There are numerous benefits to any business employing freelancers, and Australian businesses should be taking advantage of this.
Although the temptation to hire a freelancer offshore may be high for many Australian businesses, it’s important to support Australian talent and hire locally. This is especially true if you are seeking a long-term, professional relationship.
Possible headaches of working alongside someone in a different time zone include trying to meet deadlines, attempting to contact your freelancer in an administrative emergency, and of course potential language barriers.
It’s also easy to underestimate the simple fact that Australians understand how Australians do business. This can become evident quickly if you do employ a Virtual Assistant or other freelancer from overseas.
In the majority of cases, a fellow Australian is simply going to deliver a higher quality of work for you and your business. Think ethics, work quality, and time management. Those assets simply are not worth compromising just to save a few dollars.
Once again, it’s important to look at the big picture. The idea of hiring offshore at a bargain rate may seem appealing, but as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. Paying a higher rate for local quality really is going to give you a much better result in the long run.
Hiring a quality, reliable freelancer in Australia keeps your business in Australia and supports fellow Australians. When it comes down to it, it can be a risky business outsourcing overseas.
Think of your Assistant as an investment in a long-term business partnership - collaborating with a fellow Australian business owner who understands what it means to run his or her own business - not just getting a job done quickly and cheaply.
Look at it this way…you could pay $5 per hour to hire from overseas, but how many hours work will it take, is the quality up to standard, and how much of your own time are you having to contribute in order to reach the quality you expect? On the other hand, you might be paying say $30 per hour locally, but the job is done in less than half the time, with minimal input from you, and to the highest possible standard.
Time is money – don’t ignore the value of your own time that you may personally need to contribute when comparing offshore assistance to local assistance.
So, next time you, your organisation, or someone you know is in need of an invaluable freelancer, keep these key points in mind:
• Support Australian freelancers
• Don’t compromise on quality
• Operate in the same time zone
• Employ a fellow Aussie business owner
• Think long-term results
• Look at an Australian freelancer as a quality business partnership, not saving a few dollars in the short-term