{"id":20920,"date":"2025-03-05T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-05T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/?p=20920"},"modified":"2025-03-04T15:25:45","modified_gmt":"2025-03-04T15:25:45","slug":"hiring-freelancers-contractors-employees-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/hiring-freelancers-contractors-employees-business\/","title":{"rendered":"Hiring freelancers, contractors or employees: What&#8217;s best for your business?"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/category\/people-leadership\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">People &amp; Leadership<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHiring freelancers, contractors or employees: What&#8217;s best for your business?\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2025-03-05T10:00:00+00:00\">5 March, 2025<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"Hiring freelancers, contractors or employees: What&#8217;s best for your business?\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/hiring-freelancers-contractors-employees-business\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/author\/karanjohnson\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/03\/Karan-Johnson-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"Karan Johnson\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/03\/Karan-Johnson-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/03\/Karan-Johnson.jpg 462w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Karan Johnson<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Things are changing in your small business for the better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Maybe you&#8217;ve won a big contract and need some help fulfilling it. Or you&#8217;re in a position to expand and need to bring on more people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You know the answer to growing your business is more workers, but should you hire a freelancer for short-term help, a specialised contractor or a full or part-time employee?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This article explains the pros and cons of hiring freelancers, contractors or employees and their implications for your small business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s what we cover:<\/p>\n\n\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><ul><li><a href=\"#h-what-to-consider-when-deciding-who-to-hire\" data-level=\"2\">What to consider when deciding who to hire<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#h-employment-laws\" data-level=\"3\">Employment laws<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-tax\" data-level=\"3\">Tax<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-national-insurance-contributions\" data-level=\"3\">National Insurance contributions<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-employee-benefits\" data-level=\"3\">Employee benefits<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-contracts\" data-level=\"3\">Contracts<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-work-environment-on-site-remote-or-hybrid\" data-level=\"3\">Work environment (on-site, remote or hybrid)<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-equipment\" data-level=\"3\">Equipment<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-payroll\" data-level=\"3\">Payroll<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-s-the-definition-of-a-freelancer\" data-level=\"2\">What&#8217;s the definition of a freelancer?<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#h-advantages-of-hiring-freelancers\" data-level=\"3\">Advantages of hiring freelancers<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-disadvantages-of-hiring-freelancers\" data-level=\"3\">Disadvantages of hiring freelancers<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-s-the-definition-of-a-contractor\" data-level=\"2\">What&#8217;s the definition of a contractor?<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#h-benefits-of-hiring-contractors\" data-level=\"3\">Benefits of hiring contractors<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-drawbacks-of-hiring-contractors\" data-level=\"3\">Drawbacks of hiring contractors<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-s-the-definition-of-an-employee\" data-level=\"2\">What&#8217;s the definition of an employee?<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#h-pros-of-hiring-employees\" data-level=\"3\">Pros of hiring employees<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-cons-of-hiring-employees\" data-level=\"3\">Cons of hiring employees<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-final-thoughts\" data-level=\"2\">Final thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<a\n\t\tclass=\"button button--primary gate-a847ddcb-db84-4257-a852-4bfd46e34acb\"\n\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\tdata-button-location=\"content_area\"\n\t\thref=\"#gate-a847ddcb-db84-4257-a852-4bfd46e34acb\"\n\t>Download your free copy of How to attract, engage and keep great people to help you build your team so your business can thrive<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-to-consider-when-deciding-who-to-hire\">What to consider when deciding who to hire<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Think about your reasons for hiring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Is there a skills gap? Is your business going in a different direction? Is it growing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dave Chaplin is the CEO and founder of IR35 tax compliance firm <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ir35shield.co.uk\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">IR35 Shield<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He says: &#8220;Is the requirement for an individual to provide skills on an ongoing basis for fixed hours per week or month or for a one-off project that needs completing? If it&#8217;s the former, then the firm needs an employee.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s a checklist of additional points to consider when hiring:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-employment-laws\">Employment laws<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Freelancers and contractors normally don&#8217;t have any rights under employment law. Employees have statutory rights, such as holiday pay and auto-enrolment pensions (f they&#8217;re eligible). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An employee might be the best option if you need the stability of someone to work with you long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-tax\">Tax<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You&#8217;re responsible for deducting PAYE tax for your employees. Freelancers and contractors are responsible for paying their own tax. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You might consider hiring a freelancer or a contractor if you want to be free of the admin burden that comes with deducting tax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-national-insurance-contributions\">National Insurance contributions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Freelancers are responsible for paying Class 2 and Class 4 National Insurance contributions (NICs). Contractors also make their own NIC contributions. You&#8217;re required to pay Class 1 for your employees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Freelancers and contractors are the better choice if you would prefer not to deal with deducting NICs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-employee-benefits\">Employee benefits<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Freelancers and contractors have no rights to employee benefits, such as sick pay or pensions. You&#8217;re required to provide employees with benefits, such as holiday pay and maternity\/paternity pay. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hiring a freelancer could be the smart choice if you don&#8217;t have the budget for employee benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-contracts\">Contracts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The contract for freelancers normally outlines the scope of work, duration and how much you&#8217;ll pay. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can either provide contractors with a project-based or fixed-term contract. