Freelancers with digital skills could be one group to benefit from the government’s public sector cuts.
PeoplePerHour.com unveiled data last week that showed that the public sector’s response to the cuts has been to use a record number of freelancers. Invoicing for digital projects in the public sector is seven times higher now than it was this time last year.
Europe’s largest online marketplace has also seen an increase of 315% in the amount of digital job postings across all sectors in the last twelve months. Xenios Thrasyvoulou, the founder and CEO of the company, says the public sector has at last woken up to the potential cost savings in outsourcing to freelancers.
Meanwhile, the FSB has launched its Local Government Manifesto which urges local authorities to think about small businesses first and ensure the SMEs in their locale are able to create prosperity and jobs.
The manifesto stresses how important small businesses and umbrella company contractors are to a local area and urges local authorities to make sure roads and broadband coverage are improved and Local Enterprise Partnerships include small firms.
The FSB is concerned that government budget cuts may force local councils to make up for cash-flow shortages by increasing the cost of services. However, before taking any such action, councils should consider the impact the measures would have on local businesses.
Councils should also do more to engage with the local business community and consult them on a regular basis on issues that affect them. Furthermore, councils can support local SMEs by procuring more of their products and services.
The FSB is ready to work constructively with local authorities to improve their economies but it’s a two way street and councils must be prepared to work in tandem with business people and not create barriers to stop them doing their job.
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Image: Tramonto digitale/Digital sunset by ciokkolata
