The case of the disappearing freelancer

June 16 at 8:40 pm in Employer Tips, Tips & Tutorials by Honey Amabelle D. Young (Admin) 14 Comments »

Have you hired a Filipino contractor, assigned them a task, wait a few days for them to complete the task, wait a few more days, email them asking how they’re doing, with no response from them, and never hear from them again?

This scenario is very familiar and most definitely annoying, if you are subject to such behavior from a hired worker.  I am a Filipino online worker myself and am highly against this disappearing act from my fellow freelancers.  But oddly enough, this is commonplace and happens to even the best of them, so don’t take it personally.

Let’s discuss this eccentric behavior and try to solve the mystery of the disappearing freelancer.  First, let’s discuss common Filipino traits that are mostly the reason behind such disappearances:

  • Most Filipinos are, by nature, non-confrontational. If faced with a situation where they are required to speak their minds out, they’d rather suck it up, keep their mouth shut, and just walk out on you and deal with their frustration on their own.  I am not saying everyone from our country is like this.  There are also those who are very vocal.
    Why are Filipinos like this?  We have been raised since childhood to respect elders and people of authority.  Not bad, right?  However, this value has been distorted by some such that you are considered ill-mannered if you so much as reason or speak your mind out, even if you are in the right or even if you do it in a respectful manner.
  • Some Filipinos are unreasonably shy. Shy, bashful, sheepish, abashed, reserved.  Call it whatever you want, a lot of Filipinos are that way.
  • Filipinos are extremely hardworking. To earn enough to have a comfortable life, Filipinos are willing to work more than one job to achieve their target or desired monthly income. Some overdo it to a point that they can no longer handle multiple jobs effectively.
  • Filipino family ties are very strong and Filipino families are overly extended. Filipinos will do anything for family.  If there are family emergencies or someone from their family needs help, they will willingly drop anything to offer their help, never mind that the person who needs help is a second cousin, a long-estranged aunt, or a distant relative.

Now, here are some situations that may trigger a disappearing act:

  • They did not understand your instructions and would rather disappear than admit they did not understand or ask for a clarification.
  • They missed the deadline you set and are afraid you might get mad.  So rather than submit a late output, they won’t submit anything at all, afraid of the impending confrontation.
  • Something happened that made them unable to perform a task – a power outage, no internet connection- and rather than submit an overdue project, they’ll just simply disappear.
  • They were faced with a difficult situation and didn’t have the time or the means to inform you of such.

So, as an employer, what can you do to prevent your hired contractor from disappearing?

  • Assure them that you are a reasonable and approachable person.  If they feel that you are not overly strict and they can ask you questions without being reprimanded, they will not hesitate to do so.  Let them know that you are willing to offer explanations and your help should there be any confusion about the project.
  • If they miss a deadline, ask them if there is something wrong or if they are in a situation that caused them to miss it.  Most freelancers just need a nudge to give them courage to speak up.  Asking them a question will prompt them to give you an honest answer, most of the time.
  • Let them know that you will understand should they find themselves in a situation that would require them to take some time off from work.

While the above advice is not 100% foolproof that your contractor won’t flake out on you, it will significantly lessen the chance of their doing so.

I hope I have helped you solve the mystery of the disappearing freelancer and hopefully you won’t be running into another one in the future.