The Covid Public Health Emergency has been declared over by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and while the world has been easing itself back into normality for a while now, this official announcement has made it easier to let out a sigh of relief. While many took to working at home over the pandemic and might be heading back into the office if we haven’t already, others have taken to the remote life or may have started up their own freelance business over the past three years. Whether you’re already freelancing or you’re considering making the switch, we’re exploring the current state of freelancing in a post-pandemic world.
The Current Condition Of The Freelance Sector
Freelancing has been growing in popularity over the past decade or so. With improvements in technology and improved accessibility country-wide, it’s easier than ever to run a business from home. In turn, this has made freelancing and maintaining a good income and business infrastructure possible without the need for access to an office or a business’s systems. Today, there are over 1.57 billion people working freelance globally, including those who work freelance full-time, part-time, or as an additional job to their core employment. In total, this accounts for around 47% of the total workforce across the world, which shows just how vast the freelance sector actually is.
Within the first year of the pandemic, freelancing only grew around 1% in total, however, this did include a 3% increase in high-skilled freelancers and a 6% increase in women turning to freelance. 15% of total freelancers had also started up pandemic businesses and while not all remained by the end of 2020, it was a clear show that the world of work was changing. The emphasis on remote working or being your own boss in a time when things were uncertain made a clear argument that people wanted more control over their work lives, and freelancing was an ideal choice for those who either couldn’t work or who may have been laid off during Covid.
The Demographics
Today, freelancing is still very popular and the demographics may surprise you. The term ‘freelancer’ can bring up images of younger generations just starting out in the digital markets, older generations who might want to run their own business and take care of their home and family at the same time, or even consultants with years of experience under their belt. The truth is that there is no one age group that sits far ahead for the majority of freelancers, with the demographics splitting as follows:
- 16-29 – 10%
- 30-39 – 17%
- 40-49 – 24%
- 50-59 – 25%
- 60+ – 23%
What Roles Are Most Popular?
Freelancing effectively refers to any job in which the worker is self-employed and isn’t committed to one particular employer. You could run your own business, take on different jobs on an outsourced basis or even adopt short-term contracts where you aren’t registered as a permanent employee. The situations can differ from case to case, however, there are a few areas where freelancing seems to be most popular and where the majority of freelancers typically operate. These are:
- Business Support (22%)
- Design (20%)
- Writing and Translation (17%)
- Sales and Marketing (13%)
- Video, Photo, Audio (9%)
- Website Development (9%)
- Software and Mobile Development (6%)
- Social Media (4%)
Freelancing is a great way to work and earn money without the dedication of being a full-time employee at an established company. However, it does come with risks and responsibilities, which is where Freelancer Insurance comes in. Also known as Self-employes insurance, it can protect your business financially in case of claims made against you. For more information, we are on hand to answer any questions or provide you with a personalised quote for your policy. Simply get in touch with Ashburnham Insurance on freephone 0800 1696137.