While employees get feedback fairly regularly (or ideally should), freelancers are a bit forgotten in this regard. Why is it good not to forget about freelancers and how to communicate feedback with them?
Benefits of Good Feedback
Both the freelancer and you as a client can benefit from quality feedback. Feedback allows the freelancer to better understand your needs and expectations and better tailor the resulting work to it. Likewise, feedback can eliminate deficiencies and problems in the early stages of the project. This avoids later modifications or rework, which saves time and costs. Last but not least, it is an effective way to improve mutual communication. Feedback helps you define requirements and expectations more accurately, minimizing misunderstandings and ambiguities.
Don’t forget that a freelancer is not your employee
Before we talk about how to give feedback, it’s worth repeating that the freelancer is not your employee and the boss-subordinate dynamic doesn’t work there. Sometimes, however, especially in the beginning, it is necessary to fine-tune the cooperation a little before you understand each other and everything settles down. However, giving feedback should always be all about respect and a constructive approach.
An output can only be as good as the assignment
There’s one more point to go through before you get into feedback – think about whether you’ve done your best to get a good output. Did you provide a sufficiently detailed assignment and enough time to elaborate? Have you made the freelancer aware of any problems with the project? If you feel that there was no mistake on your part, then continue to feedback.
So how do you get the right feedback?
Arrange a time
Feedback can take a while, so it’s important that both parties have enough time to devote themselves to it. Ideally, set some regularity that suits both parties. For example, if you provide feedback too often, it could come across as too nitpicky or aggressive, which is not the best way to set up a successful collaboration.
Give feedback on an ongoing basis
Is the project finished and you feel like it’s the perfect time to point out all its shortcomings? The end of the project is good for feedback, no doubt about it, but if you see during the course that the cooperation is not going where you intended, get in touch in time. In this case, feedback saves the freelancer’s time and your budget. The sooner the problem is caught, the better.
Choose the right communication channel
You can provide feedback via email, call, phone call, or in person. Always agree on what is most effective for both of you.
Deal with it privately
Even when it comes to giving feedback, criticism should be done in private and praised publicly. Public rebuke of mistakes is unlikely to be met with enthusiasm, let alone a willingness to do something about them.
Be specific
Feedback should be concrete and constructive. Focus on specific points that can be improved and offer suggestions on how to achieve this. Avoid generic and ambiguous comments. Instead of saying “The work isn’t good enough,” say, “Part X needs to be formatted and unsourced.”
But keep in mind that even if something doesn’t seem right, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wrong. You’ve hired a freelancer as an expert in the field, so let them comment on the issue from their point of view. It pays to keep an open mind and reflect on these notes.
Skip the sandwich
The sandwich method is quite popular in communicating negatives. It works by sandwiching negative feedback between two positive ones. It will soften the edges of the negative message, but it can also happen that the person in question does not get anything out of it. Or, on the contrary, you will make positive feedback more likely to be suspected of insincerity.
Give the other party room to react
Feedback shouldn’t look like inviting a freelancer to the carpet and spilling everything you had to say. Successful feedback always includes a discussion where the freelancer can comment on the situation.
Feedback doesn’t just mean criticism
A regular feedback window doesn’t just mean pointing out the negatives. Feedback also includes discussing the benefits of cooperation. So take the time to get feedback even if you don’t have any negatives to discuss. Positive feedback is just as important.
Ask for feedback
Do you want even more relaxed cooperation? Ask for feedback as well. Many freelancers are used to somewhat vague assignments and overdue invoices, but that doesn’t mean it’s okay. Mutual feedback can lead to greater mutual trust and more satisfied and fruitful cooperation. And also to more timely submission of work. After all, work goes better when there is a good agreement with the client. As a bonus, an unbiased view from the outside can reveal problems that you don’t notice internally.
What if the feedback doesn’t go anywhere?
Just like a client, a freelancer is just a human with all the pros and cons. Sometimes it happens that the hired freelancer does not suit you, and if despite repeated feedback you have not been corrected, you have the advantage that you do not have to deal with the notice period and can terminate the cooperation immediately. But always state your reasons and don’t let it fizzle out.
