As the talent market is gaining more and more attention, your company might be thinking of hiring independent contractors. Like the employees of your company, freelancers also need to go through an onboarding process.
- What is onboarding?
- Why should I recruit a freelancer?
- Onboarding a freelancer – Steps, checklist, tips and best practices
- Tips and best practices for a better onboarding
- The dangers of improper offboarding
What is onboarding?
Onboarding refers to the systematic integration of new staff into a company – i.e. the “taking on board” of newly hired employees.
It is a concept from human resources management, and is one that uses measures designed to make it easier for employees to find their way “on board” the new company.
However, the technical familiarisation with the activities of the newcomer is not enough. Rather, onboarding includes the complete integration of the employee at all levels. That means tasks are defined, the company goals and philosophy are explained in detail and social contacts are made with colleagues.
Not only regular employees but also independent contractors and freelancers need to be onboarded.
Why should I recruit a freelancer?
The labour market has undergone important changes lately. The shortage of (local) talents, unfilled vacancies, inflation and the impact of Covid-19 have accelerated the acceptance of the freelance workforce.
According to the European Commission, the freelancer market has grown by 45% since 2000 and companies worldwide are demanding skilled professionals.
THE PROBLEM: Relying only on local, full-time employees is not a sustainable strategy anymore.
Not finding the right candidate can lead to an operation stop, an inability to meet the growing demand and potentially a loss of revenue.
That’s why hiring a freelancer can be THE SOLUTION:
- You have access to a huge pool of talented people from all over the world ready to jump into new projects and you don’t have to rely only on local resources;
- Freelancers are real experts in their field and they help you cover skill gaps in your team and manage projects more efficiently;
- Freelancers can complete projects more swiftly and precisely because they concentrate on a single project at a time or work on smaller projects.
- You save money because you don’t need to offer high salaries and financial benefits like for full-time employees. Moreover, you will only pay for the work that your business needs;
- Freelancers have more flexible work schedules that can be based on the demands of a client, for example if you have a last-minute emergency to solve;
- Hiring a freelancer also reduces the risk of a company because you create a contract with certain deliverables before the final payment, preventing you from losing the initial onboarding investment in the event if the contractor decides to quit;
- You have more freedom because there is no long-term commitment with freelancers.
💡 According to a report prepared by PwC, 46% of professionals working in HR believe that at least 20% of the workforces at their respective companies will be made up of freelancers by the end of 2022.
Onboarding process – Steps, checklist, tips and best practices
#1 Importance of onboarding a freelancer
Everyone knows that hiring new employees takes time, money and commitment. It is therefore in every company’s best interest to retain good employees and avoid a high churn rate – which often depends very much on how well their onboarding was and how strong the social and emotional ties between employees and their workplace are.
A good onboarding strategy should not only integrate new employees with regard to their future tasks and responsibilities but also with regard to their integration into the team and the entire corporate culture.
This will make them feel welcomed, more involved and motivated, and they’ll be more productive and successful in the project.
An onboarding process also allows you to set clear expectations on both ends, which might save you problems and avoid misunderstandings later.
There are not many companies which have implemented a good and smooth freelance onboarding: This is your opportunity to stand out from your competitors!
Providing the freelancer with a first positive impression and experience will determine the rest of your collaboration.
Steps of an onboarding process + checklist
An onboarding process can be roughly divided into three phases. These are as follows:
#1 Phase 1: Preparation before starting work
The first phase of onboarding a freelancer involves doing some work before the actual process of onboarding begins. The processes involved in this phase include:
1) Creating a clear brief beforehand
Before working with a freelancer, it’s imperative that you create a solid, well-thought-out brief that includes everything like:
- Objectives
- Budgets
- Target audiences
- Time frame
- Relevant milestones and;
- Deadlines
In addition, when a freelancer takes on a position that did not exist before, there is often a reallocation of responsibilities. And so, as part of the onboarding process, you should check-in with existing employees to prevent any discord with the new freelancer.
All of this will ensure that both you and the freelancer are on the same page and will make the whole process as smooth as possible.
2) Provide all necessary information
The next step to the onboarding process is providing all the necessary information as soon as you can. This may include the following:
- Clarifying access rights
- Providing the freelancer with a detailed roadmap of the office
- Explaining expectations in detail
3) Explain the company culture
Another important step in the pre-onboarding phase is explaining in detail to freelancers what the company culture is like.
Remember, a freelancer starting work isn’t familiar with the way of things and so to ensure a smooth onboarding process, it’s important to share as much relevant background information as you can.
4) Get existing employees involved
As mentioned above, existing employees that are involved in the onboarding process should be provided with the information they need in advance and should be made aware of their respective responsibilities.
5) Have a workplace ready (if on-site)
In order to save time and resources and if the newcomer is going to work on-site, it’s important that you set up a fully functional workplace before the freelancer’s first day at work. Doing so will cost you a considerable amount of time and should therefore be prepared at an early stage.
For example, the freelancer should have access to a computer, passwords, invitations to use certain tools, and anything you can think of that is relevant to the project in question.
6) Restructure any upcoming appointments
If a freelancer is part of a project involving other team members, make sure to include their name to any upcoming appointments and meetings – both in your own and other departments.
7) Organise training
If there are specific programs or devices that a freelancer has to use in order to get the project done, consider organising a training session before the work starts.
Though freelancers are experts in their field, your company may have a specific custom program or a way of doing things that will need to be explained.
