Rising trend of flexible working in India: Report

The trend of flexible working that began with SMEs and startups is being adopted by larger enterprises as such firms are hiring independent professionals to drive projects and new initiatives, says a report.
According to Flexing It, the largest platform for flexible management talent in South & South East Asia, project -based and freelance arrangements have become an integral part of business strategy to match evolving business needs with the best talent and at the right budget.
"We're very excited to see the rising trend of flexible working in India and how organisations of all shapes and sizes are co-opting independent consultants and business freelancers," Flexing It founder & CEO Chandrika Pasricha said.

According to the report, 61 per cent of the demand for freelancers involve less than three months of commitment indicating that firms are hiring high quality talent and expertise for a short burst and specific purpose to fulfill key initiatives.
"Organisations are bringing independent professionals on board to drive projects and new initiatives, access quality capacity during peak periods, retain flexibility, and of course source very specific skills and expertise," Chandrika said.
Startups and SMEs are the largest segment(about 50 per cent) engaging with freelancers and business consultants. Startups are engaging with independent workers for projects in the field of marketing (21 per cent), creative & design services (17 per cent) and sales (17 per cent).

Meanwhile, finance (26 per cent), IT (15 per cent), strategy & consulting (15 per cent) are the most sought after skills by MNCs & large corporates engaging in flexible work models.
The report leverages Flexing It's proprietary data borne out of the short-term, project based and consulting assignments posted on the platform over the period of six months from April to September of the current year.