3 misconceptions about freelancers
1. A freelancer is not part of my team
Freelancers need to feel socially connected to an organisation for the collaboration to succeed. Their onboarding is a shared responsibility. In practice, with the right support, freelancers do become part of a team and feel committed to the project—even over the long term.
An experienced external professional can also bring a fresh perspective to established habits and encourage innovation without existing employees feeling threatened.
2. A freelancer is expensive
It is understandable that a business might not immediately see an hourly rate of €50 as a bargain. But there is more to the comparison.
No employer social security contributions
It is often overlooked that clients do not pay employer social security contributions for freelancers. For permanent employees, these costs come on top of salary. From this perspective, the budget for one permanent employee can go further when engaging flexible workers.
Plug and play
The freelancer’s plug-and-play approach means the client pays only for hours actually worked. Some financial obligations therefore fall away, such as paying holiday allowances and covering sick days or annual leave. Freelancers organise their own holidays independently, with respect for the team and in consultation with the project lead.
Save time and costs
A freelancer already has the skills and experience to do the job, avoiding a lengthy and costly employee training process. Training takes investment, with no guarantee that an employee will stay, and there is not always time to wait for expertise to develop. Outsourcing highly specialised assignments offers a practical solution: saving time without compromising quality.
“Choosing the right time is saving time.”
The key point is that a freelancer’s higher rate can be offset by savings on training and onboarding.
3. I have less control over a freelancer than an employee
A freelance agreement can clearly set out each party’s responsibilities. You can agree on duration, notice periods, non-competition, confidential information, intellectual property and non-solicitation. This may be more difficult within an employment relationship. V-IT supports this process by aligning the terms of the client agreement with those agreed with the freelance consultant.
