It’s easier than ever before to outsource services. Here’s how to find out if you should do it.
A trend I’ve been noticing in the last several years is small business owners increasingly choosing to hire independent contractors. We’ve long seen businesses pay outside lawyers or accountants rather than bring them on staff, but now outsourcing has become more popular for a growing variety of services.
Data from our SurePayroll small business customers shows the percentage of their employees who are independent contractors has grown 85 percent from May 2007 to May 2012, rising from 3.33 percent to 6.26 percent.
This increase is largely driven by just how simple it has become to find people with specialised skills. Technology and the Internet have made it incredibly efficient to search out people to do the tasks you don’t want to do yourself. Sharing materials has become almost instantaneous as well. If you farm out graphics work on logos or signs for your company, for instance, you can see proofs as soon as they’re ready. It’s also very easy to pay for these services online with credit cards and PayPal.
In the meantime, the Great Recession and hiring downturn have produced an oversupply of skilled specialised workers who are offering up their services outside of established organisations.
…to read this article in full, visit leading US small business resource, Inc.