Tag: Gig Economy

Freelancing

Craftspeople, paths and time – @thisisseth

Seth Godin posts a couple of considerations for independents.

Firstly, on time and deadlines…

It’s amazing how much slack people will give you if you’re proactive about what you see and what you know. No need to make promises you can’t keep, and no need to hide from the promises you’ve made.

Secondly on the different strategies available, along with the consequences…

1. Honor the noise in your head.

2. Embrace your market.

3. Stay busy.

Two pithy posts worth a deep ponder. Read them here and here.

Photo by Nicolas Hoizey on Unsplash

Echoes through time

Echoes through time: Give your heart to your trade

Give your heart to the trade you have learnt, and draw refreshment from it. Let the rest of your days be spent as one who has wholeheartedly committed his all to the gods, and is thenceforth no man’s master or slave.

Marcus Aurelius (AD 120 – 180), Meditations (4.31)

Inspiration

What’s your métier?

This from chef Rick Stein’s Secret France.

In passing Stein remarks that in France, rather than asking “What do you do?”, people ask “What’s your métier?”—literally, what are you master of?

We should all aspire to be masters of our chosen profession.

I’m pretty sure it was episode 2: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000b8sb .

The book’s here, but I suspect, it won’t help. Great recipes, though.

Image: BBC

Gig Economy

Worker engagement: not the 9-5 office employee

Harvard Business Review has charted research data from the ADP Research Institute on employee engagement around the world. It’s quite comprehensive and throws up a couple of interesting data points for fans (or sceptics) of non-traditional working models.

The overall finding is that around the world only 16% of workers are “fully engaged”, which seems surprisingly low.

However, those who work remotely are more engaged than their office-bound colleagues.

And, gig workers (i.e. sovereign professionals) on full-time projects are more engaged than traditional “permanent employees”.

The full analysis (with country and sector analyses) is on HBR.org, here.

Photo by Clark Young on Unsplash

Charles Handy
Heroes of the Sovereign Professional

Charles Handy – sage of sovereign professionals

The Sunday Times has a profile and short interview with social philosopher Charles Handy. At 87, he has a new book out.

Handy foresaw and defined the concept of a portfolio career. His Shamrock Organisation predicted the world of outsourcing, the gig economy and B2B freelancing in the manner of the sovereign professional.

Continue reading “Charles Handy – sage of sovereign professionals” →
Freelancing

Creatives lead the way in freelance growth

Creative services show the biggest growth in two reports on the freelance and independent sector in the US and UK.

In the UK, Simply Business reports a 31% year-on-year growth in the number of freelancers. They note that:

the real growth in this space is being driven by a wave of emerging lifestyle and creative businesses. This suggests that more people are attempting to turn their hobbies and passions into businesses.

Continue reading “Creatives lead the way in freelance growth” →