The number of female professionals seeking freelance opportunities has significantly increased, reflecting a growing preference among women for remote work options, according to a report by The Economic Times. Data from the gig platform Flexing It shows that the number of female consultants in India registering for freelance positions surged by over 300 percent in FY24 compared to FY22. Meanwhile, the number of men opting for white-collar gigs rose by over 225 percent during the same period.
Despite men still constituting two-thirds of registrations in FY24, the data indicates a narrowing gender gap due to the faster growth rate among women. About 39 percent of women expressed a preference for part-time positions, highlighting an increasing demand for flexible and adaptable work arrangements, especially for women re-entering the workforce.
Flexing It Founder Chandrika Pasricha noted, “In the US, women have overtaken men in the freelance workforce, accounting for over 52 percent. While India still has a way to go, with nearly 70 percent of consultants on Flexing It and other platforms being men, the rapid growth in women signups over the last two years suggests we are starting to narrow the gap.”
In FY24, global organizations increasingly sought talent based in India, attracted by the combination of high-quality skills, reduced costs, and established remote work practices post-pandemic. Global Capability Centers (GCCs) relied more on freelance platforms to access vetted consultants, achieve faster project turnarounds, enhance agility, and streamline financial management processes.
“With India emerging as a leading destination for global GCCs, we expect that freelance talent will form a key part of their workforce strategy,” Pasricha added.
In FY24, the demand for freelancers was primarily driven by five key sectors: fast-moving consumer goods and consumer services (20 percent), consulting (18 percent), technology (13 percent), development/impact (12 percent), and banking, financial services, and insurance (9 percent).
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