Managing When Everyone Wants to be a Freelancer!

Seriously today’s world is changing so quickly world is flat, technology is moving at lightening speed with tablets and mobile technology replacing the need for laptops (never mind archaic desktops!), coworking is the new modern office, and everyone is a independent contractor and freelancer!

I have always wondered this since my day job at Deutsche Bank…so many people were not happy there, going to work day in and day out, when the sun is outside and it’s a beautiful day for a walk in the park…but because of schedule, management, and control we need to “punch in and punch out” at a set time to prove we are adding value and earning our salary. Doesn’t matter if we work faster or more efficiently then others, we still had to work the same amount of hours to show management we were putting in our time.

But companies lose people due to that…everyone wants to be their own boss, it’s a dream I think most people have. And its becoming more and more of a reality with the internet and technology. We can sell online, we can offer our skills and services online as a service. Location becomes more and more irrelevant, and the specific time we check in and out of an office is obsolete.

But still, as a “boss” management is my weakness I have to admit, I try my best to be flexible, accommodating people who want to work from home or have flexible hours….yet still there is nothing like SEEING THE PEOPLE WORK IN FRONT OF YOU. And teams….to have people work in teams…rather than large amounts of emails blasting back and forth or long boring conference calls where half the people on the call don’t need to be on the call.

As readers of my blog can tell, I have been exploring the best place for me to station myself…with China being a “hot market” yet so strict with internet censorship, and Philippines as a great English speaking support center but little sales opportunity, and America too expensive with not enough growth in my eyes…I’m just stuck seeing the best in one location offset with the hardship of being there at the same time.

So with everyone wanting to be a freelancer, location being less and less important, we need to adapt right? It also “hedges” the bet more between which country to base in, as you can manage workers in China, Philippines, Hong Kong, USA, Europe via online tools….YOU JUST HAVE TO WORK AT IT. Managing the freelancers becomes a full time job! And it’s a valuable job. Leon explained to me how its an endless pool of resources. Its more efficient…you can find experts in all kinds of fields, and grow your team.

Its just more LEARNING and adapting I have to put up with. While traveling like a madman between Hong Kong, Dongguan, and Shenzhen (with a sprinkle of Philippines), studying Chinese, and writing these blog posts. But learning how to manage an army of freelancers is a necessary thing, and it only can get easier once you break the ice.

Coworking and freelancers…the future of work. What about EDUCATION, do children still need to go to a classroom to learn? I actually think the main reason for going to school is not the education but the facetime with other students the INTERACTION and learning about yourself, your personality, and how to deal with all other kinds of personalities. Maybe then going to school is necessary (even if the young kid hates it!) but is going to the office really necessary (and most people hate that too!) And then you start thinking of the office politics, how much time and energy is wasted on that B.S.! Plus the rent for the office ,the electricity, overhead, and the cost the workers pay on commuting back and forth.