Issue 13

modern work

Freelancers / Contractors / Independent Professionals / Self-Employed

SHARING THE WEALTH

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

THE AGE OF THE TECHIE

Mel Larson talks about her mission to help others

Separating your worlds when they are all under one roof

Tips to upskill your career online

June/July 2020

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EDITOR

Miranda Asher editor@modernworkmag.co.uk

DESIGN

Martin Harling-Coward

REPORTERS

Tristan Grove Jessica Hayden Ryan Barnett Inna Yordanova Chloe Jepps Stuart Ulrich Alasdair Hutchinson Christina McLean

CONTRIBUTORS Gemma Church Charlie Drinkwater Steve Ash SJ Butler

PHOTOGRAPHY

Andrea Sealey Kristina Drinkwater

ADVERTISING

advertising@modernworkmag.co.uk

PUBLISHED BY

IPSE, Heron House, 10 Dean Farrar Street, London, SW1H 0DX

Modern work or IPSE does not necessarily agree with, nor guarantee the accuracy of statements made by contributors or accept any responsibility for any statements, which are expressed in the publication.

All rights reserved. This publication (and any part thereof ) may not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in print, electronic form, or in any other format without the prior written permission of IPSE. IPSE, its directors and employees have no contractual liability to any reader in respect of goods or services provided by a third party supplier.

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Front cover

Mel Larson, Dream Projects Coach, talks philanthropy in a time of crisis

See page 5 for full story

More Modern Work ONLINE Read a copy of this magazine online and see so much more at modernworkmag.co.uk.

SOCIAL Look for us on Facebook and Twitter (@modernworkmag) and stay up to date with all the latest stories, news and events.

EVENTS Get insights from industry leaders and small business specialists with our selection of events and webinars. See p30

Newsflash “The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme was a historic package of support, but there are holes in it through which too many freelancers are falling.”

Alasdair Hutchison, Policy Development Manager, IPSE Full story p.24 modern work

Contents INTERVIEW Mel Larson on what the world needs now and what she is doing about it

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RESEARCH Being a self-employed mum

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NEWS Freelancer updates

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LIFESTYLE Covid-19 scams and how to avoid them

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BUSINESS AND FINANCE Upskill into the tech world

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LIFESTYLE Feels like a crisis? Don’t panic!

Tips for freelance writers

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LIFESTYLE Toddler wars – children and clients battle it out

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BUSINESS AND FINANCE The economic effects of coronavirus

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LIFESTYLE Balancing home and work life during lockdown

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RESEARCH The self-employed landscape

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BUSINESS AND FINANCE Virtual reality in an upturned reality

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NEWS IN BRIEF Your top stories

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FROM THE LOBBY Westminster in lockdown

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EVENTS Networking, seminars & events

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Charlie Drinkwater lets us behind the curtain of juggling clients and child care.

Full story p.17

Working into a new world A word from the editor

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elcome to the latest edition of Modern Work. As every aspect of our lives has been affected by a deadly virus it is no surprise that the magazine has too, with the outbreak mentioned in more than a few of our articles. Finding a silver lining in the chaos, we take the opportunity to delve into our lives online, at home and the tech that will help us survive there. Christina McLean immerses herself in the world of virtual reality business meetings while Gemma Church finds you the

June/July 2020

new tech skills to give your company the digital advantage.

Behind the lockdown and the coronavirus crisis, there are powerful glimmers of hope and altruism too. We talk to Mel Larsen, owner of ‘Dream Project Coach’, about the amazing work she and her business are doing to support food banks and the people who rely on them. Charlie Drinkwater tells us how he juggles a new business with 24/7 care of an excitable toddler, while S J Butler shows writers just how much there is to gain from the now.

Keeping on theme, Modern Work Issue 13 is a digital only publication, and has come together through a dedicated team, hunched over coffee tables, kitchen counters and home offices.

I want to take a moment to thank them for all the hard work they have put in to make edition 13 work. To you, I hope that Modern Work can offer you a view of both the political climate and opportunities to come in our changing world.

Miranda Asher EDITOR

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Proud sponsor of National Freelancers Day 2020 As a specialist insurer of contractors, freelancers and the self-employed, Markel Direct is proud to sponsor National Freelancers Day 2020 and celebrate the UK’s independent professionals.

IPSE members enjoy a 10% discount* on contractor insurance from Markel Direct, including professional indemnity, public liability, employers’ liability and more.

