The year is 2020 – and possibly the least ordinary period in our lifetime. The entire world has been disrupted by COVID-19 or Coronavirus, an infectious disease that has taken over half a million lives, wreaking havoc on healthcare systems and economies worldwide. Its impact has been felt by all individuals in nearly all aspects of life.
An article from Jennifer, a Berlin-based freelance copywriter. She loves writing about food, language, technology, and culture.
The pandemic is unfortunately far from over. Although it has mitigated in many parts of the world, health officials are not ruling out a second wave of mass infection. Nonetheless, the virus has given us all ample opportunity to learn important lessons in a very short period of time. Companies and individuals have been forced to explore the idea of adaptation – to work from home, to communicate in alternative ways, and most of all, to work differently.
For digital nomads, self-employed freelancers and contract work-based agencies, working from home is not new. But as traditional companies adapt to this new way of working, it could mean many more opportunities for seasoned freelancers and agencies.
Here’s why:
1. Freelancers already understand how to effectively navigate work-from-home life thus making them ideal remote workers.
Individuals who are new to working from home will often encounter issues managing time, staying organized, and knowing how to create the perfect environment to maximize focus and productivity. Individuals who are used to office work often rely on external pressure to work effectively.
Freelancers, on the other hand, are self-sufficient and well-versed in what it takes to be most productive. Whether it’s creating a specialized routine or the perfect workstation setup, they already understand what works for them. They’re skilled at managing time because they’ve always had to – their livelihood depends on it.
Agencies that provide contract work also understand how to work with clients and freelancers across the globe. They’re skilled at streamlining processes – with a focus on providing high quality work and timesaving practices.
2. Gig economy work will be in high demand, leading to greater opportunities for agencies and contract workers.
As companies have been forced to shut their offices for months, many have already announced that they will not reopen offices, instead opting for remote work only. This will lead to a great increase in remote work opportunities for freelancers, self-employed workers as well as agencies who facilitate contract work. Remote work-based companies can open their talent pool to include gig economy workers such as freelance translators, content creators and other contractors – they’re often better suited for these tasks than full-time workers anyway.
3. Greater dependence on the internet will drive demand for digital and content marketing efforts.
The pandemic has revealed one major fact about modern civilization – that we rely on the internet for virtually everything. It is the most fundamental facilitator for communication worldwide and forward-thinking businesses already understand the growing importance of digital and content marketing. Companies need to rethink how they market themselves – and get more creative than ever.
It would be wise to come up with novel ways to capture audiences worldwide via digital marketing techniques, which will also likely require translation work. It’s no longer enough to market to people locally – if this pandemic has proved one thing, it is that we live in a truly globalized world.
Coronavirus has upended and altered our world, but all we can do is to make sure to build a better future, even if it means rethinking the way we do everything – especially how we work.