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Employees have a detailed employment contract, which outlines their responsibilities, rights, and terms and conditions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re looking for flexibility without the legal burden, then hiring a freelancer or a contractor is a good choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-work-environment-on-site-remote-or-hybrid\">Work environment (on-site, remote or hybrid)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Freelancers choose where they work, so they normally work remotely. Contractors work at the location that&#8217;s agreed in their contract with you. Employees work wherever you need them to. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Employees could be your best bet if you want a degree of control over the work and where the work is done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-equipment\">Equipment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Freelancers and contractors use their own equipment. However, you may need to provide specific equipment to contractors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You&#8217;re responsible for making sure employees have all the necessary equipment they need to do their jobs. Freelancers provide the best value for money in terms of equipment costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-payroll\">Payroll<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Freelancers and contractors produce an invoice detailing the amount you have to pay them (the rate would have been agreed on beforehand). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You need to provide <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/payroll-software\/\">payroll management<\/a> for your employees. You might want to think about using freelancers and contractors if you want a hands-off approach to payroll.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<a\n\t\tclass=\"button button--primary gate-a847ddcb-db84-4257-a852-4bfd46e34acb\"\n\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\tdata-button-location=\"content_area\"\n\t\thref=\"#gate-a847ddcb-db84-4257-a852-4bfd46e34acb\"\n\t>Download your free copy of How to attract, engage and keep great people to help you build your team so your business can thrive<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-s-the-definition-of-a-freelancer\">What&#8217;s the definition of a freelancer?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Freelancers are sometimes known as sole traders. They are self-employed professionals who handle their own taxes and don&#8217;t receive benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2024, there were about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/946780\/number-of-freelancers\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2.05 million freelancers in the UK<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;They&#8217;re ideal for short-term or specialised work,&#8221; says Joanne Bell, managing director of accountancy practice <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bellsaccountants.co.uk\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bells Accountants<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But Dave cautions that &#8220;sole traders present a tax risk where HMRC can investigate and rule that the sole traders were really employees, leaving the firm with a sizable tax bill&#8221;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, it&#8217;s important to understand what makes a worker a freelancer according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/employment-status\/selfemployed-contractor\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">HMRC guidelines<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-advantages-of-hiring-freelancers\">Advantages of hiring freelancers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The flexibility of freelancers is a plus for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/size\/small-business\/\">small businesses<\/a>. They&#8217;re usually available to fill in skill gaps, at short notice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With freelancers, there&#8217;s less of a contractual and legal burden compared to employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;There are not normally any HR issues to take into account as you are not the freelancer&#8217;s employer, but it is important to ensure that you have a contract in place,&#8221; says Mike Keeling, director of <a href=\"https:\/\/meadesumbrella.co.uk\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Meades Umbrella<\/a>, a company that provides umbrella services for contractors and freelancers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dave sums up the main benefit of hiring a freelancer, saying, &#8220;The freelance arrangement is remarkably straightforward \u2013 you specify the project requirements and deliverables, agree on a price and the work is completed.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-disadvantages-of-hiring-freelancers\">Disadvantages of hiring freelancers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Hiring a freelancer could cost your business less than an employee over the long term but, according to Mike, &#8220;A freelancer traditionally would be paid more than an equivalent permanent employee\u2014after all, they come with a specific skill set that commands a price.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another disadvantage is a lack of quality control. Freelancers have complete autonomy over their work, so there&#8217;s little in the way of quality assurance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The process of finding a qualified freelancer can be time-consuming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dave says another downside of hiring a freelancer is that sole traders could claim they are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.personneltoday.com\/hr\/false-self-employment-case-adds-to-worker-status-conundrum\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">&#8220;workers&#8221; under employment law<\/a> and seek additional rights and holiday pay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-s-the-definition-of-a-contractor\">What&#8217;s the definition of a contractor?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Similar to freelancers, contractors can also be self-employed and are hired by your business to provide services, but they aren&#8217;t employed by you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, in some cases, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/employment-status\/selfemployed-contractor\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">contractors can have the employment status<\/a> of a worker or an employee if they&#8217;re employed by an agency and work for a client.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Contractors are responsible for their own tax and are governed by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/ir35-soft-landing-period-contractors\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">IR35 rules<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consider hiring a contractor if you need someone with highly specialised skills and your project will last for a significant amount of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The contractor terms would normally be specified in a fixed-term contract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-benefits-of-hiring-contractors\">Benefits of hiring contractors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Dave says, &#8220;Contractors who operate via limited companies offer an advantage to small businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The risk of misclassifying a contractor as being outside IR35 does not apply when small companies hire contractors. The IR35 reforms only shift the risk to firms once they are medium or large.