Member Article

UK Lockdown has forced people to reconsider their careers, especially for those enjoying remote working, claims business psychologist

One of the UK’s top business psychologists believes the impact of remote working and furlough over the past six months has forced many people to seriously consider their future career direction.

Jivan Dempsey, a business psychologist from specialist HR consultancy, FiveRivers Consulting, says that many people have enjoyed the flexibility of working from home and are reluctant to return to offices five days a week.

According to Jivan, lots of these workers – as well as the 9.4 million people that have been on furlough – will be thinking about the best next step for their careers, with starting their own business or becoming a freelancer or contractor among the possibilities.

The statements are backed up by the findings of a recent report from SJD Accountancy, the UK’s largest specialist accountants for contractors and freelancers, which discovered that 55 per cent of its clients chose contracting because they wanted a better work-life balance.

Additionally, the data, which is part of an annual survey of more than 2,300 contractors, found that 47 per cent highlighted the desire for more flexible working hours to suit their family life being a decisive factor in becoming self-employed.

Jivan said: “One of the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown restrictions is that it has given people time to reflect on what we really want from our lives and careers.

“Whether you have been working or on furlough, the pandemic may have shone a light on whether or not your current career or job role is right for you.

“Many people have been brushing up their skills or starting on personal development to build new talents, with some even thinking of starting new businesses, especially as worries of redundancy and unemployment become real.”

With the government recently announcing that all businesses should continue to work remotely where possible, this upsurge in demand for more permanent flexible working arrangements is expected to continue.

James Foster, Senior Commercial Manager at SJD Accountancy, said: “We work very closely with contractors and freelancers who have been working remotely and for themselves for several years now, so we’ve seen first-hand the range of benefits it brings.

“The results from our survey show that an overwhelming majority of contractors chose this career path because of the flexibility it offers including finding a more stable work-life balance.

“Our survey found that it also benefits people’s finances too, with 62 per cent saying they get paid more as a contractor and would recommend contracting to a friend.

“We anticipate that, as remote working looks to become an even bigger part of everyday life in the future, more and more people will look to start their own business and become contractors or freelancers full-time in a bid to benefit from the flexible lifestyle it can provide.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sam .