An increasing number of workers are choosing to go freelance, as businesses choose to ‘flex their skills needs’, it has been claimed.
The latest official figures show that self-employment is at a 10-year high, with a total of 3.8 million – 13.1% of the working population – currently self-employed.
People4business, which matches companies with appropriate freelancers, believes this is a response to the ‘significant shift towards employers ‘flexing their skills requirements.’
“Businesses are increasingly opting for a short-term injection of high value skills and knowledge to gain competitive advantage,” said Duncan Taylor, managing director of people4business.com.
“At the same time, more people are opting for self employment to maximise their income and to achieve a greater work-life balance.”
According to the company, the number of full-time employees is also decreasing, with rates falling by 123,000 in the third quarter of 2006.
In a separate poll, having the independence to make your own decisions was found to be the main benefit of being your own boss.
Nearly 90% of respondents said decision-making freedom was key, closely followed by more flexibility for a better work/life balance, according to research on the UK’s small businesses by Panasonic.
According to the poll, the biggest motivation for being your own boss was ‘getting away from the corporate world’, with nearly a quarter of respondents citing this a key incentive.
© Crimson Business Ltd. 2007
