Freelancing in Australia: A National Survey of the New Workforce

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© Copyright 2014 Daniel J
Edelman Inc. Intelligent
Engagement

02)10 (
October 2014

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• An online survey of 1,049 Australian adults who have earned income from work in
the past 12 months
• Data collected July 19 - July 31, 2014 by independent research firm Edelman
Berland
• Results are weighted to ensure demographic representation in line with the
Australian Bureau of Statistics Labour Force Survey
• Overall margin of error of ±3.04% at the 95% level of confidence
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NON-FREELANCERS
Definition:
- Individuals who earned
income through work but have
not engaged in supplemental,
temporary, project- or
contract-based work, within
the past 12 months.
Sample n=738
FREELANCERS
Definition:
- Individuals who have
engaged in supplemental,
temporary, project- or
contract-based work,
within the past 12 months.
Sample n=311
Engagement © Copyright 2014 Daniel J Edelman Inc.

12!6,' 130
Elance-oDesk commissioned Edelman Berland, an independent research firm,
to conduct a study of the freelance workforce within Australia with the following
objectives:
1. Quantify the number of people freelancing in Australia and their economic
2. Assess the state of freelancing, especially current demand for freelance
3. Gather insights into drivers and barriers impacting freelancing
4. Gauge the outlook for freelancing, especially among millennials (AKA Gen Y)
This results deck is organised in sections to detail results on each of these
objectives.
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impact
services
as they become the majority of our workforce

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1. Freelancing quantified
• There are ǘǽǜ*)),+-,-)!,+$#/)+ 4,/(+201/)– 30% of our national
• People who freelance contribute an estimated ʏǚǖ)),++#/)+ /++$01,,2/
2. The state of freelancing
• ǜǙʢ,#+,+Ȓ#/)+ /0say they4,2)!4))+$1,!,4,/( outside their primary job 1,
• 3/%)# (58%) of those freelancing !,0,,21,# %, rather than necessity
• The top drivers of freelancing are: ǖǽ/++$51/*,+6, Ǘǽ3+$#)5)0 %!2), and
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ǘǽ3+$1%#/!,*1, %,,04% %-/,' 101,4,/(,+
• ǘǖʢ,#*,,+)$%1/04%,%3-/*/6',%31%,2$%1,21.211+$to work
completely independently – this represents more than 218,000 people

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3. Insights into barriers and drivers
• +!+$4,/(and, correspondingly, + ,*01)16 are the 1,-///01,!,+$*,/
• ǚǞʢof freelancerssaid 1 %+,),$6%0*!10/1,#+!#/)+ 4,/(
• ǘǕʢof freelancers have !,+-/,' 1,+)+, and of those, %)##+!-/,' 1041%+1%/
• ǛǙʢof freelancersagreed that 0, )*!0!/01 ))6 %+$+$1%!6+* 0,#
•
+0+!6,,*/0/#/)+ +$*,/1%++6,1%/$$/,2-0. Over a third of
• /)+ +$03)2!with 59% agreeing that freelancers offer skills that might be difficult to
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4. The outlook for freelancing
• ǜǖʢ,##/)+ /0say the 01!60/61%!#,/#/)+ +$and ǚǝʢ0!
#/)+ +$0 //-1%0*,//0- 1!1,!6 than it was three years ago
Gen Ys (33%) and over 55s (35%) are freelancers
find traditionally

© Copyright 2014 Daniel J Edelman Inc.
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%//ǘǽǜ*)),+-,-)#/)+ +$+
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respondents to determine the percent who earned freelance income in the past year.
Results showed that ǘǕʢ,#1%201/)+4,/(#,/ 0!,+$#/)+ 1316.
• Based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ September 2014 Labour Force report
which estimates there are 12,350,400 people in the labour force, we estimate that the
Australian labour force currently includes ǘǽǜ*)),+-,-)4%,/#/)+ +$ǽ
• A November 2013 study by the Australian Bureau of Statistics found there were
986,400 “independent contractors” – which is defined as people who operate their
own business and who contract to perform services for others without having the
legal status of an employee. There has never been a study that includes other types
of freelance workers to quantify the total number of people actually doing freelance
work.
• %0#/)+ /0 ,+1/21+01*1!ʏǚǖ)),+++2))6+#/)+
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• Our survey of over 1,000 Australian workforce members rigorously screened
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%#/)+ 4,/(#,/ ǿ
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879,089
976,379
1.29M
1,483,680
695K
766K
119K
848K

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Each respondent ran through a series of questions that carefully qualified their
employment status and income in order to detect freelancing that might otherwise go
unrecorded. The following definitions and examples explain 5 segments of freelancers
captured:
1.

+!-+!+1,+1/ 1,/0(35% of the independent workforce / 1.3 million professionals) –
These “traditional” freelancers don't have an employer and instead perform freelance,
temporary, or contract work on a project-to-project basis.
2. ,,+)$%1/0 (19% / 704,000) - Professionals with a primary, traditional job who also
moonlight doing freelance work. For example, a corporate-employed web developer who does
projects for non-profits in the evening.
3. 3/0#!,/(/0(23% / 852,000) – People with multiple sources of income from a mix of
traditional employers and freelance work. For example, someone who works the front desk at
a dentist’s office 20 hours a week and fills out the rest of his income driving for Uber and doing
freelance writing.
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4. *-,//6,/(/0(20% / 741,000) - Individuals with a single employer, client, job, or
contract project where their employment status is temporary. For example, a business strategy
consultant working for one startup client on a contract basis for a month-long project.
5. /)+ 20+004+/0(3% / 111,000) – These freelancers have between one and five
employees, and consider themselves both a freelancer and a business owner. For example, a
social marketing guru who hires a team of other social marketers to build a small agency, but
still identifies as a freelancer.
In order to qualify, freelancers had to have earned freelance income within the past 12 months.
The following slide demonstrates how freelancers were screened through the survey questionnaire.
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1% 23% 59% 17%

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5% 27% 55% 10%
1% 23% 64% 12%
4% 27% 55% 14%

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Now that I am semi-retired, I can enjoy
[extra income] without all the ardours
of a permanent job.
To make more
money.
To spend more time
with family.
So that I can be my own boss and make my
own choices.
I want to enjoy doing
projects that have
some meaning.
So I can enjoy more free
time, no stress at work,
less admin duties.
To pursue my creative outlets.
I see it as a way to slowly develop my
own financial independence so that I
can continue to make money well into
the future despite my location or age
or physical limitations.
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It’s a change from the
normal job, exciting, get
to travel, good money.
To gain new skills and
move my career forward.

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Most important Least important

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10%
Of all workers with a primary
704K
Moonlighters
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employer have done work
outside of their main job in
the past year to earn
additional money

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218,000
Potential New
Independent Contractors
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Accessing information is far easier today. I complete tasks
around 300% faster today than say 5 years ago. It helps
me provide far better quality work.
Technology has
allowed me to work
from home and
autonomously.
More mobile, work on the go.
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59%
Agree that technology has made
it easier to find freelance work
Social media and the
internet have made it
possible for me to
market myself to an
audience at very low
cost. The ripple effect of
'word of mouth' now
being linked with
technology enables
referrals to spread ten
fold.
It is much easier to work from multiple offices and
geographic locations. Organisations with tighter
budgets are looking for greater workforce flexibility.

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Freelancing in Australia: A National Survey of the New Workforce

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Freelancing in Australia: A National Survey of the New Workforce