The interconnected world and the advances in information technology provide great opportunities to build remote teams these days. Businesses are constantly looking for ways to stand out from their competition and outsourcing provides numerous benefits which can make the difference to achieve the competitive advantage that your company needs. Outsourcing allows you to choose from a larger talent pool from across the world where freelancers are more affordable, allowing you to get the expertise you need at a competitive price.
However, finding and managing the right people for a position might be challenging. In order to help you to create, manage and build successful relationships with your remote team of freelancers, we have collated a list with several tips, tools, and websites which will help you to find the right talent for your business.
Where to hire remote freelancers
There are many websites where you can find talent. Here, we have listed our top 5 with their advantages and disadvantages.
1. Upwork
Previously known as Elance-oDesk, Upwork has a huge pool of freelancers divided into many categories. This platform provides a comprehensive system to find, interview, hire and pay for talent.
It also offers a matchmaking service between freelancers and employers, an online working space for communication and, it also has an app which helps to facilitate much of the logistics.
In order to get the most out of this platform, you need to be ready to invest time to find the most qualified freelancers. You will need to clearly describe your project and allow some time for interviews and follow-up questions. Upwork provides a good framework to help you find the right talent but you should also bear in mind the human touch before making your decision.
For more advanced users, Upwork offers a paid-for-premium option for account management and job search assistance.
2. Peopleperhour
Launched in 2007, Peopleperhour is a platform that focuses on the hiring speed and the customized profiles of the freelancers. With Peopleperhour you can choose between immediate hires, known as “Hourlies” on the site, to longer projects through job proposals. The emphasis of this platform is on quick hires for one-off jobs.
If you are looking for some quick work, Peopleperhour is a good choice. You can find thousands of freelancers who are offering services for set rates in lots of fields. You can filter your search by category and you can also review and ‘favorite’ the profiles you like.
An Enterprise version is also offered on Peopleperhour, ideal for account management services if you are looking for a high volume of freelance work.
3. Freelancemyway.com
Another option is Freelancemyway, which offers you a straightforward process. You can post jobs for free on the site and freelancers will send you their personalised bids that you can choose from. Freelancemyway screens freelancers through a basic application process. You will have to check their profiles out and previous work to determine if they meet your job criteria.
Freelancemyway’s focus is on the simplicity of matching freelancers to jobs so you won’t find many advanced features. This is the platform for you if you’re more comfortable with a basic approach. But you might need extra support in managing your freelancers.
Tools to help you to manage your remote team
To increase productivity for your team, you’ll need to integrate tools that will streamline processes. You have a team in place now; here are 5 tools that will help you to manage and communicate with your remote team.
1. Brosix Instant Messenger
Communication with your remote team is essential for good performance. With Brosix Instant Messenger, you can set up your own private instant messaging network which has lots of collaborative features for smooth and effective communication with your freelancers. This tool allows you to send and receive files, hold group chats, and brainstorm to share ideas using features like virtual whiteboards and screen sharing.
2. Time Doctor
Time management is essential for your business and Time Doctor is a useful tool if you have freelancers working for an hourly rate. It gives you breakdowns on how much time is spent on any given task. And, it tracks activity with regular screenshots which you can customize.
3. Team Viewer
When working with freelancers, you will need to share your files and key documents with them. Team Viewer is a computer software package that focuses on desktop sharing, remote control and file sharing. It also offers conference calling services.
4. Screencast-o-Matic
Explaining your instructions is a key step for your work success. Screencast-o-Matic offers a screen and webcam recording program which allows you to tape instructions for your freelancers in a video format so that they can refer to your guidelines whenever they need them.
5. LastPass
In order to keep track of all your passwords, LastPass is the best tool. It works as a browser extension and mobile app that stores and manages your passwords. So, you can create one master password that will give you access to all your accounts. This tool will also increase your online security.
What do experts say?
Mario Peshev – CEO of DevriX
“Freelancers are a clever investment from a business point of view. A company can utilize the skills of an expert without committing to a huge paycheck. The benefits are also considerable for jobs such as content writing or development.
You can reach out to your local network to find freelancers, ask for it on your social media channels, go to a meetup, or use the services of networks like Upwork or Peopleperhour. There are also niche freelance networks and communities with lots of different skills. For example, Copyblogger is where writers hang out, Codeable and Toptal are for the tech wizards, Dribbble or Behance are more for design-oriented professionals”
In conclusion
The global marketplace provides various opportunities to source talent from around the world. This will save you money and will boost your business productivity.
Finding, hiring, motivating and managing remote teams might be challenging, but not an impossible one. By using the tools recommended above and taking advice from others who have worked with freelancers before, you will avoid common mistakes. The market for freelancers is bigger than ever before and it’s up to you to take advantage of it!
