That freelancer who's already part of the team: how do you make it official?
That freelancer who gets the inside jokes, knows exactly who does what, and naturally thinks along about things that aren't even in their brief.
Worth their weight in gold, and you know it. At some point you start to wonder whether it would make sense to bring them on board — but whether the freelancer sees it the same way is a different question.
What goes through a freelancer's mind
Having freelanced for about a year now, I know what plays a role. The financial side is one of them: a steady salary offers more certainty than invoices that vary from one month to the next.
But freelancing also has something that currently weighs heavier for me: the freedom to decide when I work, where I work, and where I put my energy. A permanent contract can easily feel, from a distance, like giving up all those hard-won freedoms.
What ultimately tips the balance differs from person to person, but a few things stand out for me:
Shared values. Freelancers choose their own clients, and they work with you because it clicks. If you as an employer can maintain that feeling in the way you treat people, that's a strong signal.
Trust and flexibility. As a freelancer, you decide how your day looks: maybe you start a little later and work into the evening, or take a break mid-afternoon for an appointment or a workout. What matters is that the work gets done, and that way of working is hard for many freelancers to give up. Be explicit as an employer that you manage on output and results, not on when someone is sitting at their desk.
Room to keep growing. If the freedom to experiment and try new things isn't there, that can be reason enough for many freelancers to stay independent. If you can offer that same space, it makes the proposition a lot more interesting.
What you can do as an employer
A freelancer who has been working with you for years knows you well. You don't need to convince them of who you are as an employer — that picture has already been formed through the collaboration. What you can still influence is how you approach the conversation when you want to bring them on board for the long term.
Show them they won't lose their freedom. Almost every employer says they're flexible, but what does that actually mean for you? Working from home whenever you want? Organising your own week? Be specific, otherwise it has no credibility — and there's a good chance the freelancer will ask anyway.
Make the offer concrete and considered. A vague "we'd love for you to join us" convinces no one. Think carefully about what you're actually offering: what kind of contract, how many hours, what salary. The more serious the offer looks, the more seriously it will be taken.
Acknowledge what they're giving up. A freelancer considering employment is giving something up. Acknowledging that, rather than acting as if joining full-time is obviously the better option, works better than a sales pitch.
Put it on paper before you have the conversation. Not just for the freelancer, but for yourself too. If you don't have a clear picture of what you're offering, you go into the conversation without a strong position. And if they say no, the job description is already ready to post publicly.
The practical side
Once you decide to bring someone on board, there are also administrative changes to consider. Think about an employment contract, registering with the tax authority, tracking leave and sick leave. If this also happens to be your first permanent hire, we've written an extensive article about it: Hiring your first employee: what changes? →
How Heartsome helps
In Heartsome you create a job posting and manage candidates. Once you hire someone, you also manage their personnel file, leave, and sick leave in Heartsome.
Or read more about Heartsome for small businesses →