly recommended to schedule a virtual meeting as an initial introduction. Also, try to make casual conversations where you discuss their interests and hobbies outside work. Once you remember they’re humans too, it would be easy for you to treat them well with respect. <h2>Respect their Time</h2> Unlike full-time employment, freelancers are free to take up multiple projects. Of course, freelancers with the right attitude would know how much they can manage and will always communicate the same to the clients. In such cases, clients should ensure that in the first meeting they talk about their availability and how frequently they would like to connect for an update. Let them know the best way to reach out to you because of different time zones. Understanding their working style will help complete the project seamlessly. <h2>Discuss Timelines</h2> The timely delivery of the project is considered to be one of the criteria of a successful project. Make sure you set the timelines and communicate them with the freelancer. With no deadlines, it would be hard for the freelancer to set the priorities and manage the time accordingly. <h2>Clear Requirements</h2> There are certain pointers to keep in mind when you work with a freelancer. Sometimes, projects fail miserably due to ambiguous requirements which makes it more important for the clients to have clarity on expected deliverables. In freelancing, it becomes more crucial because you aren’t meeting in-person daily or having frequent sprints as with an employee. A better way to make this structured would be to document the requirements and sign off on them. This would help the freelancer to have a clear idea as well as come up with questions in advance before starting the project. In this way, you’ll be able to get the maximum value from freelancers. <h2>Talk About Your Mistakes and Success Stories</h2> Tell them about your concerns and discuss how they can help you prevent those. You should also tell them your experience with previous successful freelancers you’ve worked with. Making these discussions would enable the freelancers to understand your expectations and follow best practices. <h2>Don’t Hesitate To Ask Them What Can You Offer Them</h2> This is a part of building trust and a relationship with the freelancer. Let them know you want to help them to get the best out of them. Based on the project, do they think they need more resources or is the timeline realistic or do they just like to work by themself? Understand their style of working and come to terms with it. <h2>Listen to Freelancers’ Feedback</h2> As you spoke about your success stories and failures, give them a chance to share their stories with you. What worked better and what went wrong. If something went wrong, how did they address the challenges? <h2>Smooth Onboarding</h2> Freelancers know their job but you can help to do it effectively. Plan the onboarding process well to minimize any further gaps which would delay your project. Tell them what phases are completed. For example, a freelance developer should know the design is ready and they can refer to the wireframe to start building a website. The onboarding process would include signing a contract, setting up their account in collaborative tools you use, or introducing them to the team members so that they know whom to reach out to for specific tasks. <h2>Offer Fair Pay</h2> When there is fair negotiation, encourage two-way communication. Value the freelancer’s skills and agree to pay them accordingly. This will have a positive impact on the freelancer as they will know in the first meeting itself that they are working with genuine clients. It will also help them to get rid of the fear that they won’t be asked to work for free in the future. <h2>New Contract for Scope Creep</h2> If requirements are clear, then scope creep can be avoided. However, it is still a project and might need changes. You must make it clear to the hired freelancer that in case there is any change in requirements, that will be treated as a separate project with additional payment. It's different when you work with freelancers because of the flexibility they have, not being able to meet the freelancer in person, and having the freedom of working on multiple projects at the same time. In addition, clients should consider that they do not have the kind of benefits like the employees have. Therefore, it becomes the client's responsibility to make the freelancer believe in them and treat them with respect. No matter how high you pay them, freelancers’ won't choose to work with you if you have the wrong attitude and bad professional practices. That is why it is paramount to follow the above-mentioned simple rules to get the best out of freelancers.

We all know it requires skills to get the best out of the freelancer because of the privilege of working from home. There are different factors to be considered for smooth management between you and the freelancer. 

Follow this to make it easy with freelancers. Make them comfortable, conduct meetings and know their working style. After this, you have decoded freelancers.

Know the Freelancers Better | UpTecHunt