8) Have a welcome present ready
This one is of course optional but it sets the whole process of onboarding up to be a success. A day or two before the freelancer’s first day at work, consider getting them a small gift to get them started in the new work environment.
Maybe the freelancer told you he loved plants in one of your interviews? Why don’t getting them one on their desk?
💡 Consider having a quick welcoming program to share the bare essentials with a new freelancer.
#2 Phase 2: Steps to take during the onboarding process
Phase 2 of onboarding a freelancer includes all the steps you need to take during the first few days of the process. These are as follows:
1) Explain the onboarding process
A great way to start this second phase of the onboarding process is by making sure the freelancer is aware of what is to come in the next few days or weeks.
Keep it simple – you don’t want to overwhelm them with a ton of verbal explanation. The best way to do this would be to create a simple written process.
2) Discuss expectations
You’ve already explained the position to the freelancer but it’s worth it to let them know again what to expect. The freelancer in turn should also be able to properly state their opinions over the upcoming weeks. This will help you avoid misunderstandings from the start and foster a nice work environment.
3) Assign tasks for the first few days
When a freelancer gets onboarded, they should immediately be assigned work so as to get them to be enthusiastic about the company and project from the start.
4) Explain legal procedures and processes
If there are legal precedents that are relevant to the work of the freelancer, they must be explained beforehand. They should also be read carefully by the freelancer and signed before certain activities can be carried out.
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5) Give them a tour (if on-site)
As stated above, preparing the physical workspace of the freelancer is important and so is giving them a clear picture of what the company’s floor plan is. In order to give them this picture, it’s important that you give them a tour of all the departments in the company.
It’s a good time to see some faces in the company and maybe get some introductions done, too.
6) Reiterate company values
Remind freelancers once again of company values. This is an especially important step in the onboarding process because most likely than not, a freelancer comes from a different environment – one more private.
💡 Pay attention to smaller details like breaks, lunch hours, flexible working hours, etc. Make sure you explain the values that apply equally to everyone.
7) Clarify goals and strategies
Just like a company’s values, it is crucial that you explain to the freelancer again what the goals and strategies of the project they are involved in are and why exactly is their support necessary.
Treat freelancers like a part of the team.
#3 Phase 3: Post-onboarding strategies
Onboarding doesn’t stop after a freelancer has officially joined the team! There are a few steps you need to take even after a freelancer has been onboarded. These are as follows:
1) Get feedback
Consult your new freelancer for feedback and suggestions. What did they see during the first week of their journey?
Obtain both positive and negative feedback. This will help you improve your onboarding process.
2) Provide any follow-up information
During the first week, a freelancer has to process a lot of information. It’s therefore in your best interest to give them information piece by piece and not all at once.
By the end of the first week, they should know and have everything they need to get their work done. This means, for example, holiday regulations, working hours, etc.
3) Check in regularly
The final step in the onboarding process is for you to conduct regular check-ins with the freelancer – especially if the project is going to take a long time. Once the project has begun, ask them how it’s going and if they have any more questions.
✅ We’ve prepared a checklist for you to make your onboarding process easier than ever.
Tips and best practices for a better onboarding
Here are our top tips and best practices for bringing on new freelancing team members in a way that benefits both your team and our clients:
#1 Create an onboarding concept board
One of the best things that you can do for a successful onboarding is to create an onboarding concept board that includes the different tasks in the three onboarding phases and records which internal departments are responsible for the upcoming tasks and when.
#2 Offer the same process to employees and freelancers
Freelancers and other team members will work hand in hand so offering the exact same onboarding process (if possible) will assure a good fit for both parties – besides letting you save time!
#3 Provide resources and support
Assigning a coach to guide new comers through their first project and to check in on a regular basis is a great solution, especially if you are onboarding a talent working 100% remote.
Also, make use of technology! Provide links to systems, tools, and templates they may need and set up a chat channel like Slack, Skype or Teams to simplify communication.
#4 Clarify expectations
Like mentioned above, setting clear expectations will benefit both parties. This includes for example the way of communication and with which frequency the freelancer will need to give updates.
Clarify the responsibilities and lead times in advance (and realistically). This applies to everything from the provision of time and access cards, employee ID cards to the creation of a personnel file.
#5 Make them feel welcome
Last but not least, make the freelancer feel welcome by helping them integrate into the employee workforce. There’s nothing worse than eating lunch alone in the first week of work! Make sure that your team includes the freelancer at lunchtime and that a feeling of togetherness develops away from the desk as well.
💡 Time is money for a freelancer, so try to keep the onboarding process as simple and short as possible.
The dangers of improper offboarding
Freelancers who have been part of a project for a while deserve a smooth, respectful and dignified offboarding process.
Freelancers and employees take away personal feelings from the separation of a company, which they will most likely communicate later – in their private lives, but also in business networks, personal discussions within the industry or on employer rating portals.
Negative descriptions therefore have a high viral explosive power that may damage the overall perception of a company. As a result, future recruitment of the company may suffer.
There is also a matter of employees within the company. Existing employees take note of how a company shows appreciation for soon-to-be ex-colleagues when they are no longer needed. These impressions can quickly spread to even the most remote branch of the company.
Finally, there are ethical and practical aspects. Every company has a great social responsibility. Offboarding is one way to set an example. A separation in strife also often means legal disputes. This costs time and money, ties up personnel capacities and can ultimately damage a company’s image.
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