Demand for freelance professionals surges as gig economy growth continues #FutureofWork

With 50% of the UK workforce to be freelance by 2020, freelancing has become a popular path for many in their careers, enabling them to be more flexible with their work and personal life, whereas many see the world of freelancing as the great unknown and a scary place to be.

With the number of freelancers on the up from 3.3million in 2001 to 4.8 million in 2017, according to the Office Of National Statistics, it’s clear to see the perception of job insecurity in freelancing has faded away, with more people finding the idea of the flexibility it brings more appealing.

As well as this, there has been significant press around the ‘gig economy’, with it being revealed that currently, 2.8 million people in the UK are selling their labour through apps according to the Online Labour Index. Growth in economic activity has led to a surge in demand for contract professionals.

Norway saw a 170% increase in freelance professionals working in the country between January and May of this year. In addition to this, a 2018 government report estimated that Norway could face a shortfall of more than 4,000 experts in the niche area of IT security by 2030 unless active measures are taken to reverse the shrinking talent pool.

Michelle Reilly, CEO of 6CATS International and founder of 6CATSPRO commented on these statistics:

“There’s certainly been a growth in business activity in Norway that is driving a surge in demand for contract professionals. The need for workers to plug talent gaps in the country is higher than ever, and this is being reflected across multiple sectors, especially in professions such as IT and engineering.

“However, employment and tax compliance in the region can be complex. Given the growing global scrutiny on tax compliance, in order to ensure all parties abide by local legislation, and to remove the risk and administrative burden of compliance, partnering with a specialist international contractor management company is certainly advisable.”

What are the most desirable and profitable jobs on the market?

Just how profitable are some of the freelance careers we see these days, and just how desirable do people find them? Well, Protectivity Insurance has analysed over 50 freelance careers to show you the most financially secure and desirable jobs out there.

We calculated the average salary of the career and conducted a survey of 1001 people across the UK, asking them to rank each job title based on how desirable they perceive them to be.  

Whilst it may not come as a surprise that the likes of a freelance career as a Lawyer, Investment Consultant and an Architect, with an average salary between £57,000 and £42,000 per annum, came out in the top five most profitable, there were also some less obvious results that interesting came within the top ten; a music teacher, yoga instructor and interior designer all made their way in, earning between £37,000 to £40,000 per annum.

When it comes to the desirability of the careers, 68% consider a photographer to be a desirable career with a Musician closely behind on 64%. Interestingly, in a generation and time that is so focussed on social media and digital platforms, the careers that came out at the bottom were Bloggers and Social Media Marketer’s with only 38% believing these to be desirable. Similarly, although becoming a Yoga Instructor proved itself to be a profitable career to embark upon, many did not believe this path to be a desirable one with only a 41% vote.

For the animal lovers among us it will also come as no surprise that both Pet Sitting and Dog Walking made it into the top 20 of the most desirable freelance careers, because who can resist looking after some love-able animals for a living!

The top ten most profitable freelance careers are:

The top ten most desirable freelance careers are:

Our research also included a breakdown of the careers respondents were currently in and which alternative careers they found the most and least desirable, you can find the findings here:

The most desirable and undesirable careers can also be seen below according to cities in the UK:

From personal trainers to pet sitters and accountants, there really is something for everyone in the world of freelancing.

Sean Walsh, Marketing Manager from Protectivity Insurance comments:

“Joining the world of ‘freelancing’ can be a scary prospect at first to some, but has worrying about job security become a thing of the past, with more people getting involved with the ‘gig economy’ and taking on more freelance work than ever before?”

“There is often a negative connotation associated with freelancers when it comes to both job security and a regular income, but it’s great to see such a variation of careers making it into the most profitable and desirable. Hopefully this research shows some interesting results that prove you can get out there on your own and make the jump into the freelancing world.”