In 2022, they will represent nearly 6 million highly qualified profiles in Europe, the freelancing market is booming. The hybridization of the world of work, flexibility, mobility, telecommuting… are the reasons most often mentioned by employees who choose to become independent. What advantages can French and international companies draw from this pool of European experts? And how can this trend transform the future of work?
Freelance in Europe: an expertise at the service of your company.
For several years now, the trend towards flexibility in the digital sector has been well established in Europe. But with the international health crisis that we have gone through the last two years, this trend has only intensified and developed in other sectors than the digital one. Here are some figures to understand the extent of the phenomenon on a European scale.
Freelancers are not only digital workers
For the digital professions, there are nearly 23% more freelancers to have embarked on the entrepreneurial adventure during the year 2021. A trend that continues to grow but less blatantly and more consistently. Before the Covid period, and the health crisis, it was already more common to exercise a digital profession with a freelance status, or even to have an employee status and to cumulate with a self-employed activity.
A freelance status that seduces
If the acceleration of the number of freelancers has been noted since 2020, it only confirms the trend already present and marked since 2009. However, between 2020 and 2021 the proportion of freelancers in support and project management functions has increased by 62% over the period! Controllers, buyers, recruiters, these jobs can very well be practiced as freelancers and the covid has allowed us to shed light on these new professional trends.
Freelancing in Europe: a sustainable choice
The survey conducted by BCG and Malt among more than 2,500 freelancers in Europe, allows us to draw many lessons on the future of corporate work: telecommuting a large part of their time (59% for France), proactive in the development of their skills (10% of their time) and already converted to new ways of working, freelancers (73% practice agile) have the skills and abilities of tomorrow’s company.
Highly skilled freelancers
Speaking of skills, a freelancer starts as a freelancer when he/she has 9 years of professional activity on average, and has already worked in a company in 90% of cases! With an average age of 37 years, these profiles are highly qualified and have a proven expertise which is a real lever of progression for companies looking for new talents.
Rare and sought-after skills!
Highly specialized skills that they maintain regularly. Indeed, the freelance status allows them to take the time to continue training and to keep up to date with new trends in their field of activity.
Freelancing: a vocation?
Motivated by a desire for flexibility, nearly 90% of French freelancers become freelancers by choice, and 70% of them want to keep this status. But flexibility is not the only value taken into account by freelancers to keep this independent status. 95% of freelancers consider that they work for important issues! Many of them are happy because they have more freedom to choose their projects and can thus stay in line with their aspirations. The interest of the mission is almost twice as important as the remuneration.
Freelance: how to find talents in Europe?
We made a simple observation: the old employment model no longer meets the expectations of high potentials. In just 10 years, the number of freelancers has more than doubled. The freelance population has become much more diversified, both in terms of expertise and experience level. This exponential growth has created a critical need to help companies and freelancers to meet each other.
The Colever method: find the expert you need in Europe
Because Colever is a company created by freelancers, our values are based on transparency, trust and simplicity. Through this authenticity, we federate an international network and are proud to welcome to a community of talented and committed individuals.
International skills dedicated to French companies
Our efficiency in sourcing in France, Europe and internationally to build multicultural & multi-expertise teams with a deep knowledge of our clients’ challenges, allows us to meet their most complex needs while being as close as possible to their operational sites. In 2020, the share of our activity abroad was 30%.
To learn more about our expertise, please contact our team!