Now’s the time to consider freelancers

#GigEconomy – It was during the 1980’s recession that the term ‘flexible work force’ was really created 

Companies still needed staff, but with times so uncertain, they needed people they could bring in simply to cover busy times. If the company had made recent redundancies, they were unable to replace that post for six months, yet the job still needed doing if the market improved. This is where freelancers came in.

Over the years things have changed somewhat and the flexible work force is now used for:

• When a company needs to bring in specialist skills such as a company securing a training contract which is a little outside of their usual field of operation
• A new contract where a person is required immediately
• A contract that is only going to last for a specified amount of time
• When the duration of a contract cannot be assured
• Holiday and sickness cover

With the coronavirus pandemic rocking the apprenticeships and training world, many of you may find yourselves in any number of the situations above, so now could be the perfect time to bring in some freelance workers, even if this isn’t something you would normally consider.

Particularly in the training sector, we are fortunate to have lots of freelance workers already set up and ready to go (many of whom have been speaking to GPRS over the past week to express their interest in new opportunities!). Although it’s obviously not the case for all disciplines, many trainers are already equipped to deliver training remotely – those that deliver office-based qualifications often do this already e.g. Business Administration and Digital Marketing. Aside from these, we have also been speaking to lots of training staff this week who are equipped to deliver training remotely in areas such as Childcare, Health & Social Care, Logistics, Warehousing, Health and Safety, Functional Skills, and of course anything IT-related.

Training providers and learners alike will want to avoid, where possible, taking a break in learning, so freelancers may well be the answer, as in most cases they can start straightaway and require very little administrative work to enrol. With everything currently being carried out remotely using digital technology, the more streamlined processes can be, the better.

This is why at GPRS we’re offering businesses a 60% discount on our usual fee for introducing freelance candidates. From speaking to businesses and candidates alike, we know that this could help those on both sides of the table. Give us a call on 01785 430500 for more information.

The current circumstances may be causing a lot of stress and uncertainty, but they may also introduce us all to new ways of working that we can carry forward when things return to normal, including more efficient remote working and utilising the flexible workforce.

Helen Wilson, GPRS Recruitment