Work with freelancers. From the experience of cooperation with domestic remotes, part 2. Solutions

In yesterday's material, I described the general situations I encountered when working with remote workers . In the comments to him, many of the decisions that came on the basis of practice slipped. On the whole, the topic turned out to be vital - other customers of remote services had similar problems. What kind of people go to freelance? I met with several types:

1. Freelance on a permanent basis with little experience . The most common case. With all the accompanying folklore about the “burnt Internet”, disappearing without a trace for weeks, never reading TK and a long list of features. Suitable only for the simplest work and vague terms. Most likely, they will also have to be finished. There are promising people among them, but you need to properly shovel a huge pile of options. And not always such rates are justified.
2. Regular freelance with a permanent job . Often like the first option. The same problems, although more experience and quality, although not always, but better. Not very clear, though, why not find another job, where there is no need to earn money on the side.
3. One-time side job with a permanent job . Themselves are looking for part-time jobs rarely - usually they are offered by friends or people who have accidentally found contact. Adequate and professional - if they get to work, they know what they are doing. Before cooperating with them, I usually look for the recommendations of my friends who have already worked with them. Yes, and they agree to the hack only if they need money or if the project is interesting to them professionally. Well, or to help good people. Although there is a risk that an individual will suddenly emerge in an important personal or business affair and the deadlines will be extended.
4. Freelance on a permanent basis with extensive experience . I want to work with such people. They can do a lot, ask the right questions, help to improve the concept, they are responsible for their words. But, firstly, there are very few of them - having such an experience, people rarely remain in freelancing. And those that are busy for half a year ahead and get through to them is extremely difficult. There is rarely time to wait. Yes, and with an agreement for the month there is still no exact task - the earlier stages of work are underway.

This division is rather by experience and the possibility of force majeure - there is no point in making detailed typing. But judging by the practice, these are the main characteristics. So I try to focus on the last two. True, in the case of tight deadlines that are about to begin, it is not always possible to find such a person. But it's better to move the deadline than to take just anyone. And for the rest I try to hedge:

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1. "Airbag" in time . And it’s better just two - one for the freelancer, the other for the customer. For example, the calendar start of work and deadline - October 1 and 29, respectively. The customer must receive the result on the 22nd, and the remote worker must deliver the work on the 15th. And even if the deadline is set for 15th, in the case of outsourcers, it is better to postpone it later. And yet, do not tell the customer the date of completion of the work, said the freelancer. Most likely, you will have to repeat after him every day an annoying “send the final version tomorrow.” But the delivery of work consists not only of sending the result - you need to not forget the time for corrections and improvements.
2. Permanent and proven subcontractors . There will be only one risk - failure to meet. Although for the sake of long-term relationships, they would rather podnapryagutsya and work in an enhanced mode than they say, "I'm sorry, the boss - did not master."
3. Work on schedule . Remote workers should also work according to the plan, not “by Monday”. Even if there is little work, you need to break them into a sequence of steps that are tied to time. Even if it will be tasks for an hour or a half - otherwise it will be difficult to monitor progress.
4. Performance bonuses . It is necessary to stipulate awards for speed. This does not always help, but there is a chance to motivate a person stronger. Sometimes, on the contrary, fines are offered, but it is better to do without them - there is an option that the remote person will be offended and will not give any results at all.
5. Subcontractor maximum contact . It will help in case of loss of a person. If the contact was interrupted for a good reason, he would rather know about it. If simply hiding - sending out on all channels can arouse conscience. Although it is not a fact.
6. Have a fallback . In case the remote user disappears, you need to be able to quickly switch to another person.
7. Distribution of work for several teams. Part of the work can be given to different people. For example, the first one draws the design, and the second one draws the icons; Either one makes up HTML, and the other deals with complex javascript. There are problems in coordinating these teams and assembling the overall result, but sometimes it is the lesser evil.
8. Work simultaneously with two subcontractors . If the work is complex and the tools allow, it’s worth giving the task to two freelancers at once. There is a big chance that one of them will break away in the course of work. And that means money back. We often work according to this scheme with designers in the mode of a paid tender. The work is divided into two stages - the creation of a concept and the rendering of the entire list of pages. The concept is paid for both in the amount of 15-20% of the total budget for the design. But he continues to work who showed the best result and was more comfortable in work.
9. Do not rush into choosing a freelancer . It is clear that it is worth looking at the results of work and feedback on working with him. Although it is not always possible to focus on the opinion of an unknown person - customers, too, are inadequate. I have chosen for myself a set of characteristics that matter when choosing. And I’ll add one more - the value of reputation for the subcontractor. If the freelancer has something to take care of, he is no less interested in a good outcome of events.

Some of these decisions are relevant for full-time employees.



Finally, getting away from outsourcing will not work. And in other areas of the economy subcontracting is actively used. And it has similar problems in that case, especially if outsourcing is not built into the overall process, but is needed occasionally. Starting from the services of guests from the southern republics at construction sites and ending with the placement of part of the production on foreign facilities. But it is better to systematize this chance as much as possible.



And also the first part of the material with the formulation of the problem .



Original: Working with freelancers. From the experience of cooperation with domestic remotes, part 2. Solutions