The value of freelancers

Julia Kermode

Interestingly, the Labour party recently said it must reach out to the self-employed, with their “Red Shift” group believing the party is doomed to failure unless it adapts to the new world of working people.

They have acknowledged that the world of work has dramatically altered with an increasing number of people choosing to work flexibly, naming “mum-preneurs” and Uber drivers as examples. It will be interesting to see whether this “Red Shift” movement gathers momentum and delivers Labour policies that will truly support the self-employed.

Of course, most politicians wax lyrical about the value of the flexible workforce. Sajid Javid in particular delivered a resounding inaugural speech extolling the virtues of entrepreneurs, and confirmed what we already knew – that economic recovery is not attributable to politics but the hard work of individuals.

And yet, despite political recognition, we are now faced with a barrage of initiatives that have the potential to significantly impact on the same hardworking individuals that government claim to support. All of us involved in supporting freelancers and contractors are spending the summer unpicking the nuances of the onslaught, deciphering technicalities to establish the true impact of proposals on the workforce.

The other day I felt defeated by it all, and started to wonder what the point is. Why bother?

• Because the UK’s flexible workforce is important
• Because the UK’s flexible workforce constitutes 20% of workers
• Because the UK’s flexible workforce enables businesses to be flexible
• Because the UK’s flexible workforce is essential to economic recovery
• Because the UK’s flexible workforce is misunderstood by government

Ultimately, it is the misunderstanding that I care about. I believe that Government does value the flexible workforce, at least the MPs I meet with certainly do. However, the reality is that there are many complexities within our sector and the mechanics of engaging the flexible workforce are not straightforward. It can be difficult enough for so-called “experts” to grasp the finer points, let alone MPs and civil servants. So that leaves us to educate and help them understand.

We all have a responsibility to use the raft of opportunities to point out unintended consequences, even if it seems like hard work and that we are repeating the usual messages. Otherwise, we risk endangering the very workforce which is so important to UK prosperity and our future.

Julia Kermode is chief executive of the Freelancer and Contractor Services Association (FCSA).