Apparently, ‘by 2020 half of us will be working in the gig economy!’
While there is some debate over the definition of the ‘gig’ economy, the number of freelancers is undeniably increasing 📈 and according to the IPSE, there are around 1.6 million in the UK. So we reckon it’s time to starting thinking about gifts for freelancers.
Like a lot of startups in the UK, freelancers make up an important part of Huggg’s team.
From Lily, a talented copywriter (no, she didn’t write this) to Dahlia our driven Partnerships Consultant and Justin, our number-crunching BI Engineer, Huggg would not be the company it is without them.
For me, there are some clear benefits to hiring freelancers:
It gives me the flexibility to expand and contract the team
It reduces overheads, as they often work from home
I can hire highly skilled individuals with specific skills for a particular job before we would need that role all year round
They tend to be highly motivated to perform an excellent job
They are accustomed to working solo and having to be impactful quickly, so less time passes before they contribute to the bottom line.
The benefits work both ways. While I’ve never done freelance work, the work style seems appealing. It offers a flexible schedule that many people desire, whether that’s to look after children, pursue their own interests, or to work remotely.
On the flip side, freelancing can be lonely, the work/life balance can become a myth, and doing self-assessment tax returns sucks! 😵
At Huggg, we think it’s important to support our freelancers throughout their time with us.
How do we do this? It’s simple – we consider them to be one of us! 😱 Sounds obvious… but it’s not as common as you’d think. In many companies, you’ll still find a divisive ‘us’ and ‘them’ culture.
Here are a few things that we do at Huggg to help our freelancers:
Welcome them 👋
Give them the same onboarding experience you’d give permanent staff.
Include them 👐
Invite them to company meetings, it’s important they know what is happening
Don’t restrict their access to communication channels simply based on whether they’re freelancers or permanent staff
Invite them to socials. No one likes to be left out.
Appreciate them 🙏
Celebrate their achievements, with a private and /or public ‘thanks’ or ‘great job.’
And obviously… we send them treats, too (unless they’re in a country we can’t cover… yet ✈️). Gifts for freelancers are a sure-fire way to ensure our freelance stars feel valued and a part of the Huggg team.
Why do we do this? It’s a no-brainer. We want a supportive environment, where everyone can do their best work and care about Huggg as much as we do.
And I think it’s working… as 75% of our freelance staff have gone on to become permanent members of Team Huggg.
If you’re interested in finding out how to send gifts for freelancers this National Freelancer Day, book an appointment to talk it out or create a free account to get started now.
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