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Expect More.

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Tax

Law

*The 10% discount will be applied to the net policy premium before insurance premium tax is applied. All Quotations provided will be subject to meeting underwriting and claims criteria acceptance. All cover will be subject to full policy terms and conditions which are available upon request. The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed Limited (IPSE) are an Introducer Appointed Representative of Markel International Insurance Company Limited which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority.

modern work

Mel on a Mission

Meet the freelancer using her skills to help other freelancers, and to give to those in need.

By Jessica Hayden

M

el Larson was set to retire this year after 25 years as a self-employed business coach and consultant. But, after running her business crisis strategy course for the sixth time, people were still asking for more. Despite times being difficult for us all right now, the 55-year-old decided to run some more courses, but with a difference.

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Mel chose to donate all profits to the food bank charity, Trussell Trust.

“The onset of the virus was a shock to us all and I saw that my clients, small businesses, freelancers, and their networks were really struggling”, Mel tells me. “I wanted to support them and show them ways to regain a sense of balance and power even in these very difficult circumstances.

“I looked at what had helped me regain my own balance. I looked around to see what

approaches and innovations were inspiring me.

I also drew on my years of experience: being a freelancer demands that you are resilient and agile even at the best of times.

“I then turned all of that into an online workshop called, ‘Find a Way for your Small Business’ which has proved to be enormously popular.”

The course, designed to help freelancers and small businesses stay afloat during a crisis, has so far raised a staggering £1140 for Trussell Trust.

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SHARING MIND MAGIC WITH OTHERS It is clear that Mel runs these sessions with a genuine desire to help as many people as she can. “To me, business building is an endlessly fascinating, ever-changing Rubik’s Cube”, Mel explains. “I simply love helping others build their business and I love building my own too.

“I discovered personal development in my early twenties. As soon as I experienced how it’s possible to change your mindset to get better results, I wanted to be a coach and share that mind magic with others. Combining effective strategy with managing your own state of mind really gives you the edge."

Since then, it has been Mel’s mission to share that ‘mind magic’ with others – with an infectious enthusiasm that has been so rare in recent months. Mel tells me how she has added more regular weekly ‘Quarantine Sessions’ into her offering, due to the outbreak.

Mel also runs sessions called ‘Co-Working Magic’ every Friday, where both Mel and guest speakers seek to motivate freelancers. “There are almost 80 people in the programme now although they don’t all turn up at once”, Mel laughs. “These extra sessions are free but I’ve just started asking for donations, again for food banks: from those that can afford to give.”

CORONAVIRUS HAS MADE MEL LOOK CLOSER TO HOME I asked Mel why she chose to donate the profits to Trussell Trust. “I like to work to a win/win/win paradigm which basically means whatever I do in my business has to benefit the client, myself and the world.

“Normally I fundraise to help small businesses in developing countries, but for this situation I wanted to look closer to home after I saw an article that highlighted how those living in poverty would suffer even more.

“When communities work together to make a difference, miracles can happen.”

“It’s outrageous that even before coronavirus, almost one in three children in the UK were living in poverty. I knew that this was an area I just had to support immediately because it will get much worse with the knock-on impact of the virus. The Guardian newspaper recommended donating to Trussell Trust, so I decided to go with them.”

At the end of the interview, Mel said something that has stuck with me since, as it

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“I like to work to a win/win/win paradigm ...whatever I do in my business has to benefit the client, myself and the world.”

captures perfectly everything wonderful about her: “This is a time when we will all be tested and I want to look back and know I did my bit. When communities work together to make a difference, miracles can happen.”

FREELANCERS DOING THEIR BIT Mel is one of many freelancers who are doing their bit to help the fight against Coronavirus. Lee Chambers, a freelance Environmental Psychologist and Wellbeing Consultant, has joined Frontline19 – a service offering free therapy sessions to NHS employees.

“The driver behind this is the fact that in 2014 I lost the ability to walk, and the NHS played a big part in helping me relearn,” Lee says.

“If I help a few NHS employees keep their wellbeing intact, then every patient they see, every day, will get a better experience. This means for a few hours of my time; I can make a massive impact on thousands of people that are treated by the frontline workers that I’ve helped.”

Sian Meades-Williams, curator of the Freelance Writing Jobs newsletter, is donating 50 per cent of the profits from her newsletter to help freelance writers who need financial support during Coronavirus.

