Freelancers now represent 35% of the American workforce, or some 55 million people, according to a recent report from Marketplace.org and a new survey from the Freelancers Union. That’s up from 53 million just two years ago, and there’s no sign that this upward trend has any end in sight.
“Freelancing is becoming a way of life for a third of the workforce,” said Sara Horowitz, the head of the Freelancers Union. “Even if someone is doing it a little bit, it’s just getting to be more ubiquitous.”
From writers to Uber drivers and even NASA software developers, the freelance gig economy has radically revolutionized the way many Americans approach the possibilities of work. Some 63% of freelancers surveyed said they work this way out of choice, and not from necessity.
The benefits of freelancing are obvious — around 14% of Americans have changed jobs in their lifetimes just to shorten a commute — but in many cases, freelancers can work remotely from virtual office suites, either from home or from the many fully furnished office solutions now available to freelance and remote workers practically anywhere in the world.
That kind of flexibility is what lures people into the freelance life in the first place, Horowitz said. It’s also what keeps them there.
“Freelancers really want to lead a 360 degree life,” she said. “That is they want a balance, not just work and life but their interests, the things they’re committed to, and they’re really thinking about how can they put together their lives in this way.”
For many, the payoff isn’t bad, either. All told, freelancers earned an estimated $1 trillion last year.
Of course, freelancing has its obstacles, too. Managing your own schedule, building your own roster of clients, and simply having the self-discipline to stay focused without the structure of a traditional 9-5 job can all prove challenging for some. That’s why many full-time freelancers opt for renting out fully furnished office solutions in co-working spaces or virtual office centers. These new kinds of shared offices allow for the flexibility of freelance, coupled with a dedicated work environment free from distractions.
Is the future of work in freelance? As more technology evolves to support and encourage this kind of lifestyle, many would say yes.
