In the latest survey by Upwork, the company found out that 20% of U.S. employees -10 million workers – are currently considering freelance work as an alternative to full-time office employment. Most respondents say they are drawn to this alternative primarily because they can continue working remotely and having more flexibility.
In the U.S., companies are taking different measurements when it comes to flexible arrangements. In some cases, a hybrid policy has become a new norm, but remote work is not even an option in other cases. Employees in different countries have already highlighted the need for flexibility, and a recent Upwork survey proves how remote work has become the major desire for Americans.
American Employees Want to Continue Working From Home
The pandemic is far from over. With a new variant, and a significant number of people unvaccinated, the situation continues to be delicate. However, businesses are already asking employees to return to the workplace.
On the other hand, employees are figuring out different ways to continue working remotely, even if this means changing jobs. As Upwork’s survey highlights that 52% of those who plan on quitting their jobs because of the lack of remote work opportunities are considering freelancing. The findings indicate that for some, this decision is so important that they are willing to earn less to continue working from home:
- 15% of employees would take a pay cut to work remotely, and 26% would consider it
- 24% of employees not excited about returning to the office would take a pay cut to work remotely, and35% would consider it.
The primary reason why some are considering freelancing is that they want to have a more flexible schedule. The second biggest reason is that they don’t want to drive to work.
