The freelance workforce has been growing for some time. And this independent work style has been given a major boost by the Covid-19 pandemic.
It served to liberate knowledge workers from the limitation of geography and corporate restrictions. Moreover, the difference between employees working remotely and freelancers is becoming less obvious, and even less relevant, in the future of work.
During the current recessionary period, almost 80% of employers say they are increasing their use of freelancers. And 90% plus of corporate leaders in a recent global survey said they utilize freelancers and plan to increase their reliance over time.
This is good news to freelancers as well as permanent workers who are unhappy with their current employment options.
Two-thirds of freelancers are satisfied with their career, work-life balance, and compensation, while 80% of employees recently admitted that they would seriously consider freelancing.
As MBOPartners.com and Emergentresearch.com found, “The more a firm uses — and is familiar with — contingent labor, the more they plan to increase its use in the future.”
The freelance workforce may well be powering the future of work.