The Great Resignation” or “The Big Quit” are making headlines in the news, in HR journals, and on social media platforms. Two in five employees or 40% of salaried employees are considering more flexible working options in the first quarter of 2022.

As the economy continues to grow, more and more people are looking for freelance work. Why? Why would anyone choose to go independent when they could have a steady job with benefits and a salary? There are many reasons why this is happening. In this article, we will discuss three of them: Work-life balance,  gender pay gap, high employee turnover, an increase in salaries for experts, and the lack of opportunities that come from being tied down to one employer.

Work-life balance

The first one is work-life balance. People always complain about the lack of time they have to spend with their families due to long hours at work. Working for a big company, this seems inevitable as you are required to be in the office from nine until five and sometimes even stay after seven o’clock so that you can finish your workload. Why would anyone want a job where there aren’t enough hours in a day? Why wouldn’t someone choose to be independent instead so that they could come home on time every night and still earn good money without having too many commitments? It’s understandable why people prefer working alone rather than spending more time away from their loved ones just because some employers feel like it is necessary to start early and end late.

According to the Harvard Business Review, the vast majority of independent consultants (90%) in their survey reported that they are satisfied with working in this way, and their data indicates that they are more satisfied with their current professional life than being employed.

Gender Pay-gap

The next reason is the gender pay gap. Why does it exist? Why do women earn less than men even if they both have the same job and education level and work on a similar type of contract? It’s because big companies still don’t see that flexible jobs can be as valuable as full-time ones, which means they are not willing to make them equal in terms of salary. Why would anyone want this for themselves or their loved one (if there is such an opportunity)? If you live alone, having two different salaries might not look like a problem but what about children – will your partner always need to raise them while you sit at home doing nothing just because someone else decided that working from nine until five every day is the only way to earn a living? Why would you choose that for yourself or anyone else if there are alternatives, which means equal opportunity?

High Employee Turnover

The third reason why people prefer working on their own rather than being stuck with one employer is high turnover rates within companies. Why do some employees leave their job after less than two years of employment even though they had good reviews and were promoted during this time? Why wouldn’t someone want to work until retirement when they can still make changes every few years instead of staying in the same place until they get too old to deal with it anymore? It’s understandable how independent jobs can be more beneficial as there isn’t any chance that your contract will not be renewed just because you don’t fit the company’s long-term plans anymore. Why would anyone want to take this risk if they don’t have to?

Opportunities for Experts

The last reason why people are choosing to go independent is that opportunities are limited when you work in a big company. Why won’t someone choose to be their own boss over staying at home just because their employer decided that they need another person who has less experience but fits certain criteria instead of promoting them even though there was nothing wrong with what they were doing before? Why wouldn’t everyone go freelance unless it isn’t financially possible or something else stands between them and success? It’s understandable how there aren’t many chances within companies due to high competition for positions which means finding an opportunity might be hard. Why would anyone want to put up with this if they have an alternative?

The talent game for big employers is changing. In the past, organizations, and particularly professional service firms, could point to the door and remind any grumbling employees that it was cold out there. Today that threat might not have the same impact, as many high flyers themselves are choosing to walk out. While firms have traditionally competed with each other for talent, now they are competing with another alternative: going independent. Why wouldn’t someone take their future into their own hands instead of putting all their eggs in one basket (or company)? Why work harder than you need to when you can make more money without sacrificing too much time or effort? It’s understandable why people choose their freedom over being stuck in the same place if they can make more money without putting too much effort into it. Why work for someone else when you could be your own boss? Why not choose opportunity over restrictions every time, unless there are other reasons why this isn’t possible?

Lack of opportunities that come from being tied down to one employer

Opportunities for experts are limited when you work in a big company. Why wouldn’t someone choose to be their own boss over staying at home just because their employer decided that they need another person who has less experience but fits certain criteria instead of promoting them even though there was nothing wrong with what they were doing before? Why wouldn’t everyone go freelance unless it isn’t financially possible or something else stands between them and success? It’s understandable why people are choosing this alternative as opportunities are more available than within professional service firms which means finding an opportunity might be hard.

So What’s Next?:

While it is certainly not a bad thing that organizations are recognizing talent as game-changing, this does create problems for employers. Why hire full-time staff when you can have consultants on board part-time instead which allows you to save money and time by only hiring professionals when needed – plus keep your clients served by people with expertise rather than those still learning about how everything works within an organization? Freelancers offer both flexibilities in terms of hours worked as well as being available in times of need without requiring additional training or time to familiarize themselves with how a company works. Why would an organization want someone who could walk out at any time when consultants are more loyal and pay their own way?