Putting together a successful and happy team of workers for your business can be a challenge simply because there are so many factors to consider. Not only do you need the right people for the job at hand, it’s essential to make sure they work well together and that you’re able to keep communication flowing, especially if they’re a remote team. In order to find the best freelancers—and keep them happy and productive—it’s crucial to use the most up-to-date tools available to you, as well as to create some guidelines for best practices when it comes to daily operations and leadership. Reducing inequalities, creating an inclusive and supportive environment, and increasing diversity within your company will go a long way toward helping you build the best possible team.
Here are a few tips from Zedtreeo on how to put together a stellar team of freelancers:
Cover the legalities
Before doing any hiring, make sure your business is protected and that all the legalities are covered by learning your responsibilities when it comes to hiring freelancers. You can also look into forming an LLC. A limited liability company receives tax benefits, has flexibility, and requires less paperwork than a corporation and will help you separate your personal and professional assets in order to keep your finances safe in the event of litigation. Different states have their own rules for forming an LLC, so read up on the steps and consider hiring a formation service to file the paperwork in order to save time and money.
You may have other legal needs as a business owner, but lack the resources or workload to employ an attorney full-time. As an alternative, Zedtreeo can connect you with a legal professional on a rolling monthly basis, ensuring that your business needs are met without committing yourself to major expenses.
Know what to look for
When putting together any kind of team, it’s crucial to know what to look for. Once your business is protected with the right structure, think about your needs carefully and put together a list of qualities you require in a freelance team. For most business owners, these qualities will include the ability to communicate effectively, manage time well, remain productive under a deadline or in an environment that contains distractions, and maintain a strong sense of responsibility. Most experienced freelancers have already developed these skills and understand the importance of being responsive and working in a team setting, so it’s a good idea to also take their previous jobs into consideration as you begin searching for candidates.
Put together the right tools
Having access to the right tools will make it much easier to communicate with your team members, as well as allow them to communicate with each other and keep everyone on the same page. These tools might include video conferencing resources, task managers, and software that allows everyone to share projects and documents. When it comes to sending images to a graphic designer or marketing pro, it’s a good idea to know how to convert a JPG image to PDF without decreasing the file’s quality. Using a converter will allow you to send multiple files at once in one PDF, so you can save time without compromising the image.
Another tool you’ll need is a means of invoicing, if not for billing clients then for keeping your own records. Before investing in invoicing software, check out what free options are available. For example, you can create customized invoices with an online tool for free. You can even include your own graphics, colors, and text as well. Once you have a design you like, simply download it to use as necessary.
Listen
While building communication between your team members is important, it’s also crucial to ensure that you’re making communication a priority by asking for and giving feedback, and listening to what your team members have to say. As a leader, it’s up to you to create an inclusive, healthy work environment that values each voice, so make sure your freelancers and full-time employees are being heard by holding frequent meetings. Show them you care about their well-being by cultivating a workplace that prioritizes wellness.
Bringing together a stellar freelance team from all over the world can take a little time, but by doing some research and utilizing tools that will make everyone’s job a little easier, you can maintain productivity and keep even a large group happy.
