The pandemic has brought on a new age of outsourcing, as forced furloughs and downsizing convinced many employers to embrace a more flexible and agile workforce. Not only have flexible and remote working practices become the norm, but a growing number of businesses have seen the value of drawing on a flexible pool of freelancers and contractors to cope with fluctuating demand, rather than taking the risk of bringing in permanent staff.

Beyond the pandemics influence, global and technological changes have also impacted the demand for freelancers, and here at The Work Crowd, a platform connecting businesses with freelance talent, we’ve seen first-hand the five emerging trends for outsourcing in 2022.

1. Increase in agencies relying on freelancers

Whilst the pandemic and Brexit caused uncertainty, at the same time talent shortages has turned many agencies to lean on freelancers to help them revitalise their business and cover new client wins.

Here at The Work Crowd we have seen an increase in agency clients looking to use freelancers, both as short term project based solution or while they hire permanent staff as well as a long term flexible alternative, particularly now so many are working remotely. Thankfully with new flexible ways of working, the boundaries between working with a freelancer or a permanent staff are blurring and in 2022 we expect to see most agencies working with freelancers on a flexible, part time and remote basis.

2. Demand for marketing talent grows, along with events

The Work Crowd has seen a 100% increase in marketing projects in the past 6 months alone, as the economy recovers from the pandemic and businesses look to re-engage with customers and reach new markets. Businesses are reviewing their marketing and putting more resources here.  

As well as affecting marketing budgets, the past few years has caused tremendous uncertainty for the events industry, however in 2022 we expect events to be back bigger and better and are already seeing an influx in event roles, particularly freelance event project managers and communications specialists.

3. Crypto moves to mainstream along with the demand for Fintech marcomms skills

2021 has been a remarkable year for both cryptocurrency and FinTech and with the ongoing growth of these markets a new demand for digital marketing and PR specialists has emerged to combat the rising competition to acquire market share.  

We have seen a 350% increase in 2021 from clients looking for marketing and communications expertise in this area from 2020. UK/London has long had a strong reputation in Fintech, but we are also seeing and hearing a lot of noise in this area from the UAE. Their investment in start-ups and position globally have helped support this.

4. Businesses are looking for digital freelancers to fill technical gaps

SEO was the buzzword amongst businesses in 2021, so it’s no surprise employers are looking for contractors with specialised digital skillsets to fill gaps their marketing teams may not cover.

At The Work Crowd we have also seen double the amount of paid and performance roles, as businesses want to hire contractors over agencies to integrate with in-house marketeers on their campaigns.

5. Companies are looking for local expertise to explore new markets

Previously entering a new market overseas seemed like a daunting task, however, in 2022, remote working and global inter-connectivity opens the doors to overseas trading for many businesses.

Companies are now looking to build global teams and are quickly realising local freelancers are the key to doing so. As a global platform. 25% of our projects this year alone have been international.  

If you are interested in joining our community of freelancers or working directly with a freelancer to achieve your business objectives, join our network today.