Understanding your workforce is an integral part of its overall success. But when it comes to managing your employees, there really is no one-size-fits-all management style that works best for everyone. In a recent FlexJobs survey, freelancers were asked their thoughts on everything from why they work, how often, and what matters most to them.
This is what you should know about freelancers in order to manage them effectively:
The majority of freelancers aren’t millennials.
It’s often been assumed that millennials are the ones who tend to be freelancing. Since they’re often credited with being the biggest proponents of flexible work, the assumption makes sense. But according to the FlexJobs survey, it’s the baby boomers (at 35.41%) who make up the biggest segment of freelancers, followed closely by gen x (at 33.09%). millennials/gen y—surprisingly—came in third at 21.34%.
Freelancing is dominated by females.
When it comes to freelancing, women rule! Almost three-quarters (73.78%) of freelancers are female. This is probably in no small part due to the fact that working women (and in particular, working mothers) often seek out freelance opportunities so that they can have better work-life balance. As an employer, offering flexible work options (such as remote/telecommuting jobs, to even job shares) can help you attract (and more importantly, retain) qualified working women to your team.
They use freelancing to supplement their income.
Discover a better way to recruit remote talent
Founded in 2007, FlexJobs is the most experienced remote & hybrid hiring platform.
- Unlimited job posts
- Low, flat membership fee
- Access top-level remote advice
- Unlimited resume searches
- Reach the right candidates
- And so much more!
But not by a lot. In fact, just over half of respondents (57.71%) said that freelancing provides supplemental income. Another 42.29% said that freelancing was their primary way of earning a living. For employers, understanding the financial wants and needs of freelancers might determine what types of jobs to offer (such as full-time or part-time positions vs. contract or gig jobs) to potential new hires.
Freelancers work…a lot.
If you think that freelancers are putting in only a few hours a week, think again. The majority (26.14%) are working more than a full-time schedule—over 41+ hours weekly. After that, freelancers are working a traditional 9-to-5, comprised of 36 to 40 hours (15.67%), followed by working between 16 and 20 hours a week (10.71%). This is good news for employers, since finding a freelancer for jobs that require both full-time or just a few hours monthly is possible.
Freelancers are at every career level.
No matter if you’re looking to hire for an entry-level or an executive position, you’ll definitely find freelancers to fill the job. According to the survey, the most freelancers can be found in an intermediate-level role (32.13%), while almost one-fifth (18.78%) are at the management level.
People are freelancing by choice.
You might assume that people freelance because they can’t find a traditional, full-time job. Not so! The FlexJobs survey found that overwhelmingly to be untrue, with almost half (44.78%) of those surveyed stating that they choose to freelance rather than have a traditional office job. About one-quarter (23.91%) said that they combine freelance and traditional work, and 11.20% stated that they work both freelance and traditional because their 9-to-5 job doesn’t pay enough.
Freelancers want work-life balance.
Of the 21 possible answers that respondents could have chosen for the question, “What are some of the factors into your decision for wanting to be a freelancer?” the biggest response was (not surprisingly), the desire for work-life balance (70.49%). The second most popular response was, “Desire to choose when I work” (61.57%), followed by the simplest answer of them all: freedom (56.26%). For freelancers, the freedom that comes with work flexibility is something that you just cannot put a price on.
Want to build your freelancer workforce?
Find Out About Recruiting with FlexJobs Today!
Photo Credit: bigstockphoto.com
Don't forget to share this article with colleagues!
