“So, they, generally, are looking for more clarity on what needs to be done, the context that they need to be aware of, and how success is going to be measured,” Kahlau said. “So, what they’re looking for in that management from the business is a little bit different to a permanent employee.”
Onboarding freelance workers
These differences may lead to challenges for HR professionals when they try to introduce independent professionals to a workforce. One major challenge that Kahlau pointed out is organisational readiness.
She said organisations usually have internal processes that are made for permanent hires, such as a two- to three-month onboarding process, which means they aren’t built for independent professionals.
“An independent professional who’s there for a project for a temporary engagement, they don’t have time nor do they necessarily need to go through all of those processes that are set up in terms of onboarding and so forth.”
Handling independent professionals
The key to successfully handling independent professionals in the workforce is to think long-term despite the short engagement with them, according to Kahlau.
Source: HR grapples with growing dependence on freelance professionals
