Freelancers now represent 46.5% of the global workforce – isn’t it about time they were recognised?
One in three freelancers feel they are unrecognised as significant contributors to the economy
Freelance job site Fiverr and Freelancers Union have launched the Freelancer Wellness Fund in recognition of the contributions freelancers make to the global economy
New data from the freelance job platform Fiverr International Ltd. has found that 34% of freelancers feel they aren’t recognised as contributors to the larger work world or economy. This is despite representing 46.5% of the global workforce.
In addition, they believe the top benefits of freelancing include the ability to work from home (49%), being their own boss (39%), and the ability to choose their projects/type of work/or clients (33%).
Fiverr International has also announced its establishment and recognition of October 19th as International Freelancer Day – a day to honour and celebrate freelancers across the globe for their contribution to the world’s economy.
Around 46.5% of the total global workforce is self-employed; that’s roughly 1.6 billion people around the world, according to the World Bank. With so many days throughout the year already honouring other professionals, there is still not an official global day to commemorate the freelance community and their contributions to the work world – this day aims to change that.
“The amount of people engaging in independent work is rising as people place more value on freedom and flexibility when it comes to integrating their work-life. They’re prioritizing their families, their mental and physical health, their passions, and their interests,” said Micha Kaufman, Founder and CEO at Fiverr.
Without freelancers, millions of businesses would go unstarted; projects would not be completed, and deadlines not met.
We feel it’s important to establish this day to pay tribute to freelancers everywhere, to celebrate their talent and honour their passion, for their contributions to millions of businesses and the global economy. We invite other organizations to join us in building on this significant day for the years ahead.”
Micha Kaufman, Founder and CEO at Fiverr
What is the Freelance Wellness Fund?
As part of International Freelancer Day, Fiverr and the Freelancers Union have established the Freelancer Wellness Fund. This fund will offer microgrants to support the holistic well-being of freelancers across the world. It’s intended to support them in areas outside of their work – serving as cash assistance towards the broad umbrella of wellness-related expenses including, but not limited to, mental wellness, social wellness (E.g., child daycare and other family-related expenses), physical, and financial wellness (E.g., financial literacy workshops, etc.)
“Freelancers are a crucial part of the workforce, and their contribution to the economy should be recognized; it’s high time there is an official day to honour and celebrate them,” said Rafael Espinal, Executive Director of the Freelancers Union.
“Freelancing, like other professions, has its benefits but also its challenges, which is why we have partnered with Fiverr to offer the Freelancer Wellness Fund. This fund is an excellent step to honour freelancers by supporting their mental and physical health.”
In addition to the Freelancer Wellness Fund, Fiverr community members will also be hosting a variety of networking events around the world this week to bring together the freelance community to connect, engage, and support each other in their local areas.
The events will be held in over ten cities globally, including in the U.S., Australia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, the U.K, and Germany, among other locations. Additionally, Fiverr is running a global social media campaign encouraging freelancers around the world to share why they freelance with the prompt, “I freelance so that I can…”, which will be reposted across its social channels.