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What will the future of work be?
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More people want to be their own boss

The most common reason for turning to freelance work is the ability to be your own boss. No more working with control-freak management and no more being clocked in and out of the office—you are the master of your own ship. This is what people increasingly want.
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The Argument

The future of work will be more flexible because people are progressively shifting towards views of autonomy. The gig economy is defined as a labor market characterized by the prevalence of short-term contracts or freelance work as opposed to permanent jobs.[1] Moreover, people often ascribe attributes to the gig economy such as empowerment and self-sufficiency. Nowadays, people increasingly want empowerment and self-sufficiency. They want to be in control of their careers. They want to be their own boss, and freelancing allows them to do just that. It allows them to better shape their own destiny and craft a more personal and self-sufficient way to success. Freelancing allows people to set their own stipulations. They can set their own wages, market and advertise their skills in their own way, how and when they want.[2] Because people increasingly want to be in control of their professional lives and be their own bosses, the future of work will be more flexible. This flexibility will arise as more and more people decide to forgo conventional 9-5 jobs and turn to freelance as a way to take power over their own lives.

Counter arguments

The future of the workforce will not be more flexible because once people realize the disadvantages of freelancing they will understand that “being their own boss” is not worth it. Freelancers subject themselves to unreliable workloads. Most freelancers have an unsteady income and a workload that is inconsistent.[3] For the most part, they can not depend on any regular project, profit, or client; it is all unpredictable. Freelancers also don't reap the benefits of traditional workers. Health benefits are very expensive and are mainly provided through workplaces.[3] Depending on a freelancers' current health, switching to a freelance lifestyle may be against their best interests. Freelancing also increases the chances of unequal compensation.[4] The prices for projects are usually set by the employers and that could mean earning less than a traditional employee would earn for completing the job. The future of the workforce will be dominated by standard and conventional jobs because the disadvantages of freelancing will slow down freelance economy growth.

Proponents

Premises

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-38930048
  2. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200205005129/en/The-Future-of-Work-Is-Here-Freelance-Economy-Offers-Unparalleled-Opportunity-for-Growth-Moves-to-Close-the-Gender-Pay-Gap
  3. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10-advantages-disadvantages-becoming-freelancer-faten-amin
  4. https://www.thedailystar.net/shout/life/the-disadvantages-freelancing-1278739
This page was last edited on Thursday, 8 Oct 2020 at 02:36 UTC

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