Self-employed worker numbers are 13% lower than pre-pandemic levels…

Takeaway

…this valuable pool of legacy contractors is more open to permanent / FTC opportunities

See our recommendation
-0.7%

-k

Self-employed numbers down 14.7% from pre-pandemic Q1 2020 quarter

Self-employment plummeted in 2020 and rallied during 2022, before dipping again in Q2 2023.

By May-July 2023, self-employed numbers were 14.7% (732k) lower than the quarter prior to the pandemic (Q1 2020).

Self-employment analysis full and part-time, date, year-on-year, gender and age comparison

Read more

Our recommendation

Reconsider how you word your job descriptions, especially when talking about qualifications and attracting someone for a contract or permanent role.

The fall in the number of self-employment work opportunities in the UK triggered more willingness from legacy contractors to consider permanent and FTC roles. To capitalise on the skills, experience and outcomes-orientated mindset of this valuable pool of workers, employers may need to revisit how they position the person specification within roles, however, notably where it uses language that is orientated towards a perm-to-perm mover.

Wages
ED&I