There are 55 million independent workers in the U.S. alone. PwC predicts that by 2020, a full 40 percent of the workforce will be freelance. We know the self-employed movement is growing, but what are the predominant behaviors and motivations of this group?
AND CO, the support system for freelancers, has just released the findings of a comprehensive study of independent workers in the U.S. and abroad. The full report can be viewed here.
The report found that despite just 23 percent of respondents saying they feel more financially stable since going independent, 68 percent of them say their quality of life has improved.
Related: What is Working (and Living) Life Like for Digital Nomads?
In other words, for many self-employed people, freedom is the new wealth.
Additionally, freelance is a conscious choice for many independent workers. Just 6 percent said they were freelancing until a full-time job came along, and 41 percent said they intend to freelance for the rest of their careers.
Independent workers are incredibly multifaceted: 95 percent of respondents sell two or more talents within their freelance career. AND CO calls this group, the “Slash Workers” and argues that they are the future of freelance.
Remote work also seems to be gaining steam. Twenty-five percent of respondents indicated they are already living a nomadic lifestyle (working and traveling in tandem) and 60 percent of respondents said they would be interested in pursuing a remote work lifestyle in the future.
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Finally, the report revealed that independent workers are still fighting for respect: 60 percent of respondents said they believe the freelance stigma is a real thing, and 44 percent of them said they had been stiffed by a client in the past. When asked why they had trouble getting paid for their work, the respondents cited a general lack of respect (47 percent) and vague/shoddy freelance contracts (35 percent).
Check out the full findings at https://www.and.co/slash-workers.
