 At the end of the ‘90’s the air was thick with revolution. Offices, newspapers and gastropubs across the land were alive with rumours that the end of the workplace as we knew it was nigh. With just a mobile phone and a laptop, people could now work from anywhere at anytime. For some, tomorrow’s working world was a freelancer’s haven. To others, it was all hype. Whichever way you look at it, however, today one UK worker in seven is self-employed. They include some of the country’s most experienced and talented workers and this highly skilled, highly mobile and flexible 21st century workforce is growing fast. It is a trend that looks set to continue.
According to research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), 85% of organisations experienceresourcing difficulties. Talent on Tap: Getting the best from freelancers, interims and consultants, by Emma Brierley, aims to help organisations take advantage of a skilled, flexible and highly focused freelance talent pool, rather than just using it as a recruitment plug.
Talent on Tap - getting the best from freelancers, interims and consultants, gives a fresh perspective on the positive aspects of using freelancers, interims and consultants and gives readers and organisations advice on how best to access and use specialist skills in a tight labour market and how to manage a flexible workforce successfully. The book provides a comprehensive look at how organisations can build and manage productive, long-term relationships with the best freelance consultants even when their skills are in high demand. “One thing that is very apparent is the lack of understanding among organisations in terms of how to get the best from freelance consultants" says Emma, "some believe that freelance consultants should be totally self-sufficient and require no direction at all. Moreover companies often call upon freelancers in times of corporate pressure. Irreversible structural, social and economic trends mean that freelance consultancy is here to stay and is the principle route to the best talent. It is important that businesses adapt to this shift and officially acknowledge the positives that freelancers can bring to their organisation and write them into their HR strategy. “
Successful freelance consultants usually demonstrate a combination of the following qualities:
- Motivated - they know that they are only as good as their last assignment
- Organised - they are accomplished at prioritising objectives, managing time and setting limits. They regard pressure as an occupational hazard and often find themselves pulled in conflicting directions by different clients and different parts of their organisation
- Assertive - the most effective freelancers are often the most assertive, and assertiveness is essential if they are to stay focused on your objectives and timescales
- Confident - by definition, freelance consulting is less secure than permanent employment. Successful freelance consultants are not distracted by uncertainty. In fact, most thrive on it
- Questioning - the best freelance consultants are not afraid to ask questions, especially if they are obvious or awkward. Curiosity is necessary to ensure they really understand the brief
- Credible - good freelance consultants have a track-record of delivering results
- Flexible - the ability to adapt to new cultures, people and assignments is an essential freelancing skill. Freelance consultants who can’t adapt don’t survive very long
- Self-disciplined - achieving results without being micro-managed is fundamental to being a successful freelance consultant
- Objective - a freelance consultant’s objectivity can add significant value to the way an organisation operates
Correctly managed, freelance consultants can deliver the levels of speed, skill and flexibility that are essential to an organisation’s capacity to function in a faster, more fragmented and less predictable environment.
Circumstances that favour the use of freelance consultants include when:
- you require specialist skills
- change becomes a constant
- your organisation is growing
- you would prefer to try before you buy
- you require extended cover
- you need to handle peaks and troughs
- you are facing a skills shortage
- increasing your permanent headcount becomes an issue
- you require an injection of new ideas and approaches
- you have a crisis to manage
“Ultimately, the key message I have tried to convey in the book is that time spent up front setting the relationship and management framework will produce huge dividends later" adds Emma,"if you recognise the benefits of using freelancers, then your organisation needs to embrace some of the concepts required to create a freelance-friendly culture.”
Talent on Tap gives practical advice on a wide-range of issues including:
•The business case for using freelance consultants
•Understanding the legal framework
•How to select, motivate and reward freelance consultants
•How to measure and manage performance
The book also includes case studies from organisations that have been hiring freelance consultants over many years, as well as views from freelance consultants themselves.
Talent on Tap - getting the best from freelancers, interims and consultants (ISBN 1843981408, price £24.99) is published by the CIPD - you can purchase a copy here.
Emma Brierley is CEO and founder of Xchangeteam, which offers both freelance and permanent resourcing in communications & PR, marketing, events, design, advertising, media, digital and editorial. She writes and speaks regularly about freelance issues, HR and recruitment trends. A finalist in the Ernst & Young London Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2006, she is currently chair of the REC’s Media, Marketing and Communications Sector Group which she was instrumental in founding.
Editor's Note: This is not only a very good read for HR Professionals looking to deploy and integrate freelancers into their organisational talent strategy, but also an essential read for those already operating (or intending to operate) as freelancers or interims. |
