UK Businesses increasingly turn to freelance consultants

A joint research study carried out by Leeds Business School and people resourcing company Xchangeteam has revealed that more and more businesses are turning to senior freelance consultants for help.

Of the 662 freelancers surveyed, 60% are taken on in senior management positions - 40% in managerial positions and 20% at director level - as an increasing number of businesses are recognising the skills and talent on offer. This challenges out of date views that freelance consultants are used to provide straightforward cover at a very junior level.

The figures serve to support a growing trend in the workplace that a significant part of the UK workforce does not match the typical profile of the permanent, full-time employee. Today, the number of UK workers stands at around 28.5 million. Of those, 3.64 million (13%) are self-employed, 7 million (24%) are part-time workers, 7% are freelance workers and 11% are in businesses with no employees (Office of National Statistics).

Career Choice
Freelancing is increasingly being seen as a career choice for a growing number of professionals as the benefits outweigh the negatives. The most important reasons for choosing to ëgo freelanceí are to have more choice and control over work, the desire to lead a better quality of life, increase the variety and challenge of the work and develop their range of experiences. 80% of the freelancers surveyed were aged between 25-45 and 42% said they imagined they would be doing the same thing in five yearsí time, with 14% planning to run their own consultancy. Interestingly, one fifth of respondents were under 30 highlighting that younger professionals are identifying the benefits of taking control of their careers early on by choosing the freelance option.

British workers are perceived to be the hardest working in Europe but if workers have the skills and personality to go freelance they could be enjoying a satisfying work life without working ëall the hours god sends.í Those freelancers surveyed are evidence that freelancing can be a good career choice; 35% of respondents earn between 25,000 and 40,000 and 27% have incomes ranging from 40,000 - 60,000. 39% work between 31-40 hours or 25% work between 41-50 hours per week and one-fifth of the sample work between 20-30 hours per week, demonstrating that freelancers are earning a healthy income and working civilised hours to suit their lifestyles.

Planning
Regarding the number of freelancers hired during the course of each year, some interesting findings from the 2005 study compared to an Xchangeteam survey carried out in 2000 revealed that clients are consistently underestimating their use of freelancers.

Whilst the survey reveals that clients are recognising the skills, talent and knowledge that freelancers can bring to their organisations, they are still not planning ahead enough. Commenting on the findings and the freelance way of working, Emma Brierley, CEO and founder of Xchangeteam said: ìOur survey suggests that there is a quiet revolution steadily transforming the way that Britain works, as more and more people are opting for alternative methods of working. With 40% of freelancers being hired into managerial roles and a further 20% at director level it is clear that clients are recognising the wealth of talent that is on tap to them as they need it.

ìHowever, our survey also shows that clients are not realising that they must plan ahead. Irreversible structural, social and economic trends mean that freelance consultancy is here to stay and is the principal route to the best talent. It is important that businesses adapt to this shift and officially acknowledge the positives that freelancers can bring to their organisation and write it into their HR strategy. They need to wake up to the benefits of planning and replace quick-fix short-term use of freelancers with a long-term flexible strategy to see the real value.î

Typologies
While an increasing number of people are opting to become freelance, the choice may not suit everyone. For the first time, the study revealed three basic types of freelancer: ëwork-drivení, ëself-drivení and ëstress-bittení. ëWork-drivení freelancers are heavily focused on their working life and comfortable with their professional role. They enjoy professional status, working as consultants with large organisations; they get all their personal satisfaction from their working lives and all their goals are work-driven and focused.

ëSelf-drivení freelancers also enjoy their work and focus on doing their best at all times; they, too, are competitive, confident and ambitious. However, these attributes spill over into other aspects of their lives. Not all their goals are work related ñ itís just as important for them to give as much to training for the London Marathon or raising funds for charities as it is for delivering results for paid work. They derive a lot of satisfaction from the recognition they receive from their clients, whether itís working on a project for a large multinational or a two-man band. Self-driven freelancers probably get the most out of the flexible work/life balance ethos.

The final group, ëstress-bittení freelancers, has experiences that conform to some of the negative stereotypes about freelance life. These people are stressed and worry about work, finding it difficult to switch off. Work tends to take over and impinge on their time with family and friends.

Said Dr Ralph Tench, Principal Lecturer and research director at Leeds Metropolitan University: ìThis research project has provided a detailed insight into freelancing and highlighted that businesses are clearly acknowledging the depth of talent and specialist knowledge and expertise that freelancers can bring to an organisation. Without a doubt, freelancing is being recognised as a serious career choice by an increasing number of UK workers who are thriving in their new roles, on the whole.î