REQUIREMENT: A freelancer policy should be developed with your freelancer workforce and can ensure that the freelance workforce is treated with consistency across your organisation.

ADVICE: Read more

REQUIREMENT: Freelancers make up over 50% of the cultural workforce (around 70% in areas like theatre). Most cultural organisations will work with freelancers at some point. It is important that we, as organisations, think about what we can offer freelancers to ensure we are attracting the best freelancers to our organisations and also to the region.

ADVICE: Things to consider:
• rates of pay offered,
• advertising of freelance opportunities,
• additional benefits freelancers have access to (please ensure you are checking out legal obligations here as it is important we don't step over the threshold of IR35 and PAYE benefits etc),
• support of freelancers within your organisation, communication routes.

Freelancers make up over 50% of the cultural workforce (around 70% in areas like theatre). Freelancers are the backbone of the creative workforce, bringing in skills which can't be found elsewhere in the workforce, connecting to communities and organisations across the region, and also offering a flexible working solution to the running of our creative businesses, ensuring we can be responsive to our wider workforce and our communities.

It is important we respect both our PAYE workforce and our freelance workforce. This means we need to understand the needs of both, understanding how they are similar and how they are different.

When an organisation is large or have several people who contact manage/task manage it is important that all people understand the organisations approach to freelancers. This is where a strong and well communicated freelancer policy can be really valuable - for your wider workforce and also for your freelance workforce.

REQUIREMENT: Contracts are an important part of working effectively with freelancers. They set clearly the expectations of both contractor and contracted - and can be referenced throughout the relationship.

ADVICE: Things to consider in contracts: laying out legal requirements of both parties, insurance responsibilities of both parties, safe guarding responsibility of both parties.

A clear contract outlines the legal position of freelancer and organisation. A clear schedule of services will do this for the work expectations for each individual piece of work. You can provide an annual contract with your freelance workforce and create an updated schedule of services for each individual project/piece of work.

It is important to review contracts in line with your contract review process. This should happen approx. every 2-5 years depending on the size of your business.

It is important we remember to account for the time we expect freelancers to connect with us an organisation - whether in person or via email/phone/online. This can be accounted for in the initial contract, or can be paid for as the contact time happens.

It is important that organisations take responsibility to review freelance base rates which not only maintains your organisations place in the market, it also ensures sector growth.

Freelancers do not work in the same way as organisations, and are often unable to cashflow projects. As organisations we must ensure our freelance workforce are not cash flowing our work.

Most professional relationships break down due bad communication. Setting up clear and concise communication processes should alleviate some of this. It does not need to be time heavy, just clear.

By supporting freelancers to have access to business resources like office space, computers, printers etc will ensure they feel valued within your business.

Freelancers work in precarious employment. This can be concerning if things go wrong. It is important freelancers and organisations can approach any challenges together, to make sure issues do not get out of hand and all parties can feel positive about the resolution.

REQUIREMENT: An access statement can support your communication and support of your freelance workforce. It is important that expectations are managed e.g. if you ask if people need access support but don't have budget etc. We suggest all budgets have an access line to support your workforce with access needs, where possible.

ADVICE: Read more

It is difficult to retrospectively implement an access budget. If all budgets have a percentage access budget then it makes it more possible to support the access requirements of your workforce.

Don't miss out! As an organisation it is important that people understand your creative planning process, when you programme/commission, how to get involved with you, and if you run a venue how to access space. By being clear and concise you give people the opportunity to approach you with ideas and opportunities that fit with your creative vision and within your creative timeline.

All organisations have a responsibility to their workforce which includes their freelance workforce. If you work with freelancers they should be written into all organisational policies.

All organisations have a responsibility to their workforce which includes their freelance workforce. If you work with freelancers they should be written into all organisational policies, including professional development policies.