People of all generations are turning to freelance work

The future of work will be more flexible because those seeking such flexibility span across various generations. From Generation Z to Millenials to Baby Boomers, a substantial percentage of people in every age group are looking to get into freelance and more non-traditional methods of work. Generation Z is often referred to as the most independent and unconventional generation yet. According to recent research, 62% of Gen Z would prefer to customize their own career path rather than have a corporation develop it for them.^[1] An increasing number of young people are turning to freelance work and choosing non-traditional ways of working that they feel serve their desired lifestyle. Millennials make up the majority of the freelancer population, but another demographic is catching up.^[2] Not only are young people fueling the gig economy, but older generations are progressively increasing their presence in freelance work. As of 2018, 30% of freelance workers in the United States were over the age of 55 and that number is expected to exponentially grow as “the silver wave” of baby boomers approaches the retirement age.^[2] People over the age of 55 are starting to explore freelance, either full time or as a way to transition into retirement when they can’t or don’t want to stop working entirely. The future of work will be more flexible because people from all generations are moving towards non-traditional forms of employment.