According to a new survey from recruiting and employment firm Kelly Services, fully 31 percent of American workers consider themselves to be free agents. These workers identify themselves as independent contractors, freelancers, small business owners, temps or even moonlighters. What they don’t identify themselves as are traditional employees, meaning people who received their sole source of income from just one employer.
Many of these free agents are relatively happy. As reported by CNNMoney, free agents report higher levels of satisfaction than traditional employees, including in terms of work-life balance, skills development and opportunities to advance their careers. Only ten percent of these workers indicate that they were forced into it because of economic conditions.
These free agents cut across all industries, but are more prevalent in information technology, accounting, finance, engineering and education. Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, thirty six percent of Baby Boomers identify themselves as free agents compared to just twenty six percent of Millennials. Companies are often eager to bring on experienced, high skilled older workers for projects.
