Flexible Working vs. Freelance

The terms flexible working and freelance both relate to non-traditional work arrangements, but they are two totally different concepts. Here's a clear breakdown:

Flexible Working

Flexible working by definition refers to any work arrangement that allows an employee to have some control over when, where, or how they work.

Key Characteristics:

• Applies to employees (usually under contract with one employer).

• Can include remote work, flexible hours, compressed workweeks, job sharing.

• Worker still receives salary and benefits.

• Often negotiated with an employer as part of their role to enhance their work life balance.

• Great for an office worker who shifts their hours from 9-5 to 7-3!

• Or a parent working from home two days a week instead of commuting

Freelance

Freelancing involves working independently for multiple clients or on a project-by-project basis, without being permanently employed by any one company.

Key Characteristics:

• Self-employed – not on a company’s payroll.

• Paid per project, per hour, or per deliverable.

• No traditional employee benefits (e.g., paid leave or sick pay).

• Full control over schedule, clients, and workload.

Examples:

• A graphic designer creating logos for several companies.

• A freelance writer contributing articles to multiple publications.

So which is the option for you?

Each comes with their own benefits and a lot of the time what really works for someone (full control of workload and schedule) is another persons worst nightmare!

You have to look at what you’d enjoy day to day and what is important to you, downtime and time to “completely switch off” doesn’t really come naturally to freelancers. The “work from anywhere” in reality is not poolside with a margarita 99.9% of the time it can be chaos if structure is not implemented.

Things to consider:

• Employee benefits or self-employed

• Work schedule control - partial control to negotiate with employer or full control

• Income source - your employer or set by you

• Security - more stability with a contract or have your dependent on workload

Would you like help deciding which one might suit your situation best?

Here’s some quick fire questions to ask yourself to help you decide between which is best for you!

1. Do you prefer a steady, reliable income or are you okay with income that might vary month to month?

   • A: I prefer steady income.

   • B: I'm okay with variable income.

2. How important are employee benefits (e.g., paid leave, pension, health insurance)?

   • A: Very important to me.

   • B: I can look at alternative means.

3. Do you enjoy working for one company long-term, or would you prefer working on different projects with different clients?

   • A: One company sounds more secure.

   • B: I like variety and freedom.

4. Would you rather have someone else manage your workload or manage your own business and clients?

   • A: I prefer direction and structure.

   • B: I want to be my own boss with total control.

5. How comfortable are you with uncertainty and needing to find your own work regularly?

   • A: I’d rather not deal with that.

   • B: My brain likes to be busy I’m okay with that

Based on your answers:

• Mostly A’s?

  Flexible Working may suit you better.

  You’d enjoy the stability of employment but still want some control over your schedule or work location. It’s a good balance between security and flexibility.

• Mostly B’s?

  Freelancing might be a great fit.

  You likely value freedom, variety, and independence, and are comfortable managing your own time, clients, and income.