Empty office? Everyone on holiday? Hire some summer freelancers

Summer’s here! But where have all my staff gone!?
It’s the perennial problem for advertising agencies and businesses of all sizes. Creative staff have to take their summer holidays of course but it can lead to severe problems. Missing just one or two key copywriters or art directors in the organisation can really mess up workflow. And if significant numbers of other staff all take their holidays at the same time the whole marketing machine can grind to a complete halt. So, what can you do to manage this situation? Two ideas: First, make thorough preparations for the holiday period to prevent problems arising. And second, use an agency like Copywriter Collective to handpick highly qualified summer freelancers to fill those temporary gaps.
Make thorough holiday preparations
There are several relatively simple measures you can take ahead of the summer to prevent vacation pile-ups.
Consider insisting on staff giving at least a month’s notice before going on holiday. This helps you plan ahead and juggle competing demands from different people. You could also ask staff to submit their summer holiday plans even further ahead then draw up a master plan to best fit everyone’s needs – including the needs of your business!
Then there’s the strange phenomenon of people getting sick on particularly summery days (or when things like World Cup Finals are going on). A very peculiar ailment indeed. We suggest that you implement a strict policy throughout the year that staff must provide a doctor’s certificate to prove that they really are sick. This needs doing sensitively and consistently but can snuff out the problem before it really takes hold.
Some companies go as far as stopping all holidays over a specific period. Perhaps there’s one week where your business expects to be particularly busy and you’ll need all hands to the deck. It’s not unreasonable to veto holiday requests for that period but the key here is communication and clarity. Inform staff well ahead of time so everyone knows the score. And put it in the employees’ manual if you have one.
Use an agency to handpick qualified freelancers to fill the gaps
Hiring temporary staff yourself is fraught with problems. Are the staff properly qualified? What legal rights do they have? What things should you say – and not say – in recruitment ads for temps? Relax, just give Copywriter Collective a call.
An agency like Copywriter Collective takes all the hassle out of hiring freelance staff. Forget about trawling through thousands of portfolios and let us recommend the people best suited for the vacancy. Or browse our website to find the right creative in minutes. Print out profiles and see examples of work online.
Count on getting only the most highly qualified people. Getting the wrong people in – even on a temporary basis – can really foul things up in your organisation. Freelancers at the Copywriter Collective are all experienced professionals with cupboards full of awards. And it’s not just copywriters either. Our network covers all disciplines including art directors, designers, illustrators, photographers, traffic, accounts… you name it.
React fast to changing circumstances. If things are going well for your business at the end of the summer then you can always retain the freelancers you’ve already taken on. Or even take on more from our database of professionals from every advertising discipline and from many many countries worldwide. And, sad face, if things aren’t going so well you also have the flexibility to let your freelancer go with no hard feelings.
Keep your costs under control. The beauty of hiring freelancers from the Copywriter Collective is that you hire just who you need for just the time you need them. Don’t pay a penny more than you have to. What’s more, our online timesheets and job tracking mean you’ll never need to chase late work or worry about how many hours have been spent.
Oh, and don’t forget to take a break yourself!
It’s all too easy to get sucked into your work and forget that you too need a holiday. You’ll be no use to anybody if you drive yourself into the ground. So, even if it’s just for a few days, make sure you take a break. Just make sure you follow the rules you set for everyone else!
Get started now – hire a freelancer to provide more for less.
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