I was reading online at Quartz at Work that the number of Self-employed Americans could triple just two years - by 2020. Freshbooks, an accounting software company in the U.S., released the results of a two-year study that reports that as many as 42 million Americans.
Over 40% of the newly self-employed are expected to be millennials. The survey, which Freshbooks partnered on with Research Now, indicated that almost all who take the plunge to self-employment are happy with the decision and with their lifestyle. Most express no interest in returning to the old ways of working.
I find this so interesting in light of the recent article in the Globe and Mail called “The rise and fall of Working from home”, wherein it appears that companies are beginning to tighten the leash on remote workers and telecommuting in general. As companies gradually try to rein in their wayward workers, hotel them in shared office spaces and control their range of movement to some extent, the appeal of the re-purposed and condensed office spaces are regaining appeal.
Not to conflate two ideas, but self-employment is not even remotely like working from home. To be fair, you may work from home when you work for yourself, but you may just as easily have a physical premises that is not your home address for your new business. Nevertheless, I find the contrast interesting. At a time when businesses are looking at gaining greater control over their connected employees with team meetings, task groups, and other work approaches requiring greater face-to-face contact at the office, individuals may be seeking greater freedom and latitude that being your own boss affords.
Anybody who knows, I mean really knows, what it’s like to run your own business, knows that it has many hardships, drawbacks and stresses. However, the psychic rewards of eating your own kill and managing your life without direct supervision has appeal that is uniquely its own.
Going forward, HAPPEN will work to bring benefits and value to whatever side of the street you choose to walk.
