In the survey, contractors were asked about their level of satisfaction with seven key elements of their job and working life. The work itself gained the highest satisfaction from the contractors 83%, followed by the Flexibility of the hours 79%, location of the job 78%, current life in general 76%, remote work options 76%, work-life balance 68%, and the rate of pay 66%. There has been a reported reduction in satisfaction levels on all 7 factors since the 2023 report the largest drop in satisfaction is being seen against the rate of pay which has dropped from 79% in 2023 to 66% in 2024.
Contractors Are Happy
“I personally feel valued and content since I left full time employment to start my own business, best thing I ever did.”
Quote from Respondent
Overall, the contractors were satisfied with their career, with 79% of respondents reported they are satisfied with the success they had achieved in their career and 69% are satisfied with the progress they had made towards meeting their overall career goals. The well-being of contractors is good with only 24% of respondents experiencing loneliness and 15% reporting burnout unchanged since 2023.
How Contractors Feel About Their Work
There has been a drop in the satisfaction level across the 7 factors since 2023, while the rate of pay has seen the biggest drop since the 2023 survey where 79% of contractors were satisfied to 66% of contractors reporting satisfaction with the rate of pay in 2024. Factors such as flexibility of the hours, location of the job, remote work options, have all seen a drop perhaps reflecting the increase in the number of contractors reporting that they are working more frequently in client offices, 24% in 2023 as opposed to 29% in 2024.
This increase in turn could be affecting the satisfaction scores relating to work life balance and ultimately explain the decrease in contractors reported satisfaction levels with their current life in general. In saying all this 76% of contractors are still satisfied with their current life in general.
79%
satisfied with the success they have achieved in their career
76%
satisfied with their current life in general
69%
satisfied with the progress they have made in reaching their career goal.
Contractors Well-Being
Professional contractors still express high levels of wellbeing with only 24% experiencing loneliness unchanged since 2023, and just up 1% since 2021. 15% of contractors experienced burnout also unchanged since the 2023 report and down 3% since 2021.
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Next - Generations of Contractors
- Generation Split
- Occupation by Generation
- Job Satisfaction by Generation
- AI