In the darkest of times, it’s important to celebrate those who are working hard to help others. Mel, Lee, Sian – everyone who is helping the effort against this virus, we thank you.

Mel's course at her website dreamprojectcoach.com

June/July 2020

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Being a selfemployed working mother: opportunities and challenges

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By Inna Yordanova Research correspondent

ince 2008, the rise in self-employment has been driven by a 69 per cent increase in the number of female freelancers working in the most highly skilled occupations and choosing this way of work because of the freedom, flexibility and control it provides.

The number of freelance working mothers has also increased by 79 per cent since 2008.

Freelancing allows mothers to pursue their career and spend time with their family in a way that simply was not possible half a century ago.

It seems that the vast majority of these women entered self-employment for overwhelmingly positive reasons. Among the most significant are greater control over working hours (63% of women said this was a factor), choice of where to work (56%) and better work-life balance (55%) – all features that could be particularly appealing to new mothers.

In line with these findings, IPSE’s new report, Women in Self-Employment: Understanding the Female Self-Employed Community, found that becoming a mother is more likely to trigger the move into self-employment than becoming a father.

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However, it also showed that self-employment doesn’t come without its challenges, and that is no different for self-employed working mothers.

In fact, IPSE’s research found that only a third (33%) of self-employed women have claimed Maternity Allowance for the full 39 weeks it is available to them, while another third (30%) have KEY CHALLENGES SELF-EMPLOYED not claimed their Maternity Allowance at all.

MOTHERS FACE The data also showed that another key Some of the greatest challenges for self- reason self-employed women do not feel able to employed mothers are parental leave and pay. take all their maternity leave is that they fear the Previous IPSE research revealed damage it could do to their that existing parental leave policies businesses. only a third do not reflect the needs of the selfIn fact, 42 per cent (33%) of selfemployed, who are currently not eligible of self-employed mothers for Maternity or Paternity pay – or employed women took six months or less of Shared Parental Leave (SPL)1. have claimed maternity leave and eight Self-employed mothers can Maternity per cent took no time at all, only claim Maternity with many returning to work Allowance for Allowance which entitles early for career or financial the full 39 them to £148.68 per week reasons. A quarter (25%) weeks or 90 per cent of their also say they need more than average weekly earnings the statutory ten Keeping In – whichever is less.

Touch (KIT) days allowed by The low value of the Department for Work the Maternity Allowance and Pensions to maintain combined with the 43 per cent gender their business.2 pay gap found in self-employment can help These struggles were also highlighted by explain why many self-employed mothers don’t Kathryn Dooney, a self-employed mother and take enough maternity leave to bond with their freelance social media manager, who was quoted children but choose to continue to work instead. in the report: “It largely comes down to purely modern work

financial issues and whether you can afford to take the full period of the Maternity Allowance and manage on the amount they offer you. I‘ve been talking to other women in the freelance world – they definitely couldn’t manage on just the Maternity Allowance, it was a large drop in earnings for them.”

WHAT CAN BE DONE TO BETTER SUPPORT MOTHERS IN SELFEMPLOYMENT? The research illustrated that self-employed mothers have particular concerns, face unique challenges and need tailored support to meet their needs and help them to make a success out of self-employment.

To enable this, IPSE put forward a set of recommendations on what can be done to help mothers develop their potential in selfemployment and live a comfortable and financially rewarding life whilst working in this way.

Since for many the Maternity Allowance represents a huge drop in earnings, introducing Statutory Maternity Pay for self-employed mothers will give them a better opportunity to bond with their children, while also staying financially afloat.

Extending the SPL to the self-employed

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could also allow parents to have equal opportunities to care for their children – at the same time as building their own businesses. A scheme like the SPL could be well suited to the flexible working style self-employed people have and extending it to them could also help increase the uptake of the scheme, which is as low as two per cent of all eligible couples.

More broadly, however, there should be a dedicated review of parental rights and pay for the self-employed. This review could take a fresh approach to how parental policies and pay can be made more flexible to meet the needs of the UK’s five million self-employed, and not simply seek to fit freelancers into the existing system designed for employees.

Chloé Jepps, Head of Research at IPSE, said: “The record rise in self-employment in the last ten years has been largely driven by the rise in the number of highly skilled female freelancers. More and more mothers also choose self-employment as a way to pursue a career that allows them the flexibility to spend time with their family.

