The world of freelance employment is tough. Despite obvious benefits such as flexible time management, the freedom to work according to one`s individual pace and drive, and the ability to do it all in one`s pyjamas, freelancers are often less spoiled when it comes to issues such as finding work in the first place, and in many cases, having to chase after their paycheques at the end of the day.
Less than a year ago, publishing industry veteran Alan Ahlfeldt and Michael Kriess decided to do something to address the situation. Today, their brainchild is an online service aimed at putting creative resources in touch with business.
FreelanceHR (www.freelancehr.com) is a human resource centre for freelancers, and for the business that employs them. Registered users pay an annual fee of R240; this gets a self-managed Web page which displays pertinent information such as skills, rates and contact details.
In addition, users of the service have the option of a hosted mail account and an Internet dial-up account provided by ZAnet. Recent add-ons to the site have been a diary manager, so that contractors can have an upfront idea of the freelancers` availability, and the option of building an online portfolio as a showcase of one`s talents.
It`s all part of the infrastructure Ahlfeldt hopes to establish, to give freelancers a place where they belong.
``The challenge up until now is that there has been a lack of organisations or associations which cater solely for freelancers. It can have a detrimental effect on the freelance work ethic.``
Ahlfeldt hopes to change this. With the backing of its parent company Cinergi Holdings, and leveraging off the competencies of other companies in the group, FreelanceHR has big plans.
These include an insurance brokerage, accounting, legal and even psychological services, should they be required, as well as a dedicated freelance workspace.
The company hopes to provide its services across other established Web sites. It is reportedly in advanced negotiations with 5net, the community site spin-off of the 5fm radio station`s site, and there are hints of similar negotiations with a number of portals.
The company has plans to expand FreelanceHR to the UK and Australian marketplaces, and says critical mass for SA will be reached with 10 000 registrations. Since its launch two months ago, FreelanceHR has attracted 18 000 page impressions from the US, UK, Germany, Russia, Sweden, the Netherlands, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Qatar, France and Japan.
A similar service for professionals, ProfWeb, is on the cards.
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