It’s a term that every business owner has debates about, outsourcing comes with many different opinions. There are some that feel that outsourcing is a positive thing, as you can get tasks done quickly and with a minimum of fuss, and then there are those that think outsourcing is a dirty word, a posh term for hiring cheap labor over honest, hard-working individuals who look for permanent employment. Whatever your opinion on it, outsourcing is here to stay, and with the option of freedom in choosing your jobs, it is a very popular option for the day-to-day freelancer. Before you decide to hire one, have a look at the pros and cons and see if it is a suitable option for you.
Pro: The Relationships Are “From A Distance”
A great thing about delegating work to a freelancer is that you don’t need to get personal. You are hiring them for a basic task, or a more complex task that they are specialists in, and so all you need to do is assign the task with all the relevant information, such as deadlines, etc., and expect them to get on with it. You don’t need to build a relationship that stands the test of time, and that leaves you to get on with running your business.
Con: Communication Breakdowns Are Common
If you are looking for a freelancer to complete a niche project and you’ve found one, but they live on the other side of the planet, that can make for many problems contacting and liaising properly. Emails are good to a certain extent, but if you need to touch base at least two to three times a day, it can be a bit on the difficult side as far as logistics are concerned.
Pro: The Freelancer Contracts Make For An Easier Hiring And Firing Process
Removing someone from a project without going through the rigmarole of warnings like in a standard employment contract makes for a much easier transition if someone is not a good fit. For example, if your business has acquired human resources management software and so the admin tasks you had originally outsourced to a contractor is now not necessary. Due to the nature of freelance projects, it is not taken as personally as the contractor knows what they are in for because of the nature of freelance work.
Con: Overseeing The Operation Is More Difficult
In a personal office environment, you can talk and develop a relationship, and you can keep your eye on them a lot easier. Without the close proximity of your contractors, you are putting a lot of trust in someone you do not know very well. So you need to be sure that the person is the right fit for the job and you need to be setting more deadlines throughout the process to ensure that they will deliver the project in on time.
Pro: You (Technically) Have A 24-Hour Business
Having people work in another time zone for you can mean that they may be able to deliver a project for you while you sleep! Now that is very productive!
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