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BackSurvey Estimates 20% of Organizations' Work, On Average, is Carried Out by Freelancers, According to Harvard Business Review Analytic Services Report
Despite 81% of respondents citing freelancers as important to their organization, only 38% say their organization is very effective at managing them.
New York, NY -- October 31, 2023 - Fiverr, the company that is changing how the world works together, today released the findings of a Harvard Business Review Analytic Services Report in association with Fiverr Business Solutions. The report's survey of 514 respondents familiar with their organization's approach to employing freelance workers in the U.S. found that respondents estimate that 20% of their organization's work, on average, is being carried out by freelancers. Despite freelancers' impact on the country's output, the report indicates that most businesses do not have a more strategic approach to using freelance talent.
This strategy gap is partly why, on August 1st, Fiverr launched Fiverr Business Solutions. Those solutions include Fiverr Enterprise, Fiverr Certified, and Fiverr Pro. Each aims to target medium to enterprise companies to assist them with their challenges as they grapple with the growing freelance movement.
"It's crystal clear from this report that more and more medium and large businesses are taking advantage of freelance talent. This is a trajectory we have witnessed at Fiverr, and we expect it will continue," said Micha Kaufman, Founder and CEO of Fiverr. "It is crucial for companies to have a strategy to integrate freelancers within their workforce if they want to stay innovative and relevant in the future. I've been a vocal proponent of the 'CFO' - hiring a Chief Freelance Officer. One person in charge of freelance efforts, and particularly placing that champion role in the C-Suite, can help the company capture freelancers' full value."
"Using freelancers has a range of benefits, from greater agility and flexibility around staffing to reducing the need for office space, to bringing in new skills quickly," said Alex Clemente, Harvard Business Review Analytic Services (HBRAS) managing director. "One reason for the lack of a strategy around the workforce may be that most companies have no clear oversight or process around the hiring and management of freelancers."
The HBRAS report found that:
-When considering whether to employ freelancers, the top challenge in the survey, cited by 49% of respondents, is whether their organization will find freelancers with the right skills.
-Nearly two-thirds of survey respondents (64%) agree that their organization employs freelance workers across a diverse range of roles.
-51% of respondents agree that in the future, their organization will likely employ more freelance workers than it does now
The Harvard Business Review Analytic Services report on freelancers in the evolving workforce is a must-read for business leaders, HR professionals, and anyone interested in the future of work. It offers a roadmap for organizations looking to adapt and thrive in the new world of work.
Access the full report at https://propages.fiverr.com/harvard-business-review-report
About Harvard Business Review Analytic Services
Harvard Business Review Analytic Services is an independent commercial research unit within HBR, conducting research and comparative analysis on important management challenges and emerging business opportunities.