Is freelancing the future of work?
From the future of work being about freedom to being about remote work, here are 5 answers to the question, "Is freelancing the future of work?"
- The Future of Work is All About Freedom
- The "Knowledge Economy" is Much More Rewarding
- Freelancing is the Present and the Future of Work
- Continue Doing What You Love
- Freelancing Isn't the Future, but Remote is
The Future of Work is All About Freedom
My belief is that the future of work is different from office-based. However, when we look at the way we work, a lot has stayed the same in the last century. We still mainly commute to a single place of work, punch in, do seven or eight hours, punch out, and repeat Monday to Friday.
The future of work is all about freedom: freedom of how we work, when we work, and where we work. Giving people the trust and flexibility to work in a way and in an environment that makes them happy and sets them up for success. I'm fortunate to work collaboratively with clients worldwide and build brilliant relationships in the process without actually meeting face to face
As a freelancer, I can work in any time zone and still have client meetings, emails, and calls while contributing to business success. Would I be more successful commuting in a fixed location? No. The freedom I have to choose where I work and when I work gives me fulfillment, which makes me happier-and happier people produce better work.
Ash Ledran, Freelancer, Ash Ledran
The "Knowledge Economy" is Much More Rewarding
Freelancing is the future of work because the "knowledge economy" is much more rewarding than being an employee.
Freelancers get to set their own rates and increase them as they gain experience and knowledge. No waiting for a boss to give you a raise! As freelancers become experts, clients start competing for their time.
In short, as a freelancer, you can earn more money in exchange for your skillset while providing value to multiple clients, rather than being stuck at a full-time job that doesn't value you or utilize your true potential.
Amy Suto, Freelance Writer, Amy Suto
Freelancing is the Present and the Future of Work
Outsourcing key tasks to freelance professionals has become an increasingly preferred way of running a business during and after the COVID era, and freelancers are here to stay as the rescuers of businesses.
Instead of hiring a new employee or onboarding agencies, outsourcing the job to a freelancer opens the company up to a pool of qualified talent from which they can choose. This gives the business the utmost flexibility to try multiple freelancers and work with the most fitting ones, acquiring more know-how and maintaining a fresh outlook over time.
This is a luxury that business owners have gotten used to and would not give up. That's why freelancing is the present and the future of work."
Pinar Erbil, Marketing Consultant, Owner, Pier Consulting
Continue Doing What You Love
I started off my marketing career in design marketing – designing case studies, brochures, whitepapers, curating websites, and doing a bit of copywriting as well.
As my career progressed, I found myself heavily involved in the data analytics side of marketing and focused on demand generation. However, freelancing in my spare time after my traditional 9-5 has allowed me to continue doing what I love – which is letting my creativity roam across different industries.
I get to not only stay focused on my current career trajectory, but I can keep working on crafting my foundational skills in Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and working in WordPress.
Jasmine Carver, Demand Generation Leader, Jasmine Carver
Freelancing Isn't the Future, but Remote is
Although freelancing represents a fantastic solution for small businesses that might not be able to afford full-time resources, and it's also great for medium-to-large businesses with short-term capacity issues or very specific needs they may not be resourced for, it is not the future of work.
The shift to freelance resources has gained popularity primarily because it makes sense to a company's balance sheet-reducing the burden on the P&L-and many freelancers are exceptional. But freelancers are temporary talent. Companies that are on the leading edge of bringing in freelancers are already learning the value that full-time staff brings-brand continuity, culture, brand knowledge/efficiency, and consistency.
Remote work represents a much bigger long-term solution for companies as a way to reduce costs while preserving their single greatest asset-their human capital.
David Nagel, Owner, Dave Nagel
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