Freelance Economy Growing as Employees Look for Flexibility, Work-Life Balance
January 12 2016 - 7:00AM
Business Wire
Staples Advantage Provides Tips to Help
Businesses Prepare for Freelancers
The freelance economy is growing rapidly, a trend with
significant implications for the workplace. Nearly one in four
employees freelance in some capacity, according to the Staples
Advantage Workplace Index, a recent study of office workers in the
U.S. conducted by the business-to-business division of Staples.
Overall, twelve percent of employees work as freelancers as
their primary source of income, and the same percentage freelance
in addition to their primary job.
“For businesses, augmenting staff with temporary, contract
workers is not new,” said Neil Ringel, executive vice president,
Staples Advantage. “While the organized online marketplace makes it
easier to tap into a pool of skilled workers, businesses need to
pay attention to the needs and expectations of freelancers and
independent contractors as they can be quite different.”
Benefits for Freelancers and Businesses
Employees freelance for a variety of reasons, including the
flexibility to make their own hours (37 percent), make more money
(39 percent), and achieve a work-life balance (32 percent).
Businesses also benefit from this arrangement by getting access to
highly skilled workers they need for special projects.
“The freelance economy is a win-win for people who have a desire
to work on their own time and companies who want to streamline
in-house operations,” said Pat Griffin, enterprise account
executive at HourlyNerd, a company that connects businesses who
need help with a project with an expert who can do the job. “With
smart, collaborative technology becoming more mainstream, the
freelance economy enables businesses to redefine their workplace
strategy making the physical workspace more effective by
establishing efficient team structures and collaboration
models.”
Staples serves the freelance community, including businesses,
with technology products, a business relevant assortment and
critical print and marketing services that can be obtained in
store, online or through stapleadvantage.com.
Considerations for Businesses Hiring Freelancers
Freelance workers need temporary access to IT services and
equipment, designated desks/workspaces, open communication with
coworkers, and necessary supplies for projects. Additionally,
businesses should take the following points into consideration:
- Aligning on a workforce
strategy. Human resources and procurement officers need to
develop a strategy that balances efficiency, effectiveness, and
risk when vetting, managing, and compensating freelancers and
contract workers in line with the market.
- Finding the right mix of
face-to-face interaction. Most freelance work should involve
some sort of face-to-face interaction, whether the freelancer sits
in the office for the duration of the project or has a mix of
virtual and in-person work.
- Providing necessary technology and
accommodating personal mobile devices. Businesses should ensure
extra equipment such as laptops, docking stations, and monitors are
available so freelancers can plug in and get to work without delay.
IT departments should also be prepared to incorporate personal
mobile technology into their mobile device management service as
appropriate.
- Considering safety concerns.
When new freelance employees enter the building, facility managers
must provide the necessary safety trainings, such as the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration Right to Know
standard.
- Managing expenses for supplies.
In some cases, freelancers or contract workers may use their own
office supplies and charge it back to the company as an expense,
which means negotiated cost savings with office supply providers
can be lost. Procurement officers should ensure freelancers and
contract workers use company bill codes when acquiring supplies to
get company discounts.
Resources:
- Follow Staples Advantage on Twitter
@StaplesB2B to learn more about the Staples Advantage Workplace
Index.
- Visit the Staples Advantage Workplace
Index microsite to download the full report.
About Staples Advantage
Staples Advantage, the business-to-business division of Staples,
Inc. (Nasdaq: SPLS), serves organizations of 10 or more employees
up to the Fortune 1000, helping them make more happen with more
products, greater cost savings and improved ordering efficiencies.
Staples Advantage provides its customers, including global
businesses, local, state and federal government, healthcare
organizations and educational institutions, with a one source
solution featuring comprehensive products and services like office
supplies, technology, printing, promotional products, furniture and
facility supplies, along with a customized level of account support
and best-in-class customer service. More information is available
at www.staplesadvantage.com.
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160112005016/en/
Staples, Inc.Shweta Agarwal,
508-253-8249shweta.agarwal@staples.com
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