Employee engagement is necessary for today’s workplace environment to keep personnel happy, motivated, and in turn, delight clients. However, staff commitment is declining worldwide – less than one-quarter of employees are highly engaged and 39% are moderately engaged, according to a study featured in Forbes. Even considering these statistics, what if there is a way to employ a continuously focused and motivated team who needs little to no engagement?
Enter the always-engaged freelancer: a skilled and experienced professional who makes their living based on how hard they work, so when they’re burning the midnight oil, they’re making it count. These members of the “gig economy” are laser-focused when it comes to creating, crafting, strategizing, or developing deliverables.
Many freelancers exit the corporate 9 – 5 world to find a working solution that better fits their needs, often craving more creative projects, requiring flexibility in their schedule, or following an entrepreneurial spirit, to name a few. They’ve already developed a workday they find fulfilling, so their customers are not responsible for helping them to feel engaged.
Additionally, freelancers are often hungrier than a full-time employee and tend to spend more than 40 hours per week working, sometimes early in the morning, late at night, or on the weekends – whatever it takes to get the job done. Their schedule is more fluid because they are committed to producing excellent work when their creative juices are flowing. Plus, they’re always hustling to earn repeat business and referrals, so naturally, their work reflects that drive.
Think of freelancers as extended members of your team. They can fill a skillset gap, provide niche expertise, and bring fresh ideas to the group. So, for your next project, consider partnering with a talented member of The Second Shift to get the job done. You can work with a skilled professional without having to provide the perfect cultural fit or engagement-boosting programs to keep this member of the gig economy dedicated. So get to work– hire a Second Shift member today!
Written by Second Shift Member Keara Piekanski