How to Attract Gig Employees or Free Agents

Being a freelancer or a gig employee can be a great experience. Your hours are flexible, you’re often your own boss, and you can work multiple jobs at the same time. So, as an employer, how do you compete with these perks? If you want to attract free agents to your office as regular employees, here are a few strategies you can use:

1. Compensation:

Just as Pink Floyd sings in the aptly titled song, Money: “you get a good job with more pay and you're okay.”  I mean, who doesn’t want to make more money? If you want to attract freelancers to your workforce, consider taking a look at the average salary for their position. From here, you can either match this average and pair it with your company or organization’s benefits, or exceed the average. After all, studies show that inadequate salary or benefits are the leading cause for employees leaving.

2. Benefits:

This ties into the previous point, but deserves a section of its own. While working as a free agent has many perks, benefits are usually not included. This is a great incentive you can use in your favor; offering perks like retirement plans, healthcare or paid time off can go a long way in winning talent. Make the traditional work life appealing to them! Remember, you’re competing against the comfort of working from home and flexible hours.

3. Remote Work:

One of the most appealing aspects of freelance work is the remote aspect: 55% of free agents reported that being free from geographical constraints was their main reason for choosing a contract gig. Even if you can’t offer a completely remote option for employees, consider a hybrid workweek. This means allowing employees to work 2-3 days a week from home and coming into the office for the remainder of the week.

4. Empowering Work Environment: 

Since free agents usually work from home, show them what they’re missing in the office! While the comfort of home is a tough thing to beat, be sure to show off everything your office has to offer. Whether it be a sophisticated coffee machine, a modern lounge area, or great individual work spaces, really show it off. Even though you might not be able to let your employees work in their pajamas, show them that the office has comfort in its own right.

5. Demonstrate Stability:

For all of the benefits of freelance work, stability is not always one of them. While I mentioned that free agents have the ability to work multiple jobs at the same time, there can also be periods when there is no work to be had. A traditional office job can offer this stability. Be sure to outline this when talking to potential employees. This is especially relevant if you also utilize the strategy outlined in point one, meeting or exceeding the median salary for freelancers. 

It can be hard to inspire free agents or gig employees to give up their autonomy and commit to a traditional office job; there are many benefits exclusive to these kinds of positions. However, employing these five strategies can help do just that, and win your company or organization freelance talent.