FREELANCE AS A SPECIAL FORM OF EMPLOYMENT AND LABOR RELATIONS IN MODERN CONDITIONS

  • Gаlina Urchik National University of Water Management and Environmental Engineering, 11, Soborna Str., Rivne, 33028, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1013-6940
Keywords: Freelance, Labor Market, Freelance Platforms, Demand for Freelance Services, Freelance Supply

Abstract

The article looks at how freelancing can be seen as a special type of work and how to make the most of the skills of employees. It also looks at what is happening now in the freelancing world, both around the world and in Ukraine. The article looks at the different ways freelancing is defined and what makes it different from other types of employment. It also talks about the characteristics of freelancing, such as the ability to choose projects, set your own schedule and work from home. It also uses information systems and internet technologies, finds work on special internet platforms, and is personally responsible for the quality and timeliness of your work. You get paid for the work you do and how hard the job is. There is no special law in Ukraine that directly regulates freelancing. Instead, there are only bylaws that indirectly mention the concept, and they do not clearly distinguish freelancing from remote and home-based work. Freelancing has advantages and disadvantages for different people in the labour market. The study examined the global freelance market and drew parallels with the market in the USA, whilst also analysing trends and developments within the global freelance market. The study concluded that the size of the global freelance market is expanding, and that it was valued at $455.2 billion in 2023.The majority of demand for freelance services originates from the USA and Ukraine, a notable observation given that Ukraine only constitutes a modest percentage of the global market. While there is an absence of data regarding the size of the freelance market in Ukraine, Freelancehunt has asserted that it is the largest in Europe. Projections for 2024 indicate a surge in the number of freelancers (+15%), an increase in clientele (+12%), and a substantial rise in total income (+25.7%).The predominant practice among freelancers is the execution of projects for other freelancers or companies.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Gаlina Urchik, National University of Water Management and Environmental Engineering, 11, Soborna Str., Rivne, 33028, Ukraine

PhD (Economics), Associate Professor

References

Krutylin, S. (2024). Freelance as a form of platform employment. Economic Space, 191, 338–344. doi: https://doi.org/10.32782/2224-6282/191-56 (in Ukrainian)

Litorovych, O. (2020). Analysis of the freelance market in Ukraine. Bulletin of the National University «Lviv Polytechnic», 4(1), 43–53. (in Ukrainian)

Chernyshova, L., & Slavenko, E. (2022). Peculiarities of the development of freelance as a flexible form of personnel labor organization in modern conditions of the development of economic relations. Economics: Realities of the Time, 5(63). Retrieved from https://economics.net.ua/files/archive/2022/No5/49.pdf (in Ukrainian)

Zinovatna, I., Pisotsky, A., & Novytsky, D. (2020). Freelance as a flexible form of employment in Ukraine: Status and development prospects. International Scientific Journal «Internauka», 5, 119–128. Retrieved from https://www.inter-nauka.com/uploads/public/1591637356779.pdf (in Ukrainian)

Yakubovskaya, N., Savushchyk, A., et al. (2024). Current trends in freelancing as a lever of effective personnel management in the conditions of digitalization. Black Sea Economic Studies, 86, 187–191. doi: https://doi.org/10.32782/bses.86-30 (in Ukrainian)

Kovalchuk, K., & Lebedeva, V. (2024). Theoretical and economic aspects of freelancing in the context of the digital economy. Graal Nauki, 39, 33–37. doi: https://doi.org/10.36074/grail-of-science.10.05.2024.001 (in Ukrainian)

Mai, Q. D. (2021). Unclear signals, uncertain prospects: The labor market consequences of freelancing in the new economy. Social Forces, 99(3), 895–920. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/soaa043

Salamon, E. (2020). Digitizing freelance media labor: A class of workers negotiates entrepreneurialism and activism. New Media & Society, 22(1), 105–122. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444819861958

Ke, T. T., & Zhu, Y. (2021). Cheap talk on freelance platforms. Management Science, 67(9). doi: https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2020.3782

Gu, G., & Zhu, F. (2020). Trust and disintermediation: Evidence from an online freelance marketplace. Management Science, 67(2). doi: https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2020.3583

Blaising, A., Kotturi, Y., Kulkarni, C., & Dabbish, L. (2021). Making it work, or not: A longitudinal study of career trajectories among online freelancers. Proceedings of the ACM Human-Computer Interaction, 4. doi: https://doi.org/10.1145/3432925

Gussek, L., & Wiesche, M. (2024). Understanding the careers of freelancers on digital labor platforms: The case of IT work. Information Systems Journal, 34(5), 1664–1702. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/isj.12509

Miller, P. (2020). Freelance workers—Experiencing a career outside an organization. Qualitative Sociology Review, 16(4), 90–104. doi: https://doi.org/10.18778/1733-8077.16.4.06

Ren, J., Raghupathi, V., & Raghupathi, W. (2023). Exploring influential factors in hiring freelancers on online labor platforms: An empirical study. Economies, 11(3), 80. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/economies11030080

Fiers, F. (2024). Resilience in the gig economy: Digital skills in online freelancing. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 29(5). doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/jcmc/zmae014

Blaising, A., & Dabbish, L. (2022). Managing the transition to online freelance platforms: Self-directed socialization. Proceedings of the ACM Human-Computer Interaction, 6. doi: https://doi.org/10.1145/3555201

Toth, I., Heinänen, S., & Blomqvist, K. (2020). Freelancing on digital work platforms—Roles of virtual community trust and work engagement on person-job fit. VINE Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems, 50(4), 553–567. doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/VJIKMS-12-2018-0124

Leskova, L. F. (2017). Freelance and its prospects in the Ukrainian labor market. Topical Issues of Science and Education, 3, 22–25. Retrieved from http://surl.li/oynkkq (in Ukrainian)

Zabolotna, N. (2022). Freelance as a new form of employment and labor relations. Legal Scientific Electronic Journal, 1, 143–145. Retrieved from http://lsej.org.ua/1_2022/34.pdf (in Ukrainian)

Koterlin, I. B., & Shtykh, A. T. (2021). Regulatory and legal regulation of non-standard employment of the population in Ukraine due to the effects of pandemic restrictions. Current Problems of Domestic Jurisprudence, 1, 69–73. Retrieved from http://apnl.dnu.in.ua/1_2021/17.pdf (in Ukrainian)

Khalid, W., & Wazani, A. I. (2024). GIG economy and unemployment foresight: A glance on the global economy. American Academic & Scholarly Research Journal, 16(2). Retrieved from https://www.aasrc.org/aasrj/index.php/aasrj/article/download/2276/1398

Published
2025-04-06
How to Cite
Urchik, G. (2025). FREELANCE AS A SPECIAL FORM OF EMPLOYMENT AND LABOR RELATIONS IN MODERN CONDITIONS. Social Economics, (69), 71-87. https://doi.org/10.26565/2524-2547-2025-69-06
Section
ECONOMICS