What drives us as an entrepreneur, apart from the fear of failure is the financial aspects of our business. Unfortunately, we always have to keep an eye on the finances whenever we are heading into new territory, or merely expanding on our current operation. Naturally, we develop a sixth sense when it comes to finding the best ways to cut down on unnecessary outgoings. Hiring freelancers is one of the best approaches any burgeoning business can take. But, it’s important to think about what your freelancers need from you, as well as what you need from them…
Setting Out The Task At Hand
The objectives are vital to ensuring a symbiotic relationship with a freelancer. You need to set out clearly what you need from them, and as a result, they will respect your needs. It’s important to remember that, despite the fact you are laying out clear objections, they will need to complete the work in their own unique way. This is a very important thing to consider with regards to the differences between full-time employees and freelancers. Whatever the approach, your goal is to ensure they deliver the final product. But when you are setting out the task at hand, there are things you should lay clear in the contract, such as if they need to be available during specific working hours.
How You Are Going To Pay Them (And How Much?)
This a very sticky issue. Remember, if you don’t pay them enough for the job they are doing, especially when you promise a certain amount, there can be numerous sticky issues further down the line. However, there are legal professionals you can rely on, and that your employees can rely on, to ensure that everybody is happy in a financial sense. Ultimately, you need to decide before any work is done, what their fee is, and how it is going to be paid. For example, are they going to receive commission?
The Intellectual Property Rights
One of the biggest legal issues when it comes to hiring a freelancer is the intellectual property rights. When you hire an employee full-time, the intellectual property is yours. However, when you hire a freelancer, they own everything that they create, and so, if you want to ensure that you own this intellectual property, you have to put this in the contract at the very outset. This is a very important thing to establish before any work is done, because if the freelancer is unhappy with the circumstances in which they are working, they could easily leave you in the lurch, and take their creations with them.
Ultimately, when you are hiring a freelancer, you have to give them the respect that they deserve. So many freelancers don’t feel respected, because they are a hired gun. But if you are looking to develop long-term relationships with specific freelancers, it’s important to give them the respect that they need. But at the same time, you need to ensure that you are covering your back. This is why preparation is always the best course of action before hiring any freelancer.
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