Are Freelance Platforms Like Upwork Reliable For Hiring Workers?

In 2021, freelance jobs are on the rise. A growing number of people are embracing alternative forms of working and earning a living. Freelancers and other gig economy workers have an appreciation for the flexibility that comes with remote work; other popular aspects of freelancing include the ability for workers to set their own rates, choose who they do business with, and much more. 

As it turns out, many businesses are embracing freelancers as well. Working with independent contractors instead of employees comes with many benefits for businesses. For starters, freelancers don’t require benefits, insurance, etc. Moreover, working with freelancers means that employers can pay a flat fee for services provided, rather than being required to pay a set number of hours per week. 

There’s no denying the popularity of working with freelancers, as Psychology Today explains; however, knowing how to go about doing this makes all the difference in the world. Bringing freelance talent on board can actually be quite a transition for businesses that are used to working with employees. 

If making the transition from employees to freelancers proves challenging, it’s important to learn about workplace relationships and relationships overall in order to create a smooth transition. In the meantime, there are some important things to know when hiring freelance workers. 

The Best Platform For Hiring Freelance Workers

There are many freelance marketplace platforms in existence. Fiverr and Freelancer are just a few examples; however, Upwork is by far the best freelance platform for hiring workers. 

Unlike other freelance platforms, Upwork provides elite-level payment protection, access to freelancers’ past jobs, top-notch filters when searching for talent and more. Upwork also has way more talent on its platform than less successful competitors like Fiverr and Freelancer. 

Keep reading to learn why Upwork is reliable for hiring freelance workers. 

Four Reasons To Use Upwork When Hiring Freelance Workers

When hiring freelancers, knowing where and how to find the best talent is so important. Using Upwork to find freelancers for your businesses comes with benefits that other talent marketplaces simply don’t provide. 

Access to Freelancers’ Work Diaries

Whenever you start working with a freelancer, you always want to keep track of the hours being billed to your business. 

With Upwork, you can see the number of hours your freelancer bills each week and what they’re doing with the time being billed to you. By reviewing the screenshots of your freelancers’ work diaries, you can be sure that they’re actually working on the projects you assigned as they bill you.

Multiple Payment Options

Some businesses prefer paying workers hourly; others favor flat fees for assignments completed. Upwork is great for hiring freelancers because you can pay workers either by the hour or by the assignment; for larger projects, you even have the option of assigning freelancers milestones and then paying for each milestone once the freelancer completes the work. 

These multitude of payment options are great for a variety of businesses, hence Upwork’s significant popularity and status in the freelancing world. 

Help from the Algorithm When Hiring Talent

A huge benefit to hiring freelancers on Upwork is the available algorithms. When you set a job listing, Upwork’s algorithm points you to freelancers who are most likely to be a good fit. You additionally have the option of doing your own search for freelancers and seeing which ones respond to your listings. 

Upwork’s algorithms during the processes of searching for and hiring freelancers can especially come in handy for businesses that are newer to the marketplace. 

Broad Access to Talent

To date, Upwork is the most robust freelance marketplace in the world. Businesses that choose to use Upwork to hire freelance workers will therefore have much broader access to talent than on alternative marketplaces. 

The broader access to freelancers on Upwork increases the likelihood of businesses finding the right talent for the job. This, compounded with the other benefits of hiring freelancers on Upwork, increases the value of this marketplace over its less established counterparts. 

Three Things To Look For When Hiring Freelancers Workers On Upwork

Knowing why Upwork is reliable for hiring freelance workers is important; however, of equal importance is knowing how to use the tools Upwork offers to find the right talent. 

Here’s what to look for as you prepare to hire talent on Upwork: 

A History of Related Projects

Regardless of whether you require administrative, paralegal, copywriting, or other services, you’re going to want a freelancer with relevant experience. 

Thankfully, Upwork allows you to review freelancers’ prior jobs, the reviews on jobs from past clients, and more. Before you decide to hire talent on Upwork, make sure the freelancer has the right experience and qualifications for the services you require. 

In the event that you have additional questions for a prospective hire, you can always invite them to apply to your listing. Upwork also allows you to directly message freelancers you may be interested in hiring. 

Reviews from Previous Clients

Just like a history of related projects, freelancers’ reviews from previous clients can foreshadow the job they’d do for your business. When accessing freelancers’ reviews from past clients, look for details about how the freelancer worked, whether or not they completed assignments on time, etc. 

Even the best of freelancers may have a few negative reviews on their profiles; however, the positive feedback should greatly outweigh the negative. At the end of the day, Upwork’s review system exists so that businesses are able to make the most informed decisions when choosing whether or not to hire freelancers. 

Rates for Services

Some businesses make the mistake of going for the least expensive freelancers on Upwork. Paying an arm and leg for freelancers’ services isn’t always feasible; however, there is truth to the age old saying that you get what you pay for. 

If a freelancer’s rates are too low, it’s not wise to automatically assume that a low rate equals a good fit. In many cases, freelancers who deliver great work will have rates set accordingly. Higher rates are not always synonymous to high-quality service; however, a freelancer with good experience and expertise is highly unlikely to charge mere pennies on the dollar. 

The verdict is in: Upwork is quite reliable for hiring workers; however, knowing why and how to use this freelance marketplace site is crucial to finding the best talent for your business.