“Introducing Statutory Maternity Pay for self-employed mothers and extending Shared Parental Leave to self-employed parents will allow this ever-growing sector of the UK labour force to live a financially rewarding life.”

Recommendations

Introduce Statutory Maternity Pay for self-employed mothers Extend SPL to the self-employed

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SPL, which is only available to employees, was first introduced in April 2015, in order to give fathers more time to bond with their children, and to ease expectation on mothers. It allows up to 50 weeks of leave – 37 weeks of which is paid – to be shared by parents if they meet certain eligibility criteria.

2 Self-employed mothers claiming the Maternity Allowance can work up to ten Keeping in Touch (KIT) days to maintain their self-employed business. If they work more than ten days, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) decides how much Maternity Allowance they will lose and deducts that amount.

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FREELANCING 2020: The latest news for freelancers on the coronavirus lockdown

By Tristan Grove

Chief correspondent AUGUST EXTENSION FOR SELFEMPLOYED SUPPORT On 29th May, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the government would be extending its Self-Employment Income Support Scheme until August 2020. Self-employed people will be able to claim the grant for an additional three month period in a lump sum in August. It will now cover 70 per cent of eligible claimants’ average income instead of 80 per cent. It will be capped at £2,190 a month, or £6,570 in total.

The scheme is open to self-employed people who work as sole traders and who filed tax returns for 2018/19. IPSE welcomed the extension of the scheme, saying it would be an “overwhelming relief” for eligible self-employed people. However, it warned the government must do something for groups that had been “patently forgotten” such as “limited companies and the newly self-employed”.

GOVERNMENT PLANNING TO GO AHEAD WITH IR35 REFORMS IN 2021 DESPITE DAMNING LORDS REVIEW

freelancers to close their business because of the coronavirus crisis

“NOT ELIGIBLE FOR ANY SAFETY NET” – NEW RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS PLIGHT OF LIMITED COMPANIES

“SEISS scheme extension an overwhelming relief [...]but limited companies and the newly self-employed have been patently forgotten”

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One in five highly skilled freelancers expect to have to close their business because of the coronavirus crisis, new research by the University of Edinburgh and IPSE has revealed. In most cases (73%), this was because they worked through limited companies.

Three quarters (74%) said they had lost income because of the crisis, with an average drop in earnings of 76 per cent. The report revealed the personal cost of this, with some respondents saying they had been forced to sell their homes and others reporting they were struggling to feed their families. Chloé Jepps, Head of Research at IPSE, said: “The plight of contractors working through limited companies can make for difficult reading because this group has not just been forgotten, but actually abandoned by the government.”

The government passed its Finance Bill for this year, including plans to forge ahead with the changes to IR35 rules, despite a damning House of Lords review of the legislation. David Davis MP proposed an amendment to the legislation, delaying the changes until 2023/24 in light of the coronavirus crisis. Since MPs failed to vote on the amendment, however, the Finance Bill passed with the IR35 changes set for April 2021.

At the end of April, the House of Lords Economic Affairs Finance Bill Sub-Committee published a damning report that said the government’s proposals to change IR35 were “riddled with problems, unfairnesses, and unintended consequences”. It urged the government to rethink the proposals and announce whether or not it would go ahead with them in six months – meaning it would have to remove them from the Finance Bill.

The government did not take up the recommendation, instead committing to driving through the changes in April 2021.

“The government’s proposals to change IR35 were riddled with problems, unfairnesses, and unintended consequences”

modern work

Tech COVID-19 and the scams that come with it

By Stuart Ulrich

Tech correspondent

Scammers and their malicious ways have plagued the world since the dawn of the modern-day internet. Happily, their ways have in most part been easy to detect – badly worded emails with more spelling mistakes than your autocorrect can handle; a prince trying to sell you his fortune or the magic pill that will put an end to every man’s deepest worry.

We all know the lengths a scammer will go to. Personally, I love playing along on the calls where I find out that I was in a car incident. Up until now, I have found most scams out there quite easy to detect.

Sadly, the era of badly worded emails and rich princes has come to end.

A new wave of scams has erupted across the world over the last few months, capitalising on the one thing that is affecting everyone, coronavirus, and it’s only getting worse. As early as the 4th April, the number of coronavirus phishing attempts stood at 2,192 and the number has grown daily. Here are just a few to be aware of: Fines – a few scammers have turned to impersonating government bodies, sending spoofed emails telling you that you have been fined upwards of £250 for breaking confinement or social-distancing.

