The pandemic placed remote work in the spotlight, and the rise in the number of cases is encouraging a new wave of employees who prefer remote work. At the same time, with the fallout of the Great Resignation came an increase in freelancers who wanted to charge higher fees for their experience and talent. Employers are set to lose out on well-trained, seasoned employees because of the limits placed on their workers’ salaries.
However, freelancers sustain all the risk when seeking clients and ensuring the availability of a personal healthcare plan, a retirement fund, and other benefits that would otherwise come from a stable job. As self-employed individuals, they are also responsible for maintaining their offices- whether they work from home, a traditional office, or live as a digital nomad who travels around the world while serving clients online. This means they do not have the same stability as other workers but could receive a higher rate for their skills.
Since most freelancers do not have the same fixed roles as someone who is employed at a company, they are prone to experiencing the following problems:
Dependency on the National Grid
Although not all freelancers are remote workers, clients are usually found through today’s yellow pages: the internet. This means that they need electricity to maintain a line of communication between them and their clients. At the same time, they need to control the environment they work in for their comfort. Contacting experts such as Thermaright Hire Solutions can be a solution to the difficulties faced by freelancers who would like to maintain an ideal work environment regardless of the weather outside of their office.
Using generators can also reduce their dependency on the national grid. This ensures that a power outage or interruptions in the line will not limit their ability to perform their tasks. Electricity allows for a more productive workday, and having their own energy supply for heating and cooling will create a more comfortable work environment.
Avoiding Scammers
As mentioned earlier, freelancers take on all the risks when they become self-employed. They find their own clients and could struggle with leads on possible customers that might be interested in hiring them. At the same time, they are also responsible for selling themselves, marketing their services, and competing with other freelancers in the industry.
But, a common concern is the lack of protection against people who take advantage of others online through scams. Some individuals entice freelancers to complete tasks under a strict deadline without the intention to pay. One way to avoid these scams is by charging full price or at least half as a down payment for the service. The freelancer is motivated to work as fast as possible to submit the task and transfer the risk entirely to the client.
Platforms Where You Can Find Clients
Freelancers might find it difficult to find clients online unless they are already members of a network that connects people who are seeking the services that these individuals offer. Through an online marketplace, buyers and sellers meet to match the gaps between supply and demand. Unfortunately, several issues arise with this concept.
First, although there are websites that act as an online marketplace for clients and freelancers, these companies often heavily profit from the earnings of the freelancer. The earnings of the freelancer also depend on the discretion of the company in terms of release. These websites get to decide how much a worker should earn before they can receive their wage, their method of payment, the fees associated with connecting them with a client, and so on.
Another problem is the oversaturation of freelancers on websites and the resulting bidding war that prevents a fair wage from being established. Slave labour is a term used on the internet to describe a task that freelancers are willing to do for a significantly less amount compared to their usual price. Since freelancers take all the risks, they might also struggle to pay bills without a steady source of income. This means that they have to find a way to earn to meet their basic needs, and that could lead to desperation when looking for clients.
Even though freelancers face many issues, they also benefit from deciding how much they should charge for their services and effort. This is done without having to go through a middleman or an employer. By finding their own clients, these people have the agency to earn a real income and manage their own finances efficiently.
