Focus



In my last post I wrote about the struggle of how, what, and when to prioritize all aspects of the day when engaging in a flexible work environment. I have been studying alternative work modes such as freelancing and consulting to gain a better understanding of different types of self-management. The top two (contracting the most business) freelance sites right now are: Odesk and Elance. Both have a focus on the business, not the employee as their primary target. This focus furthers the dichotomy of how best to produce good work. The focus on the business side continues to foster the industrial mentality (as I mentioned here) that the only valid work is the work that is observed by management. This furthers the concept that people need some external checks and balances, and that internal, intrinsic motivation, being driven by your own passion and willingness to do good work is not enough. Odesk even goes so far as to use a type of spyware to perform random check-ins throughout a project. A screen shot of the freelancers computer screen is taken, and sent as viable evidence that they are indeed addressing the assigned work. This does not foster a trusting relationship and effectively breaks down any freedom or creativity the employee would otherwise have.

When I came across the site DoNanza, I was hoping for a site that was focused on assisting independent workers to operate as a company. Instead it is mostly an aggregator that culls postings from the web and drops them unceremoniously into an inbox. They may be heading towards something more, but unfortunately as it stands no real assistance is offered in building a business, or even in vetting clients, only in finding the next online gig, which are all primarily tech-based jobs. 

Overall, there is a lack of focus on the worker as an individual, yet there is a shift happening towards more independent work. Work is moving away from the industrial 9 to 5 and towards the Gig Economy, or “e-conomy with ‘e’ standing for electronic, entrepreneurial, or even eclectic” [1] . This is a movement characterized by millions of workers, who have been employed full-time in traditional roles with organizations, moving to fill similar roles remotely and on a contract basis. MBO Partners, a heavyweight in freelance connections, recently conducted a study that predicts 65-70 million people will be independent workers in 2020; that’s over half of all US employees.[2] Add in the other countries already taking advantage of this more lithe work structure, and it is obvious to see that people are moving from more stable, full-time salaried positions to flexible self-employment. 

So while half of the battle is with each individual finding how best to focus their workday, the other half is in getting the support needed to enable people to work effectively as an independent professional.

[1] Horowitz, S. The Freelance Surge is the Industrial Revolution of Our Time. The Atlantic. August 2011. http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/09/the-freelance-surge-is-the-industrial-revolution-of-our-time/244229/
[2] Kim, R. By 2020, Independent workers will be the majority.  Gigaom. December 2011. http://gigaom.com/2011/12/08/mbo-partners-network-2011/

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