The working world is undergoing a forceful set of changes. In the past, employees worked to climb the corporate ladder, and would remain loyal to a single company for years – even decades. Nowadays, it’s not unusual for people to change jobs every few years.
On top of this, more and more people are starting to work for themselves.
Creative freelancers, entrepreneurs and contract workers tend to give up the security that comes with a regular salary in favour of freedom from the conventional workplace.
The international rise of the freelance economy can ascribe to various things, from increased online connectivity to the fact that employees are dissatisfied with their working environment. People can now offer their services from anywhere in the world without having to lock themselves to a desk in a formal office setting.
This trend has surfaced in South Africa as well. In 2013, the ABSA SME Index stated in a report that 10% of the labour force was self-employed. Two years later, ABSA indicated that the amount of self-employed workers had risen by 6.4% with each year.
Working from home: the pros and cons
Working from home can come with major benefits. These include being able to avoid losing time travelling or being stuck in traffic, not having to dress formally everyday and not feeling like you’re constantly being watched. Freelancers can work in any way and whenever suits them best. They can also work more productively by evading usual office distractions.
However, working from home can also impact your work ethic negatively:
- Should you get into the habit of working in your PJs or something similar, you may start to feel unprofessional.
- With a lack of structure to your day, it can become difficult to ascertain when work ends and when relaxation begins.
- Along with self-employment comes the loss of employee benefits, including annual bonuses, sick leave, holidays, overtime pay and company medical aid.
- Distraction at home can disrupt your work or make you seem unprofessional. For example, your children or dogs might make a noise while you’re talking to a client over Skype.
- Some people start feeling very isolated working from home without much human contact.
- Clients are sometimes unimpressed by addresses that aren’t in recognised business locations.
- Similarly, clients may have less faith in your business when you meet them in your living room or coffee shops.
Office space for freelancers
As a freelancer, it’s possible to rise above most of the disadvantages of self-employment by making use of co-working office spaces like Cube Workspace. This means having your own office space in a serviced area where other freelancers and small businesses have their offices, too. You also gain access to numerous resources such as high-speed Internet, video conferencing, virtual office services, and boardroom and meeting rooms.