The health guidelines email – an email containing a PDF / image download with updated guidelines and advice on how to spot symptoms and protect yourself against the virus. Piggy backing off the legitimate advice emails from news and health services, these email attachments contain a malicious payload.

Donation scam – Sadly, coronavirus has led to a considerable number of people losing income or their jobs. Pretending to be one of these individ-

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uals, scammers are preying on the immense generosity that the general public has shown to help combat the effects of this virus. The Guardian reports that as many as 41 daily scams involve an email asking for donations to support the NHS in purchasing medical supplies.

There are too many new scams out there to write about, but the important thing to note is that a majority of these email scams rarely differ from those we have come to know and accept.

They follow the same principle: they ask you to either click a link e.g. to a password capture page/ donation page or they ask you to download an attachment containing the malicious payload.

Here lies the problem, every company out there is sending out daily email updates on coronavirus, along with the updates from government bodies such as the NHS and TFL, it’s easy for these scam emails to slip through and be mistaken for the real thing.

Determining if the email you just received can be trusted is, in most cases. quite easy. Watch out for the following warning signs and you’re on your way to securing your safety.

1. The sender – Is it a sender you don’t know?

Have you received emails from them before that you know you can trust?

2. The sending address – Does the email address look real or is it odd? e.g. amazon.co.uk not amzon.co.uk 3. The message – Read the email, are there spelling mistakes, how’s the formatting? Companies pay big bucks to ensure their email marketing is on-point.

If you are forwarded from the email to a webpage, ensure the website is secure and in HTTPS. 6. Contact the sender – Is it impossible to contact the sender or get a response? If you are unsure about the email, contact the sender and ask if this email is legitimate.

Of course, this is only a starting point and can’t be applied to every scam email we receive, so let’s talk about protection.

Sadly, when it comes to scams, the best protection out there isn’t something you can buy, it’s you!

Look out for the warning signs I mentioned earlier, and I promise you that this will catch 90 per cent of scam emails out there, but for the other 10 per cent when the scammer wins, how do we protect ourselves? You guessed it, ANTI-VIRUS, make sure you have one installed to stop anything nasty getting on your computer. While nothing is 100 per cent foolproof, combining vigilance with protective software will go a long way to reducing your risk.

Now, we have only really mentioned email and online scams, but it is vital to know that the scams cropping up in the wake of coronavirus are not limited to the virtual realm. Sadly, the number of doorstep and telephone scams either trying to sell counterfeit goods such as home testing kits or asking for donations have increased. Many of the same rules apply, if you don’t know that it is someone you can trust then don’t hand over your hard earned money and if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.

4. Attachments – Are there any attachments?

Why are they asking you to download an attachment?

5. Link forward – Is the linked page unsecured?

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Revealed: The tech skills to boost your freelance rates

By Gemma Church

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hanks to mass digitisation, nowadays nearly every job requires some technical know-how. We’ve seen e-commerce outpace traditional shops, artificial intelligence moving into a range of industries and data transformed into the new corporate currency. But what does this all mean for freelancers?

Technology is predicted to take up a massive proportion of freelance jobs, with 45 per cent of tech roles projected to be freelance by 2028.

What’s more, tech is a lucrative career option with six-figure salaries regularly seen for in-demand roles.

When freelancer site Upwork revealed its 20 top-paying skillsets, six came from the technology sector and Bitcoin experts are apparently commanding an average hourly rate of $215.

Technology roles are also a natural fit for freelancers.

Many jobs can be performed remotely and freelancers have the ability to meet the constantly changing skillsets favoured by the dynamic technology industry.

So, what technical skills should you hone to give yourself a digital edge? Here are a handful of areas where there is significant demand across the technology sector:

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#1 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MACHINE LEARNING Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a broad concept, where machines are designed to act intelligently and like humans. Machine learning is a subset of this, where a device is trained to autonomously make sense of a data set.

Both fields are increasingly popular.

According to LinkedIn, AI specialist is the top emerging job role for 2020, and one-third of businesses have AI-based plans for the next 12 months. Research also reveals 49 per cent of companies are currently exploring or planning to use machine learning.

