Perhaps, in a galaxy far, far away, there’s a parallel universe where contractors are called freelancers, freelancers are part of the flexiforce and politicians are preparing for the coming general election by leafing through a Manifesto for Freelancers. Well, as we celebrated the first-ever National Freelancers Day on 23rd November 2009, our two parallel universes began to converge.
What’s in a name, Jim?
PCG – formerly the Professional Contractors Group – chose the occasion to rebrand itself as, ‘PCG, the voice of freelancing’. The rationale behind dropping ‘contractor’ is that researchers deemed it ‘confusing’ and ‘alienating’.
And the renaming bug seemed to be catching. Coinciding with National Freelancers Day, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) released a report at is national conference. Looking at the shape of business over the next ten years, the report introduced us to the ‘flexiforce’, which is what our business leaders are calling the ‘new’ flexible workforce. It might be a new name, but some of us old-style ‘contractors’ have been working in the ‘flexiforce’ for decades.
Light relief at the CBI was provided in the form of Prime Minister Gordon Brown being put on the spot by one delegate asking whether his introduction of IR35 had been justified.
Whatever it’s called, Jim, do it!
ContractorCalculator marked National Freelancers Day by encouraging those who have not yet taken the plunge into contracting (or freelancing, or flexi-forcing, or whatever you wish to call it) to give it a go. And, to celebrate the decision of so many contractors to join the sector, I jumped off the highest building in the southern hemisphere (watch video). So, for me, the highlight of National Freelancers Day was still being alive at the end of it!
It’s a success, Jim!
National Freelancers Day appears to have achieved PCG’s multiple objectives – to stimulate debate and generate publicity for, and recognition of, the contribution that contractors, freelancers, interims and consultants make to UK PLC.
In particular, PCG’s Manifesto for Freelancing has put the flexible workforce firmly on the political agenda in the run-up to the next election, while other activities on the day and the CBI report have put the benefits of flexible workers on the maps of businesses and end-user clients.
So, whether you call yourself a contractor or something else, you are likely to benefit from the positive ripples created by National Freelancers Day.
May the flexiforce be with you…