It doesn’t seem that long ago when being a freelancer was a relatively niche activity…
But there continues to be a huge boom in freelancers of all types across the UK. The benefits to the individual are well-known, for example, more flexibility and freedom than a traditional job.
But what are the reasons that business owners are now calling on freelance staff in increasing numbers, whether that is plugging a temporary gap or part of an attempt to grow their outsourced or off-shore capability?
1. Sector. Many owners operate in sectors where they have to adapt or die. In tech, for instance, many tech teams were pretty flexible even before Covid.
2. Economic uncertainty. Out of necessity, plenty of business owners have ramped up their use of freelance staff to protect the business from too many fixed costs and free up time to focus on the business itself.
3. New norms. The fact that vast numbers of teams met virtually for a year or two had a lasting impact. It has meant that relying on remote freelance staff for some tasks has felt more natural than it would have done otherwise.
4. Quiet quitting. All businesses have had to think more about staff retention in the last 12 months, as the workforce shrank and people resigned in their droves, often looking for ‘something new’. Taking on freelancers wherever their location, or offering more flexibility to full-time staff has simply become a necessity.
5. New tech. Without question, the rapid advances of online collaboration tools have made it easier to work flexibly within and across teams. This has made it far easier for freelancers to jump in and out of projects.