Remote surveyed of a cross-section of 3,000 business owners, freelancers and employees in the US and UK to uncover why freelance work is so appealing – both for those seeking out flexibility in their schedules as well as employers looking to benefit from independent talent. We found that far from being just an economic trend du jour, freelancing has emerged with serious longevity on its side! But what lies ahead? The survey provides insights into how our future looks when it comes to outsourcing creative altars…
The days of the nine to five are waning, with nearly a third of employees ready for something more flexible in the next half decade. Freelance work is becoming an increasingly viable career choice!
Remote’s survey uncovered that a whopping 59% of Millennials are ready to embark on their journey as digital nomads in the next year, with 28% planning for full-time freelancing and 40% wanting part-time gigs. The current employee population? It looks like freedom is calling them too – almost one third (28%) of US & UK employees plan to freelance within five years!
Check out this list of reasons why folks have ditched their day job and embraced freelancing – freedom, flexibility, autonomy to name a few!
| Rank | Motivation | % of Employees who agree |
| 1 | In charge of when you choose to work | 67% |
| 2 | In charge of your number of working hours | 66% |
| 3 | In charge of your clients and type of work | 64% |
| 4 | Location flexibility and opportunity to travel | 63% |
| 5 | Work-life balance | 62% |
For those looking to take the freelance plunge, there are five major hurdles standing in their way.
| Rank | Challenge | % of Employees who agree |
| 1 | Finding enough work | 66% |
| 2 | Managing an irregular income | 62% |
| 3 | Managing irregular work | 60% |
| 4 | Managing expectations with clients | 60% |
| 5 | Clients not paying | 59% |
Freelancers put in extra time for free, making them some of the hardest working people around!
With nine-to-five days, Monday to Friday may seem like the same for everyone. However, a survey revealed that when it comes down to putting in extra hours after work – freelancers come out on top! On average they log 13.3 paid overtime and 9.7 unpaid overtime hours per week – compared with 8.8 timesheeted and 7.4 volunteer extras put in by traditional employees each week!
Freelancing works to your advantage if you need a break – almost 4 more days of vacation per year! And better yet, over half the freelancers out there take even longer vacations than they did when they were employees. Sounds like paradise!
From cost savings to flexibility, here are the top five benefits of hiring freelancers.
| Rank | Motivation | % of Employers who agree |
| 1 | Saves time | 65% |
| 2 | Cost-effective | 62% |
| 3 | Fresh perspective | 61% |
| 4 | No long-term commitment | 60% |
| 5 | A larger pool of talent to choose from | 60% |
From finding true expertise in unfamiliar fields, to dealing with contract specifics and payment issues – these are five challenges businesses face when looking at freelance hiring.
| Rank | Challenge | % of Employers who agree |
| 1 | Freelancer knowledge of the company | 53% |
| 2 | Communication with freelancers | 52% |
| 3 | Inconsistent availability | 52% |
| 4 | Inconsistent pricing | 50% |
| 5 | High costs | 50% |
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