If you want to get into either field, you’ll need a strong mathematical background and computer science skills, including programming in languages like C++ and an understanding of algorithms. #2 DATA ANALYSIS, SCIENCE AND VISUALISATION Big data is everywhere, and companies are eager to capitalise on their information to gain a competitive advantage. Data analysis is an entrylevel skill, where you derive key insights from unstructured information.

Data science is one step up from this, where programmers create new algorithms and build predictive models from a set of information. Data engineering also exists within this field, where engineers build the infrastructure and tools data scientists need to conduct their work.

Finally, there’s data visualisation, which is a way to help people understand their data by giving it a visual (and often interactive) representation, like a graph or a map. #3 UI/UX DESIGN User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) designers bridge the technical and non-technical worlds, helping everyone understand and effectively use their websites and applications.

The two roles are different. UI specialists design interfaces, helping users navigate their way through a specific process. UX specialists conduct research and testing to understand how a user will interact with a technology. Both are great options for freelancers who want to combine their creative and analytical skills. #4 CYBERSECURITY The number of data breaches increased by 50 per cent in 2019. As more companies collect user data, network and information security is paramount.

There are plenty of opportunities to choose

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from in cybersecurity, across both managerial, administrative and more technical roles. Many cybersecurity experts are also self-taught. However, a computer science or related degree could help you advance your career options. #5 CLOUD COMPUTING As companies move away from traditional servers, cloud computing is on the rise and the public cloud services market is projected to total more than $266 billion in 2020.

The most in-demand cloud computing skills include platform-specific knowledge in popular offerings like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and software development skills across the fields of DevOps, Java and Linux. #6 BLOCKCHAIN The Blockchain platform enables many cryptocurrencies but this digital ledger technology has many other applications across multiple industries. As such, Upwork declared blockchain the fastest growing skill out of 5,000 others in 2018.

What’s more, once you get to grips with the basics of this technology, blockchain development isn’t too different compared to regular web development.

RESKILL REQUIRED? Whether you need to reskill completely or just upskill your existing abilities, there are plenty of options for freelancers to break into the technology market. To start, you may want to try learning a programming language like Python, Java or C++ using an online tutorial.

If you want to try out your skills, then you could start working on a personal project and share it on the GitHub software development platform or start interacting with fellow developers on the Stack Overflow community.

Whether you’re a seasoned IT professional or a rookie developer, there are also plenty of industry and vendor certifications to help you gain the relevant skills.

For freelancers, technology is a dynamic and diverse sector to get involved in. It’s never too late to try something new, keep your skills sharp and futureproof your freelance career as technology continues to impact every aspect of our daily lives.

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Feels like a crisis?

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et’s be honest. Even the best writers feel nervous when the economy closes down. I’ve been freelance 28 years and I’ve no idea what’s ahead. But I do have some top tips.

BE A CONTACT VAMPIRE Now is not the time to be socially restrained.

I’m not saying you should suck people’s blood, but your freelance lifeblood IS the people you know.

Without contacts, you are one thirsty writer.

Go through all the projects you’ve worked on. Which clients did you love to work with? Who is likely to be working now? What did you do for them that made a difference to their work, or made their day easier?

Who was that interesting woman you chatted to at that conference and were going to stay in touch with?

Put a star next to the people you most want to work with and are probably working right now.

Email them, individually. Yup. No bland template emails. Write to them like you know them. Remind them of the last thing you did together and how much fun it was. It’s a kind of love letter so make it sound like you mean it.

This takes time so do a handful each day and don’t fret when they don’t reply. Some will be too busy. Some are terrible at email. I reckon it takes on average six months from sending a marketing email to someone asking me to work with them.

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BURY TREASURE As soon as cash starts flowing, put some aside every month. You need a savings pot when you’re freelance.

Stuff happens. Appendectomy that took three months to recover from? Yup. Nasty parasitic bug on a delicious tropical fruit. Mmmm, that took a year out of my working life. But I’ve always saved, so we had food on the table.

DREAM BIG Use this time to think about what makes you sing in the morning. Rate your clients: why are you still working with people who score low on pay, respect, value and interest? Build knowledge, skills and contacts in areas you’re personally committed to. It’s a slow process but doing work you love is the best thing about being freelance, so here’s a chance to make it happen down the line.

SHARE YOUR LOVE Work for lots of clients. One time I gave all my copy love to one client and when they reshaped their business I was out in the cold. Don’t do it. No one owes you work, love or loyalty if you’re freelance.

