By: Mia Wenjen
Women aren’t working as independent professionals because they don’t have a “real job” or because it gives them something to do while they are home with the kids. Freelance work is their job. And it’s not just for the lifestyle advantages, but for job satisfaction, economic security and personal sense of empowerment.
Because so little is known about self-employed professionals, Aquent, of Boston, developed an annual survey that gets to the heart of this growing segment of America’s work force. Named for the tax form received by most independents, the 1099 Index compares and contrasts independent professionals (IPs) to traditional W-2 workers by asking questions such as:
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Do you consider your job arrangement a preferred choice or would you rather have a more traditional job? |
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How satisfied are you with your current work situation? |
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What do you enjoy most about being an IP? |
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What was the main reason you became an IP? |
In its second year, the survey assesses the temperature of the nation’s IPs, a group that is now 25 million strong. Because this group is almost evenly divided between male and female, Aquent extracted the data from female respondents this year (49 percent of respondents).
The heart of the results is that women who work as independent professionals report being significantly more satisfied with their jobs and personal lives than their salaried counterparts. The survey, conducted late last year by national polling firm Penn Schoen & Berland, also revealed that IPs are twice as likely to earn annual salaries of more than $75,000.
Eighty-seven percent of the women polled prefer working independently versus working in a traditional job. And, most of those women also feel they are better compensated than their salaried counterparts. The women polled cited flexibility, work/life balance, freedom from office politics and financial rewards as top reasons for choosing independent work status.
Other noteworthy findings from the survey include:
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69 percent of women IPs are very satisfied with their work life versus 53 percent of W-2 women; |
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54 percent of women IPs say they are much more satisfied with their work/life balance now compared to when they were W-2 employees; |
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54 percent of women IPs say their work provides a good work life balance versus 42 percent of W-2 women; |
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41 percent of IP women feel adequately compensated for work versus 30 percent of W-2 women; |
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61 percent of IP women feel valued for their work versus 45 percent of W-2 women. |
So, when you find yourself working with a freelancer, don’t feel badly for them because they don’t have a real job because they like being an independent professional.
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