In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the labor market was extremely unpredictable. Many Americans had concerns about job security and those feelings were validated by the millions of employees who lost their jobs in 2020. For those fortunate enough to maintain their employment status, the day-to-day structure of a typical workday was still forever changed.
Many had to adjust to a work-from-home schedule, which quickly became a preferred alternative. Employees were beginning to realize they didn’t need an office or set hourly schedule to successfully execute assignments associated with their job title. This prompted many corporate employees to make the switch to full-time freelancers, including workers who had been previously laid off.
Most business owners are used to working only with full-time employees, however, there are many benefits to outsourcing work to a freelancer. Dakota Burford, owner of Luxvoni Marketing, has seen first-hand how onboarding contractors positively affects overall business growth and is an advocate of this hiring practice. He operates a premier marketing agency in Las Vegas, Nevada and in addition to helping clients boost revenue with the use of sales funnels, Burford actively helps his clients build out robust freelance teams.
“In business, there is this unspoken expectation that in order to successfully scale operations, you must hire full-time employees,” says Burford. “While this has proven to work in many circumstances, countless business owners aren’t aware that there’s a more efficient, specialized approach to building a team and that is by outsourcing work to freelancers.”
TARGETED EXPERTISE
Burford’s main reason for electing to hire freelancers is the fact that they are highly skilled and well-rounded. Whether a graphic designer, copywriter, online business manager, or launch strategist, freelancers spend years perfecting their craft. This targeted experience makes them an immediate value add for any project within their niche.
FLEXIBILITY
For a service provider looking to launch a course or a business that is seasonal in nature, freelancers offer much needed flexibility. When a full-time employee is onboarded, it’s with the expectation of long-term job security. However, for a business that only needs help for a few months or for a specific initiative, this wouldn’t be ideal. Freelancers are typically contracted for a set project, number of deliverables, or hours.
LOWER COST
Business owners know all too well the costs associated with having employees. From salary, paid time-off, taxes, and health benefits, full-time help can get pricey.
“Saving time and money should be a priority for all business owners and hiring freelancers can help achieve that in the long-run,” says Burford.
Hiring a freelancer eliminates a majority of these costs, as they are responsible for their own taxes and insurance. Additionally, freelancers mostly work from home and don’t require an employer’s dedicated office space.
As hiring practices continue to shift, as a result of the pandemic, it’s likely that the use of freelancers will increase.
