On average, 20% of organizations’ work in the US is done by freelancers, according to a Harvard Business Review Analytic Services Report released today in association with talent platform Fiverr International Ltd.
Despite the significant impact of freelancers on the country’s output, the study noted that most businesses lack a more strategic approach to using freelance talent.
“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,” Micha Kaufman, founder and CEO of Fiverr, said in a press release.
Other findings in the report:
- 49% of respondents say concerns about finding freelancers with the right skills is the top challenge for organizations considering the employment of freelancers.
- 64% of respondents agree that their organization employs freelance workers across a diverse range of roles.
- 51% of respondents agree that their organizations will likely employ more freelance workers in the future than they do currently.
“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,” Alex Clemente, managing director of Harvard Business Review Analytic Services, said in a press release.
The survey includes responses from 514 US individuals familiar with their organization’s use of freelance workers.