By Anna Rzhevkina

The popularity of freelancing has been growing since the pandemic as people increasingly discovered the advantages of flexibility. The possibility to work from any location at convenient hours and collaborate with businesses worldwide was attractive to many. It has also transformed the way many professionals approach their jobs. 

The number of freelancers in Poland jumped by 11.4% compared to a year ago and has reached about 300,000, according to recent research by Useme, a platform for freelancers and employers. In Poland, freelance is equally popular among women (51.4%) and men (48.6%), although more men freelance worldwide.

Almost half of freelancers are between 26 and 35 years old, while the second largest group is people aged 36-45. Nowadays, freelancers are usually experienced professionals ready to sell their services in the open market.

One of the main advantages of registering as self-employed is the possibility to collaborate with clients from various countries. Poland's weakening national currency, which hit a historically low level (PLN 5/USD 1) in October, has prompted freelancers to seek contracts in euros and dollars.  

Poland's largest group of freelancers (26.9%) specializes in copywriting and social media services. Graphics and 3D design professionals are in second place (17.6%), followed by web developers (10.2%). Useme CEO Przemek Głośny told the Warsaw Business Journal that the popularity of freelancing is fueled by a shortage of qualified specialists in the market. "It is not easy to get a high-class specialist on a permanent basis; it is easier to "rent" them for a specific task. The approaching economic crisis is now enhancing this effect. Many companies will not be able to afford to hire specialists on a permanent basis," he said.

The total number of freelancers is continually growing by about 10% annually, Głośny estimated. Almost half of them are full-time freelancers, while the remaining half rely on freelancing as an extra source of income. Głośny notes that Poland is still behind other EU members in developing a freelance market, but expects the country to catch up with the rest of Europe in the coming years. 

In Poland, more than 90% of freelancers choose to work from home. The vast majority have flexible work hours, and less than one in ten freelancers stick to fixed schedules. However, when it comes to vacations, their approaches are mixed. On the one hand, slightly more than one-fourth of freelancers take only short weekend trips. On the other hand, almost 24% have had vacations that last more than two weeks.

Turning enthusiasm for travel into a job

Aleksandra Verchenko, a PR manager from Belarus moved to Poland about four years ago with her husband, an IT specialist. She left her senior position in an agency to start her journey as a freelancer and enjoy the freedom of working from any location. The family started actively traveling throughout Poland, discovering places not well-known by regular tourists. "In the summer, we spent a week at Czorsztyńskie Lake near Zakopane," Aleksandra said. "We worked, but at the same time, we enjoyed nature, the view from the window, and the beach nearby."

According to Aleksandra, internal motivation is the key to success in freelancing. "If a person has a sense of responsibility, self-employment should not be a problem," she said. With time, Aleksandra and her husband turned their passion for traveling and synergies in skills into a business project. In July 2021, they launched VacationPoland, an online audio guide that allows travelers to discover Polish cities at their own pace without booking an organized tour.

Although Poland has a lot to offer for travelers, the information in English is still limited, Aleksandra notes. This lack inspired her to create a tech project that will help to attract visitors from different countries. Local guides design the tours, and they are available in several languages. In addition, users get access to maps with recommended restaurants and cafes to relax in after a long walk. The tours do not expire, and travelers can discover a city in more than one visit. The online audio guide is now available in Kraków, Wroclaw, and Poznan, and the tour of Gdańsk tour is scheduled to launch in December when many visitors come for the Christmas markets. Aleksandra also plans to design tours in Warsaw, Torun, Lodz, and Lublin and is considering international expansion.

Like many freelancers, Aleksandra is passionate about her job, and she says the challenge for her is to find a healthy balance. "There were times when I opened my eyes in the morning and started answering messages immediately. Now I have changed my approach," she said. She notes that it is essential to build healthy borders with clients: to be friendly and available on the one hand but to be able to say no, on the other. Her further advice to freelancers is to become familiar with the laws of the country where they perform their services, especially the tax system.

Win-win employment

Despite the rise of freelancing's popularity, only 8% of working people in Poland are ready to convert into full-time freelancers, Business Director of recruitment agency Antal Poland Fabian Pietras told the Warsaw Business Journal during the European Forum for New Ideas. Most are IT specialists, media professionals, copywriters, lawyers, and HR specialists. Pietras specified that statistics do not include blue-collar workers and temporary employees. Instead, they focus on those who become freelancers by choice.

Professionals often decide to work on B2B contracts due to a higher income than a regular employment contract, the flexibility to choose projects, and the variety of tasks. Pietras says that both professionals and businesses drive the growth of freelancing. Companies can find the right specialists much faster than through a standard recruitment process, and they also have the flexibility to hire for a specific project rather than permanently. He stresses that about 65% of companies nowadays use outsourcing to focus internal resources for the core business.

As a result, businesses are seeking to establish regular collaboration with contractors. "If a company wants to stick with a contractor, it's important to bond with them and make them feel part of the team," Pietras said. He said one possible solution would be offering freelancers benefits, such as health insurance or wellness programs.

The growth of freelancing's popularity is another example of radical changes in the labor market, showing how relationships between employers and professionals have evolved in recent years. On the one hand, specialists are looking for more freedom, flexibility, and development opportunities. On the other, businesses are more careful about hiring as inflation and fears of the economic slowdown create uncertainties. However, a stable increase in freelancers shows that the change is here to stay, and the 9-to-5 workday is becoming outdated as more professionals want to work under their own conditions.