So enjoy the freedom and flexibility of working for many clients and you’re always likely to have work.

CONNECT AND LEARN Read other people’s copy obsessively.

How did they do that? Why does it work? Why is that copy so terrible? Try Richard Shotton’s The Choice Factory for a new angle. Storythings’ weekly newsletter (storythings.com) is a jewel and they run great events. Sian Meades (sianmeadeswilliams.com) is generosity personified: every Thursday she sends us a bulging list of freelance writing jobs. Join a writer’s organisation. I’m in 26.org.uk, a friendly bunch of professional writers – find your tribe and have fun.

DON’T BE A DIVA – ALL WORK IS GOOD If you’re going to starve if you don’t get a writing gig in the next month, my message is get over your pride and apply to stack shelves. No experience is ever wasted as a writer. And you’ve got to be alive to land that next writing gig.

I’ve cleaned public toilets, I’ve sold sausages, I’ve programmed computers. Every job taught me something. And I got my first role in publishing because I wasn’t all doe-eyed about books – I knew about scheduling and budgets from two years of manufacturing paper. Make your work count, whatever it is.

BIO SJ Butler is a writer, consultant and trainer.

She’s been helping all kinds of clients communicate for 28 years and every day is glad she went freelance. She finished her first novel in March, set during a viral pandemic (ouch). Find her at www.looseleafproductions.co.uk

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Five tools to help businesses weather the storm Small businesses have been facing a lot of uncertainty recently, so it’s more important than ever that the tools they use can help them face their challenges head on.

The hosts of our April webinar, Starling Bank, offer a business bank account with no monthly fees and 24/7 support, alongside features designed to help you stay in control and do all your banking admin from home. Read on for a rundown of their app’s most helpful tools.

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1. Keep track of outgoings In the current climate, it’s really important to get a clear picture of what’s coming in and out. Starling’s Spending Insights feature can help answer questions such as: What are my largest outgoings? Is my spending this month higher or lower than my monthly average? What is my most important income stream? You can then use this information to cut down on non-essential spending, meet key payments and monitor income streams.

Your business income and outgoings are automatically categorised, to help you and your accountant (if you have one) understand exactly what you’re spending. You’ll be able to see how much you spend on Admin or Equipment, both as a percentage of the total spend and as its own amount, with a breakdown of your revenue. It’s great news for understanding your average monthly takings and outgoings and taking stock of any cash reserves, as well as outstanding invoices or loan repayments.

2. Manage invoices and tax For extra tools to manage your business finances, take a look at Starling’s business Toolkit. It allows you to create invoices and match them to incoming payments, as well as upload bills, estimate tax and VAT, and pay VAT with a Making Tax Digital submission. You can join the waitlist to explore the Toolkit’s features while it’s still in beta, completely free of charge.

3. Deposit cheques from home Being able to deposit cheques on your mobile is handy at the best of times, but especially so right now. After a flurry of customer requests, Starling Bank recently introduced this functionality to its app to make sure their customers really can do all their banking from home.

It works simply by taking a photo of your cheque in the app, then Starling’s team will process it within two working days (which is generally faster than sending it by post).

4. Reduce your admin In the Starling Marketplace, you’ll find integrations with a range of third party products and services. This includes the likes of Xero, QuickBooks and FreeAgent,

allowing you to connect your real-time bank transactions with your accounting software. By making it easier to reconcile payments, you’ll spend less time on financial admin and more time on your business.

The Starling Marketplace has insurance options, too; for example, invoice insurance from Nimbla or cybersecurity or indemnity cover from DigitalRisks or CyberSmart. For project management tools, there’s UnderPinned and to help you keep track of your digital receipts, there’s Flux.

5. Stay organised with Goals To help you organise your finances, you can separate your money into different Goals in the Starling app.

Label them however suits you: ‘Tax or Cash Reserves’, for example, and you won’t be able to spend the money in your Goal unless you move it back into your everyday account. This way, your finances are kept organised and visible and you’ll never accidentally spend something you should have been saving.

So, there you have it.

Five ways that Starling’s business account could help you make sure that for your banking at least, it’s business as usual. Download the app here.

0800 023 4617 help@starlingbank.com @StarlingBank starlingbank.com

Any money you hold in Starling’s business account is protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme up to a value of £85,000.

