Freelancer Management

While some companies prefer to outsource their talent search and the related details, others rely on their own internal systems to find talent (i.e. direct sourcing). This means a company or organization recruits and hires temporary workers without the involvement of traditional staffing agencies or intermediaries. The company takes on the responsibility of identifying, recruiting, and managing temporary employees on its own. We’ll cover the benefits of direct sourcing as well as discuss the advantages of engaging an Employer of Record (EOR) when direct sourcing talent.

Benefits of Direct Sourcing

For companies with the appropriate internal structures in place, direct sourcing offers some benefits.

1. Brand Engagement: Direct sourcing allows companies to directly engage with potential temporary workers and showcase their employer brand. This direct connection can enhance the company’s reputation and attract a pool of candidates who are specifically interested in working for that organization.
2. Cost Savings: Direct sourcing can potentially result in cost savings for the company compared to using external staffing agencies. By managing the process internally, the organization may avoid paying additional fees associated with agency services.
3. Customization: Companies can tailor their recruitment process to fit their specific needs and culture. This customization may result in better alignment between the temporary workers and the company’s values and expectations.
4. Control and Flexibility: Direct sourcing provides greater control over the entire recruitment process and allows the organization to be more flexible in responding to changing workforce needs. This can be particularly helpful in industries with fluctuating demand for temporary labor.

Benefits of Engaging an Employer of Record When Direct Sourcing Talent 🌟

While direct sourcing offers several advantages, it also comes with challenges. The administrative burden and the responsibility of complying with labor laws and regulations often top the list of concerns. Companies need to ensure that they have the resources and expertise to effectively manage and support a temporary workforce engaged through direct sourcing. An EOR allows companies that want to source talent directly to offload the aspects of the process that are burdensome such as onboarding, worker classification responsibilities, and understanding regulations to help companies stay compliant.

When Does Engaging a Partner Make Sense?

The adage goes “If you want something done, ask a busy person.” But what about when you’re the one known for getting it all done? Whether you’re managing a massive event or a one-camera production, it’s time to think about multiplying your time. Engaging a partner who specializes in event management works out well for clients and workers alike. That’s because the right partner has all the tools and skills to be efficient in the worker management and payroll pieces of the process. Those skills require a huge learning curve, but when you engage someone who specializes in it, you skip all of that! It’s one of the quickest ways to increase bandwidth. When you delegate the pieces you don’t specialize in, everyone wins. Go ahead: Take some of that time saved to order yourself a World’s Best Boss mug to celebrate your victory.

Easy Events 

The right partner can handle any event, whether you’re payrolling thousands of workers, sending a crew to an NBA game, or something in between. Knowing some of the major details are handled frees you up to focus on other details (of which there are always plenty!).  

Events don’t operate on a nine-to-five schedule and neither do we. The right partner needs to be able to operate with the reality of your schedule. An after-hours phone number to provide speedy answers can come in clutch in time-sensitive situations. Our online system allows clients to take care of just about anything—and at any hour! PayReel handles all the paperwork and the bonus is that we do it without any actual paper. Not having to sift through piles of identical paperwork cluttering up your desk and your headspace makes the process quicker and easier for you and for your workers.

Speedy Payment And Paper-Free Paperwork Makes Happy Workers

Happy workers make smoother events. By managing all the payment details, including the mountains of W-4s, payroll becomes a non-event. Workers submit timecards on Mondays and we pay them on Fridays. When they’re paid quickly, they don’t need to call your office, which frees you up to do your job better. Of course, it also keeps workers happy so they are free to focus on your project and happy to come back for your next event. 

The last thing you need once you’ve hired people is to lose their loyalty on the back-end details. Whether they’re working for one day or over multiple events for months, we make sure workers get paid quickly and accurately so if you want to bring them on again, they’ll be ready to pick up the call.

We’re devoted to making every single client and worker interaction a good one, which makes working with you mighty attractive for workers.

The Bottom Line

In short: the key to multiplying your time is delegating/engaging partners whenever it makes sense. Clients work with PayReel because we make event management easier and free up clients’ time for the things they do best. Our team manage event payroll and payroll taxes and, as the employer of record, we even take on much of the risk associated with a variable workforce. Think you might benefit from hiring a payroll service? Contact us at 303-526-4900.

