Business in 2021: Are Freelancers The Key?

28 Jan Business in 2021: Are Freelancers The Key?

The pandemic has shaken up the way we work. Whether it’s business as (almost) usual through Zoom meetings or an entire restructure, organisations and employees have had to adapt rapidly. In this ever changing landscape, flexible freelancers might just be the key to shaping business in 2021.

How Can Freelancers Benefit Business In 2021?

Bounce back without losing out.

It’s an unfortunate reality but many businesses had to scale back on their in-house staff last year. According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of payroll employees fell by 828,000 between February 2020 and January 2021.

As businesses in 2021 look for new ways to grow, hiring freelancers might be the solution for getting new ideas off the ground quickly. Freelance teams mean flexible working. They’re adaptable, available immediately, come with the exact skills you need, and you’re in control of the project length.

Stay up to date with tech.

According to the World Economic Forum, automation will continue to grow in the next few years. This means advanced solutions are needed to stay in the same league as competitors. 

Does your company have the in-house staff to keep up with new tech demand?

Hiring freelancers can be a cost-effective way of taking on highly-specialised staff. In fact, as of 2020, highly-skilled freelancers now make up roughly half of the 4.4 million self-employed in the UK (IPSE 2020 report).

The future workforce is already on board.

Freelance working isn’t just for seasoned experts. Companies looking to engage with a younger workforce can benefit from freelance and self-employed staff. 

Freelancing platform UpWork examined the freelance landscape in the US. Their 2020 report found that half of the US Gen Z workforce (those born between the mid-1990s and 2010) freelanced in the year prior to the survey. 

Freelancers in 2021 don’t have to be viewed as just a one off short-term solution either. Long-term relationships with freelancers can build a strong and reliable business workforce.

Should You Freelance This Year?

Be your own boss.

Hasn’t everyone dreamed of being their own boss at least once or twice? 

For some, this feeling just won’t go away. Maybe climbing someone else’s corporate ladder doesn’t excite you or you can’t quite get your head round the endless 9-5.

Freelancing allows you to explore new avenues, choose your projects, and decide on your work/life balance. Your freelance career could be what you do in your 9-5 or you might decide to develop your side hustle into a full time job.

Resilience in flexibility.

Does the thought of unpredictable work put you off freelancing? Unsure about the stress involved in finding your own work? Well, there’s a surprising silver lining.

It turns out that flexibility has been helpful to the freelancing workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

UpWork’s 2020 US survey found that “freelancers report lower rates of negative impact of COVID-19 on their overall lifestyle, well-being, mental health, and financial well-being”. 

Work anywhere in the world.

With the rise of remote working and serviced office packages, freelancers have the opportunity to work for companies based almost anywhere. Markets vary between countries, as do rates. For example, Forbes reports that in the EU, daily rates for freelancers are generally highest in Germany but lowest in Spain.

However, before getting your heart set on remote working for a business in 2021, it might be worth finding out what your potential client has in mind. According to McKinsey, 70% of executives interested in hiring tech freelancers would prefer them to be based on site.

Thinking of becoming a freelancer and need your own space or a virtual office?

For more information on serviced offices and virtual offices that create an easy, adaptable work environment, have a look at our four North London & Hertfordshire based sites.