According to a survey from recruiting agency software company Bullhorn, close to two-thirds of temporary and freelance workers say they have considered moving to different types of work, with job security cited as the main motivator to switch.
63 per cent of freelance and temporary workers responding to the survey say they have considered switching to permanent, part-time or full-time work. Of this 63 per cent, over half (52 per cent) cited concerns over job security as their main reason for wanting to move, while 29 per cent said that they would consider switching to permanent, part-time or full-time work due to pay.
Andy Ingham, Senior Vice President, EMEA and APAC, Bullhorn, said: “While the gig economy appears to be growing rapidly, unresolved issues around job security and pay could threaten to derail it. Ongoing regulatory concerns like IR35 and the continued impact of the pandemic could further exacerbate the issue. Why risk job security and worse pay for flexibility that can be increasingly found in the ‘new normal’ of permanent work?”
However, 44 per cent of those polled said that they worked in temporary or freelance roles due to the flexibility it afforded them and 63 per cent of respondents said that they would describe their experience of freelance/temporary work as either good or excellent.
Tania Bowers, Global Public Policy Director at the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo), commented on the findings: “The pandemic revealed not only the need for a dynamic and flexible workforce but also the complexities of a more fluid labour market. When COVID-19 first impacted the UK, contractors, agency workers and other ‘giggers’ were left uncertain as to if and how they could access the SEISS or furlough scheme, creating a desire for greater security.”
Author: Steven English
11.02.2022
