Freelance jobs are bigger than ever now that technology and remote, or work-from-home, jobs are becoming increasingly popular in the workforce. And no, freelance work isn’t just for Millennials. In fact, nearly 40 percent of the workforce in the United States today is made of up freelancers!
Let’s take a look at some of the top trends in the freelance economy and their impact on both freelancers and freelance employers.
Freelance Work is Appealing
Freelance work has become so popular since it’s appealing to both employers and employees. Employers can hire freelancers to work on a per-project basis, short-term or sometimes even long-term contracts. Employers also like hiring freelancers as opposed to full-time salaried employees because they don’t have to offer the same range of benefits as they do with traditional employees. By hiring freelancers, employers can cut down on costs, get faster service and higher quality work. In turn, this type of work allows employees to work from anywhere in the world and choose their own schedule.
Job seekers prefer freelance work since it’s way more flexible than the traditional 9 to 5 gig. Since freelancers are almost always experts in the field in which they work, they are able to provide the best service possible to their clients, whether that be one specific project or multiple tasks for the same company. If needed, freelancing allows employees to offer their services to a wide range of companies (and even possibly work for multiple companies at the same time), thereby increasing their income.
It’s a win-win for everybody!
More Businesses are Offering Freelance Work
Since more and more employers are realizing that job seekers and employees are looking for a better work life balance, companies have shifted their focus on offering their employees just that. Because of this, freelance work is becoming extremely accessible.
Employers are realizing that employee productivity is actually higher when employees have the freedom to be flexible with their hours, schedules and workload. For example, companies like Amway focus on the importance of balancing work life with family life. Amway allows their employees to directly sell health and beauty products right from the comfort of their own homes! This type of direct-selling freelance work is becoming extremely popular for people with families, young entrepreneurs just starting out and everyone in between.
Digital Work is on The Rise
With companies moving further into the digital space, a need for remote work is often necessary. In fact, it’s been predicted that by 2020 freelance work will make up more than 50 percent of the entire workforce.
With advances in technology, online freelance work is easier than ever to acquire. Companies currently have a need to fill positions that can be done remotely like PR agents, accountants, writers, social media marketers and other digital tech jobs. In addition, IT and help desk support freelancers are often sought after by companies to help fill the need of providing customers with support both inside and outside of business hours.
Conclusion
As you have read, freelance work can be highly beneficial for both the employer and the employee alike. So whether you’re a business owner, freelance employer a job seeker thinking about transitioning over to a freelance job, there are tons of opportunities out there for you to meet your specific needs!
