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Original poster

Dealing with bad freelancer

35 replies

WomanintheHighCastle · 15/04/2023 22:03

Was hoping for some advice. I manage a small team. There's a guy who has been freelancing with us on different projects for the last few months. I have to work with him until the end of this project, which is going to last for another few months. The trouble is, he's not good at the job. The work involves technical writing which I have to approve and edit. Over the last few months he's sent work out to clients without telling me or has completely ignored my edits and has sent out badly-written and sometimes completely incomprehensible work, which I've had to spend ages fixing. Not claiming to be the best manager in the world but I have a lot more experience than him and really care about doing a good job. I've had several conversations with him, he's apologised, and then done the same thing again. I've absolutely no problems with anyone else I manage, only him. He's now sent out more work without telling me. Slightly at the end of my tether and have no idea how to approach this. Hate having the same conversation with someone who doesn't seem to listen. I have a boss but he's very hands off (which is normally a good thing) and expects me to deal with this sort of thing on my own. What to do???

OP posts:

ginlovingqueen · 16/04/2023 08:08

Who do you report to?

Ask for a chat and ask for their advice

piedbeauty · 16/04/2023 08:13

Sack him and find a new one. That would be best.

Knullrufs · 16/04/2023 08:14

Check the terms of his contract. (Or ask your HR team to.) If he’s not complying with the terms then you should have grounds to terminate.

Although I’d say if he’s on a FTC he isn’t really a freelancer.

Random789 · 16/04/2023 08:16

Is the reason that you can't fire him for the next few months the fact that you simply can't complete the project without him? Or is it that he has some sort of expectation of continuing until then?
If the latter then I would simply fire him. What procedure does the contract have in place for that? Is there a formal process for warning of the inadequacy of his work? I would start the ball rolling on that
If the former, it does seem unfair and inefficient that your boss won't step in to offer help. Itis all very well being hands off, but somethimes that isn't what's needed.

LunaBoBuna · 16/04/2023 08:34

You have to think of it this way, he is not an employee of the company with the same employment rights as you, he is a self employed freelancer, working on a paid project. Unless explicitly written in his contract, you have all control on how his work is managed. They are completely expendable and he should be aware of that, there is no obligation to keep him on if the work is not up to par.

You have already given him verbal warnings that he is completely ignoring, check and see if he legally requires written warnings and then inform your boss that you intend to fire him, he should hopefully step in a bit with some advice. He should never have been emailing clients directly in the first place, all work needs to be QC checked and the company has the right to request he redo his work until it is correct. That is not a jab at you, that's a jab at him for not being a freelancer correctly. I say this as a Marketing freelancer, who was previously a Marketing Manager, I know the levels and expectations that are required.

He is giving your company a terrible reputation by continuing on with his behaviour and can ultimately lose you clients, what do you think would be more "nuclear" in your bosses eyes = losing him or losing your client

Sometimes you just need to be harsh!

YukoandHiro · 16/04/2023 08:39

Who was responsible for appointing the freelancer? Talk to them about replacing them. What kind of contact is he on?

I'm self employed - you're only as good as your last job, and if he's not doing the job drop him. That's the benefit to your firm of using freelance instead of staff (and obvs the flip side is his pay is higher)

drpet49 · 16/04/2023 10:50

SmugglersHaunt · 15/04/2023 23:20

My god, fire him! It’ll just reflect badly on you if it goes on. If you’ve told him not to do something and he continues to do it, he’s either unbelievably stupid or just wilful. Either way, the trust is gone and he’s bad at his job. Fire him.

This. All of his actions reflect on you!

Original poster

WomanintheHighCastle · 16/04/2023 14:20

Thanks everyone for your great replies. I was going slightly mad yesterday but much calmer now. As I said, my boss is very hands-off and is rarely in the office, but I'm going to have to try and pin him down for a chat. I didn't hire the guy so will have to get access to his contract. Never been in this situation before!

OP posts:

user1477249785 · 16/04/2023 14:37

I'd agree with your boss an approach that gives him a final warning being very clear that if he communicates directly with clients again, then his contract will be terminated. Then carry through on the threat. He won't change if he knows he can get away with it.

Greenfairydust · 17/04/2023 18:49

You are the manager in this story...

You either:

arrange a one to one meeting and tell him you are not satisfied with his current work and that he needs to improve the quality of his copy sharpish. You instruct him not to send anything else without first seeking your approval. You warn him that if this does not happen you will terminate his contract
or you terminate his contract straight away.

I don't see why you would keep a freelancer who is not delivering.

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