Maximising freelancer performance: 3 tips for IT management.
By Wietse Boersma, Recruiter.
This post first appeared on LinkedIn on the 31st of July 2020.
Hiring a freelance software developer is a premium investment -- albeit, possibly, a very worthwhile one. It only makes sense for the organisation to want to capitalise maximally on said investment -- to take full advantage of the depth and variety in experience that freelancers often have.
Hiring a freelance software developer is a premium investment -- albeit, possibly, a very worthwhile one. It only makes sense for the organisation to want to capitalise maximally on said investment -- to take full advantage of the depth and variety in experience that freelancers often have.
Here’s some primo tips for IT management, based on experience with freelance devs ‘in the field’, to stimulate tech freelancers to contribute, and commit, to a project team optimally.
Trust, freedom & flexibility
In order for the freelance software developer to truly shine, he or she needs to feel trusted as an equal team member. Freelancers are particularly adept in providing unique points of view ergo problem solving because of their varied experience. It is therefore important that they are given responsibility and are involved in decision making. Give your freelancers the same voice as the rest of your team, and take their advice seriously. They may, and should, provide valuable insight and perspective.
What’s more, freelancers are freelancers because they excel when given autonomy and freedom. Software developers are uniquely talented, intelligent individuals. They should therefore not be constrained by bureaucracy; manage the process, coach the person! Reduce mandatory meetings (perhaps you should in general), allow flexible working hours, working from home and, if you can, provide flexibility with regards to tooling and systems.
Engage frequently though sincerely
Management can be unrealistically focussed on metrics and KPIs -- especially when freelancers are brought in to be five-legged unicorns. In order for someone to be engaged at work in any scenario, they need to feel supported, coached and provided with feedback. I wrote about this in my blog on the superhuman engineer paradox. Freelancers should be just as much a part of the team as anyone else. Periodical review, encouragement and heartfelt appreciation should be directed towards freelancers like anyone else.
Treat freelancers as if they were ‘your own’
I’ve heard many horror stories over the years about freelancers being left out of hackathons, company meetups, dinners, and even lunches. While not everyone may want to partake in these activities, it’s the thought (of the invitation) that counts, right? While I feel that treating the freelancer differently from your permanent employees is a questionable thing to do, from a human point of view, it is also a bad move business-wise.
Giving freelance team members a status aparte harms the freelancer’s commitment and company engagement big time. He or she may not admit it, but I doubt that people that feel left out will go above and beyond for the client. What’s more, separating a freelancer from the team, by the way you treat them, harms team integrity and cohesion -- ultimately negatively impacting performance. So don’t be cheap on the company dinners, and give the freelancer(s) the same coffee mug and hoodie that everyone else gets.
Curious about how we can help your organisation with maximising freelancer performance? Check it out here!
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