We’re like anyone else: if there’s not a good reason for red tape, we’ll happily skip it. Sometimes, though, it seems there’s no work without a mountain of paperwork. Still, there’s one thing we know is important enough to require our independent contractors to carry: general liability insurance. We are so serious about it because we want clients to be as successful as possible. It may seem to slow things down up front, but we know it helps our clients pull off the best projects, productions, and events as possible.

Priceless Protection

Like all insurance, it can seem like overkill to carry insurance for just about everything under the sun. That is, until you need it. Once you’re in that position, the benefits are priceless. Keeping certificates of insurance on file positions you for stress-free, penalty-free audits. When an independent contractor doesn’t have coverage, it puts everyone involved at risk of costly audits and potential lawsuits. When you’re tied up in a legal battle or struggling to pay fines, it’s really hard to pull off flawless events, projects, or productions. Insurance protects clients in the event of property damage, audits, and more.

The Bottom Line

Sometimes clients don’t see the value in requiring insurance for what they perceive as low-risk roles, but let’s answer that first question right now and bust a myth while we’re at it: Requiring insurance for every independent contractor protects all parties. There’s no such thing as a low-risk role.

It’s always a good idea to treat your workers right. Aside from just being the right thing to do, it also makes business sense to make onboarding easy and payment quick and accurate. The current labor shortage just makes it extra important because workers have options and you want to be sure that your project is the one that gets priority and they answer the call when you need them. Whether you’re hiring temporary workers for a massive event or a one-camera shoot, having a partner equipped to onboard and pay temporary workers quickly and accurately makes both clients’ and workers’ lives easier.

How to Make Onboarding and Paying Event Workers The Easiest Part of Your Job

It’s simple: Partner with an Employer of Record (EOR). Here are some of the benefits:

• EORs are in position to onboard and pay workers–even thousands of workers– to staff events. They can handle all the details for big and small events alike. 
• They have the systems in place! Here at PayReel, much of the system is automated so you can take care of just about anything…at any hour…with a few taps or clicks. You don’t have to talk to anyone if you don’t want to but humans are available when you do need them. Our Client Relationship Managers are not limited to a nine-to-five schedule either. We have an after-hours phone line so we can be sure to provide speedy answers. 
• Paper-free paperwork. Not having to sift through piles of identical paperwork cluttering up your desk and your headspace makes the process quicker and easier for clients and workers. Paperwork without the paper? Yes, please! 
• EORs are in position to process payments in a speedy manner. In our case, workers submit timecards on Mondays and we pay them on Fridays. When they’re paid quickly, they don’t need to call your office, which frees you up to do your job better. Of course, it also keeps workers happy so they are free to focus on your project and happy to come back for your next event.
• Keeping workers happy means the people you’ve hired once stay loyal. Whether they’re working for one day or for a month, quick and accurate payment ensures that when you’re ready to hire them again, they’ll be ready to pick up the call.
• Not only does an EOR manage event payroll and payroll taxes; as the employer of record, they even take on all risk associated with a variable workforce.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that, by managing all the payment details, including the mountains of W-4s, an established EOR makes payroll a non-event. Here at PayReel, we’re devoted to making every single client and worker interaction a good one. Clients who put on events say they work with us because we make their lives easier. Think you might benefit from hiring a payroll service? Here’s a handy guide to find out more. Or contact us at 303-526-4900.

According to this report, more than half of freelancers have over 50K in unpaid/late invoices. If you’re one of the clients whose invoice is showing up in the red, you are going to lose favor with your workers. To a big company, that amount may seem like small potatoes, but to smaller businesses, it can be the difference between thriving and staying in business. If you’re quick to pay, you solve one of your workers’ most consistent challenges: cash flow.

No matter what, being a freelancer is hard. Especially at the beginning, when many freelancers operate like a one-man band. They pound the pavement to get work, they do the work, and then sometimes, they have to pound the pavement to actually get paid.

Among the other discouraging statistics, survey respondents reported the following:

• 74% are not getting paid on time
• 72% have outstanding, unpaid invoices
• 59% are owed $50,000+

Here’s How You Can be a Hero to Your Workers

1. Pay a Down Payment

When it makes sense for the type of work, a down payment goes a long way for workers.

2. Guarantee Prompt Payment

Guaranteeing payment in 30 days max can be a game changer. Partnering with PayReel means your employees will be paid on time every single time. Not having to worry about whether your employees are taken care of means you remain in good favor and also that you don’t have to have a whole team to make sure it’s getting done. You already know it is! Make sure you are not the company contributing to someone’s $50K of lost or late payment and by extension, that people are ready to answer your call when you need them.