The amount of freelance consultants in the workforce is on the rise, with 40 percent of the American working population expected to work as independent contractors by 2020.
The reason that so many independent contractors are going to become successful in their careers is because more companies are utilizing consultants rather than employing them. Take a look at these reasons why.
1. Companies Don’t Always Need Long-Term Employees
Whether the company is running a marketing campaign, requires new content for their website, or needs a quick software fix, they understand that they don’t need an in-house specialist at the office every day to serve their needs.
Instead, some companies are using resources like Zintro to find the brightest and best talent in niche industries offering their expertise as consultants.
Consultants are seeking short-term contracts, and the business needs an expert on a temporary basis. If there’s a time gap between projects, the company doesn’t have to worry about what to do with their employees. It’s a win-win.
2. It’s Often Cheaper
While companies may pay a higher hourly rate for consultants, it could end up being cheaper in the long run. Some reasons include:
1. They don’t have to worry about providing benefits, such as health insurance, retirement funds, etc.
2. They can cut down on office expenses. They don’t have to purchase computers, staplers, ink, and other supplies for their contractors.
3. They don’t have to hire more people to manage their contractors. For instance, they no longer need an abundance of IT specialists since these people wouldn’t work with their contractors anyway.
4. They only pay for contractors when they need them. If the company is short on projects, they don’t have to continue paying employees who aren’t producing results, and they don’t have to worry about paying for vacation time.
Want to get a better idea of what companies are really paying for when they hire employees? Take a look at this breakdown.
3. Companies Can Find Top-Notch Talent That’s not in the Workforce
Do you think that people who are really good at their jobs are looking to work for other people? Probably not. Instead, people at the top of their field work for themselves and take on their own clients.
Businesses that care about who works for them understand that they’re not going to find top-notch talent by posting job ads and expecting the talent to show up at their front door. Instead, companies are going to find this talent through consultants with a good reputation.
4. Consultants are Often More Productive
According to a Gallup survey, 70 percent of employees feel disengaged at their jobs. Do you really think a disengaged individual who hates their job is working at full productivity level? Probably not.
However, a Cisco study found that telecommuters are more satisfied with their jobs and more productive. When hiring a social media marketing manager, a freelance web developer, or other web-based worker, companies can expect more productive and quicker results than in-house employees.
Why are you still looking for employees to fill your positions? Join the other businesses that have realized the benefits of hiring consultants, and discover why more companies are ditching the standard talent pool and gravitating to the untapped potential of the best and brightest in the consulting world.
You could save money by consulting instead of hiring. Your business should start looking into how best work can achieved with the serivices of freelancers and consultants.