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Due to the size and complexity of the work involved, contractors normally work with one client at a time. This means you have more control over how the work is performed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s not unusual for contractors to work at your business premises, which can result in forming stronger working relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although contractors demand high fees, they could be more cost effective because you don&#8217;t have to pay employee costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-drawbacks-of-hiring-contractors\">Drawbacks of hiring contractors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Contractors generally charge high rates, so it&#8217;s important to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/create-budget-for-your-business\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">budget<\/a> for these costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The contractor can work for a competitor when they have completed your project. You can protect yourself by including a non-compete clause and a confidentiality agreement in the contract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mike states that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/payroll-compliance-guide\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">compliance<\/a> &#8220;isn&#8217;t normally a major issue for small businesses who fall under the IR35 threshold and you won&#8217;t have to worry about dealing with disguised employment issues&#8221;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He adds, &#8220;If, however, your business is over the threshold, it is your responsibility to ensure that your contractor is paying the correct amounts of tax and National Insurance so you may need to check how the worker is paid\u2014via their own limited company or via an umbrella [company].&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-s-the-definition-of-an-employee\">What&#8217;s the definition of an employee?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>An employee is someone who works for your business\u2014full time or part time\u2014on an ongoing basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They may also have signed an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/contract-of-employment\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">employment contract<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An employee is required to work a specified number of hours. You&#8217;re also responsible for deducting income tax and National Insurance contributions for your employees. They normally work at your place of business, but can also work remotely or on a hybrid basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dave adds, &#8220;Employees are entitled to employment rights including minimum wage, sickness rights, maternity\/paternity rights, etc.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Think about recruiting a permanent employee when you have ongoing work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-pros-of-hiring-employees\">Pros of hiring employees<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>An advantage of hiring employees is that you have more predictability because there&#8217;s a dedicated person doing work over the long term. This enables you to more accurately <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/cash-flow-forecasting-small-businesses\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">forecast your cash flow<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Employees can contribute to a strong business culture. This can lead to greater collaboration and better results for your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Overall, you have more control when you hire employees since you set their working times, targets and performance indicators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cons-of-hiring-employees\">Cons of hiring employees<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Dave notes that, &#8220;Employees require the most administration as you are responsible for their income tax and NICs via PAYE and must maintain accurate payroll records.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The cost of salaries, tax responsibilities and benefits quickly add up and can be a disadvantage of hiring employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Employees require <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibm.com\/think\/topics\/training-development\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">training and development,<\/a> which can be time-consuming and costly because you might need to hire a manager to take on this role if you&#8217;ve not got one in place already.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lack of flexibility is another downside of hiring employees. If your business <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/prepare-business-recession\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">experiences a downturn<\/a>, it&#8217;s more difficult to adapt to the new circumstances when you have permanent employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You need to be aware of and compliant with all employment laws to ensure you avoid falling foul of legal requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-final-thoughts\">Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Deciding whether to hire a freelancer, contractor or employee depends on your company&#8217;s needs, budget and long-term objectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Freelancers offer dedicated skills and optimal flexibility, contractors provide high-level expertise for certain projects, and employees bring stability and commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But combining freelancers, contractors, and employees may be the smartest way to position your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/set-business-up-for-success-new-year\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">business for success<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The optimal solution often involves strategically combining permanent employees with flexible talent,&#8221; says Dave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Joanne agrees, adding, &#8220;A mix of all three can provide flexibility while ensuring compliance with HMRC rules.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">How to attract, engage and keep great people<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Discover how to find and retain the best talent so your business can keep growing and thriving.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-a847ddcb-db84-4257-a852-4bfd46e34acb\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Download your free guide<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/04\/GettyImages-1004712242-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/04\/GettyImages-1004712242-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Join more than 500,000 UK readers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-b1a63862-3fa0-4a5e-bb67-c76b88bbc6b8\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Undecided about whether to hire a freelancer, contractor or employee? Read on to find out who would be the best fit for your business.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1863,"featured_media":16287,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[15,35,41,234],"business_type":[4],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[69,73,74],"imagine_tag":[92,217,109,218],"coauthors":[387],"class_list":["post-20920","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people-leadership","tag-grow-business","tag-recruit","tag-hr-process","tag-hr-payroll-benefits","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-gb","author_name":"Karan Johnson","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1421562922.jpg","imagine_tags":{"92":"HR and Payroll","217":"HR processes","109":"Small business","218":"Top HR resources"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice UK","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20920","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1863"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20920"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20920\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/16287"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20920"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20920"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20920"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=20920"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=20920"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=20920"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=20920"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=20920"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=20920"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=20920"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}