Going Virtual

The trends highlighting the virtual work world are astounding. While the world economy remains restless and unsure at best, online work has exploded. They say that within every slump something will be growing somewhere—you just need to look closely. Okay, let’s look.

In 2011, Elance alone saw its online hiring grow by more than 100 percent. Over 650,000 new jobs were posted, and membership grew by over 120 percent. These numbers are no blip on the screen of the dying. They underscore a dynamic global trend. Something’s going on here!

More than 1.3 million people are registered on Elance and over 17,000 new contractors join every week. In an Elance survey, 87 percent of independent business owners said that hiring contractors online was a “vital” part of business for them. Eighty-three percent said over the next 12 months they plan to hire one half or more of their workers online.

This is not simply a matter of U.S. companies rushing overseas to hire cheap labor. American workers are seeing a huge boon in finding jobs online. In 2011, U.S.-based contractors provided services in over 140 countries around the globe. The hiring of American workers increased from the previous year in over 60 of these countries. U.S. contractors and clients are still the largest group of Elance members.

BEST PRACTICES

Many business owners are hiring online for the cost savings. By hiring independent contractors, they don’t have to supply office space, unemployment insurance, or health benefits. In today’s world, these alone are huge savings.

Maybe you’re thinking, “Nah, this is just for young folks who understand computers.” Certainly the younger generations are catching on fast; they often do with technology. But many people of baby boomer age are freelancing and running their businesses with online hires.

Those riding on the virtual work world wave aren’t from an isolated geographic or socioeconomic region, or of any distinct age or race. They are simply people who have seen and grasped this astounding opportunity. Read on!