Following on from International Women’s Day celebrated last week, a recent report has revealed the growing number of female contractors in the UK today.
Findings from the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE) show that between 2008 and 2016 the number of female contractors increased by 55% compared to a 36% growth in males.
In the same time period the number of mothers working as self-employed increased by 79% to a total of 302,000 – 15% of the total contractor population.
This significant growth is almost double the rate of increase across the contracting sector as a whole.
Suneeta Johal, IPSE Head of Research, Education and Training, commented on these latest findings, “It is heartening to see that so many women are embarking on freelance careers. The wider self-employed workforce has seen exponential growth in recent years and it is women who are driving this.
“Women everywhere are realising that previous factors such as childbirth aren’t a major hurdle anymore. The fact that 15 per cent of all freelancers are mothers illustrates that the work-life balance that comes with self-employment is a major benefit. Women have recognised that a standard 9-5 job is becoming redundant and are thriving in overwhelming numbers in freelance capacities.”
Daniele Cantello is an Contract Manager for Contractor Umbrella Ltd, one of the UK’s Most Respected Umbrella Companies. Learn more about Daniele on Google.
https://plus.google.com/u/0/110070221086071620829
Trusted by over 1,200 employees |