The value of freelancers during the coronavirus outbreak

Article written by Paris Taylor, Head of X4 Communications.

With COVID-19 having a huge impact on businesses all over the world, business owners are having to quickly adapt and make difficult decisions to keep their businesses running.

Freelancers and contractors are already a huge part of the business landscape, and in the current climate may be the answer to some of the challenge’s businesses face. For businesses not looking to make permanent hires right now, there are currently 5 million freelancers in the UK offering much needed flexibility.

If a workforce is furloughed and unable to work, turning to a workforce that thrives on its ability to operate remotely could be one way to weather the storm. I have been connecting businesses with freelancers for 3+ years and often have discussions with the candidates I place about the assumption that homebased workers are less productive. This assumption I believe will dramatically change as the majority of workers and business owners experience this way of working for themselves.

Benefits of hiring a freelancer

Around 75% of the medical writers I place, worked remotely before the covid-19 outbreak and so, are well adapted to new and changing working circumstances. Freelancers are familiar assisting with the immediate completion of projects without the need of a formal introduction or on boarding process, offering a great alternative to a permanent hire.

I am lucky to have built a fantastic network of freelancers in the healthcare communications sector, so am able to react quickly and find suitable candidates in just a few hours, speak with them, and then set my client up with an introduction phone call. The process is much quicker than a permanent hire and they are usually available to start within a day or two.

For projects with an unclear finish date, freelancers can be a more cost-effective option as you are not paying a full-time salary or having to account for holiday and additional benefits. The 1-year delay to the IR35 reforms has also given businesses much needed flexibility to be able to adapt to demand in an uncertain market.

How X4 Communications can help

The list of positions that can be covered by freelancers is extensive and ever-growing. We specialise in placing medical writers, account managers, associate directors, SEO specialists, and many more key positions across a multitude on industries.

We are here to support your contract and freelance hiring needs during this time, and have a vast network of skilled professionals available at short notice to support any planned or unforeseen business needs.

If you are a business and would like to discuss hiring freelance, please feel free to get in touch by emailing p.taylor@x4communications.co.uk.