But before we dive in, first things first: What even is a gig economy? Chances are, you’ve hired gig workers before. You guessed it: gig workers are employees who work freelance or are hired on a temporary basis to fulfill short-term contracts.
So why is it important to make your business stand out in a gig economy? Well, because, gig workers are now making up to 25% of the global economy and are expected to make 40% of it by 2025. 1 And it makes sense. With more social media outlets than ever, more diverse needs than ever, isn’t it sensible to temporarily hire freelancers who have spent their entire careers becoming experts in their field? In a market that depends more heavily than ever on temporary work to solve issues that may arise on a project-to-project basis, it is simply in your business’s best interest to be attractive to gig workers.
And how would you do that? Well, let’s get straight to it.
Prioritise talent attraction
Talent attraction is as important for temporary employees as it is for permanent ones. Check out some of our previous posts on talent attraction here and here. Though talent attraction does focus on some basic parameters like financial compensation, perks, the work environment, it is also worth keeping in mind that temporary employees might not always have the same needs as permanent employees. However, any talent hired into a company will have distinct wants from their career path, and a successful employee attraction/retention scheme should always take this into consideration when building employment opportunities that are customisable to talent’s individual desires.
Tailor job descriptions
In general, it is always a good idea to tailor job descriptions to the specific position and talent you are looking to attract. But this gains even more importance when you are writing job descriptions for freelance or temporary employees. There is a reason that gig workers choose to do what they do on their own terms – they aren’t always interested in a set way of doing things. So, in your job descriptions, highlight why this position would be a good fit for a gig worker. Skip the bit about the 401k, and instead mention the flexible work hours and the access to different office spaces. How much is hourly compensation? How would job objectives fit in with a freelancer’s lifestyle? You get the gist.
Make it worth their time
Financially, that is. Being a gig worker can hold many uncertainties and be a source of financial stress, so offering a solution to this is a great way to attract more freelance or temporary workers. How often do you pay your gig workers? Have you tried bringing this down to weekly or daily? Having a guaranteed, stable source of income immediately can make it easier for freelancers to decide to take a chance on your company. What about benefits and perks? Will you be giving them a laptop that you would like them to conduct the business on? What about a subscription to a gym, or a learning portal throughout the duration of their employment?
And finally, bonuses are always a great way to make freelance workers feel that they are part of the team while giving them fair compensation on the work that they have done. If permanent employees are rewarded for milestone achievements, why should temporary employees not be? Offering bonuses can also help encourage gig workers to feel more dedicated to the work they are undertaking, therefore increasing productivity levels.
Build a community
In which you, your permanent employees, and your gig workers will all be working towards a unified goal. Although freelancing comes with many freedoms, it can also be very isolating. So to a gig worker who has spent most of their career path going from workplace to workplace completing tasks on their own, becoming immersed in a sense of community can be a big source of comfort. By prioritising all employees alike and making sure that both permanent and temporary workers fit company ethos and values can be a great way to ensure that you have a great team at hand. And having a great team at hand not only means increased happiness and productivity, but also a better working environment that more talent will inevitably be drawn to.
When planning staff meetings and team building activities, make sure gig workers receive an e-vite as well.
Automate it
We’ve talked about this before, and we’ll talk about it again. But having AI-powered hiring systems is perhaps the biggest key to build and retain talent. By buiding an ATS you will not only reach out to a bigger pool of better qualified candidates, but also streamline the process by making sure that both hiring staff and applicants alike are kept in the loop.
And what does this have to do with attracting gig workers, you ask? Great question. Because gig workers will only be with your company for a short time, it is perhaps even more important to make the process as seamless as possible while finding the best fit. Maximise ROI by minimising time spent on going posting job descriptions and going through job applications. Find a fit so good, you’re convinced they must have been generated by an algorithm (they will have been). And do offer onboarding and training through the ATS. This will make it easier for the gig worker to immerse themselves in the position and the team.
So by deploying at ATS to hire freelancers, you are not only finding the best fit, you’re also maximising the efficiency of the onboarding period. And with each new stellar feedback you receive, you’ll become more attractive to future freelancer hires.
And finally, don’t forget: your gig workers matter as much as your permanent employees in carrying your business to success. So it is in everyone’s best interest to ensure a good freelancer experience!