From The Florida Times Union, Candace Moody shares her interview with Gene Zaino on the state of independent workers. Gene says that the number of reluctant independent workers dropped the last 12 months and more workers said that independent work made them feel more secure than a traditional job. Candace writes:
“But there are two types of independents: committed workers who have chosen this path, and the reluctant workers who are forced into it,” he said.The reluctant workers accounted for most of the drop in the number of full-time independents, which fell by 5 percent, or 800,000, over the past 12 months.
Committed independents choose to create their own jobs for a variety of reasons, such as freedom, control, work/life balance and earnings….
The average gross income generated from independent work has risen 30 percent since 2011, and 3 million independent workers (17.9 percent of the total) report earning more than $100,000 per year. By contrast, only 9 percent of traditionally employed workers earn at least $100,000, according to U.S. Census data.
Nearly half of full-time independent workers, 47 percent, report making more money working on their own than they would in traditional employment. MBO Partners’ Zaino says that independent work diversifies household income streams, making families feel more secure.
“In 2011, 32 percent of the workers we surveyed said that independent work made them feel more secure than a traditional job,” Zaino said. “In 2016, that number rose to 43 percent. I think when the number hits 50 percent we’ll hit a tipping point for independent work as a viable alternative to employment.”
Read the full story at Candace Moody: The State of Independence | Jacksonville News, Sports and Entertainment | jacksonville.com