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Toddler wars:

d n a n e r d l i h C it e l t t a b s t Clien out

By Charlie Drinkwater

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ho knew it would be such a learning curve? The last month has proven (if proof was needed) that juggling full time parenting and a freelance business isn't easy - the two aren’t exactly compatible.

I run an independent art direction practice, specialising in the music and cultural sector and am used to working intensively with clients to deliver campaigns on tight turnarounds with shifting goals and exhaustive client feedback. My workflow is usually variable and reliant on the strength of my previous projects to attract new clients. A sense of ‘perpetual motion’ is often present, with new pitches and prospective jobs lined up for months in advance, but the lockdown changed all that.

As the restrictions came into place, I had to pretty drastically recalibrate how my business operated. I’m no longer going on video shoots, attending styling sessions or visiting print houses; not only due to the lockdown but because I have taken on the role of primary caregiver to my 22 month-old son. Whilst still running my business it has fallen to me to be the 'weekday parent' instead of my wife who is on a full-time contract and brings in a more reliable income.

As my days are now filled with nappy changes, singing nursery rhymes and playing in the sandpit (and then cleaning sand off everything) I’ve had to be more direct and rigid with clients about the hours and timescales I can work within. I am very lucky that I still have outstanding projects to complete, and some new jobs coming in, to keep my business turning over. Previously I’d be on call at all times, delivering campaigns and being extremely flexible with deliverables. With increased childcare responsibilities I’ve had to try and set some firmer June/July 2020

boundaries for when I can complete briefs and respond to questions. Speaking candidly, this often does mean working during my son's nap time, in the evenings and on weekends to keep ahead of work. It feels like a constantly evolving set of rules, changing from day to day and week to week.

The downside of this juggling act is the pervading sense of guilt - that I can’t always dedicate adequate time to either my work or my child, that I’m somehow not quite fulfilling either my role as a professional or a parent to the best of my ability due to the newly imposed schedule. Trying to navigate a video conference call with a senior client whilst your toddler shouts at you to play Thomas the Tank Engine on the laptop isn’t particularly conducive to a sense of professional pride. However, when this feeling hits I try to take a step back and remind myself that this is not a set of circumstances anyone chose. Things aren't ‘business as usual’ at the moment, and I’m getting better at establishing when a client is being unreasonable in their demands despite the circumstances. I am learning to navigate this with a more open and honest approach and manage clients' expectations whilst also being realistic. I’m aware some clients might find this difficult, but I try not to let this get me down because I am doing the very best that I can in these very strange and challenging times.

I think, over the last month, the thing I've learnt to appreciate the most about being a freelancer is the flexibility it offers me in the current situation. For the first time in a long time I can spend dedicated and important amounts

of time with my son, not only on the weekend.

It’s tricky to know how, or if, my business and the entertainment industry I work within will weather the storm but, for now, I’m trying to take each day as it comes, remaining flexible and counting my blessings that I have a healthy happy child who thankfully knows nothing of the challenges facing the world. However difficult it is to juggle work and childcare I am grateful for this time that I have with my son.

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Economic effects of coronavirus

By Ryan Barnett

T

he worldwide coronavirus pandemic has created a health crisis not seen since the Spanish Flu towards the end of WW1, over a century ago. However, the need to create social distance, and manage the outbreak through the control of movement and external borders, has already had a much bigger effect.

Spending habits have automatically changed – focussing on food and goods which can be delivered, the global stock market is at its worst since the financial crisis and millions of people’s jobs are at risk as the economy grinds to a halt whilst many have already been lost.

There are five million self-employed in the UK who will need both income and business support. They provide skills across all industries and sectors in the UK, contributing £305 billion to the economy last year. Several sectors are affected more than others: contractors in the arts and working in events felt the effects almost immediately. Tourism, construction and those selling goods came next. Personal trainers and yoga teachers suffered from gym closures, but many have gone online.

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation’s latest jobs report saw a sudden dip in permanent placements, much sharper than seen during the financial crisis. IPSE’s latest Confi-

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dence Index results indicated a drop-off in work and earnings and a six-year record low in both their business and the UK economy.

There are a wide range of other effects also taking their toll, with the world on the verge of an economic crisis, stocks, shares and currencies plummeting. Political leaders worldwide have

Confidence Index results indicated a drop-off in work and earnings and a six-year record low in both their business and the UK economy. seen a boost to their approval ratings, known as the “rally around the flag effect” as people look to leaders for security. It may look, in hindsight, much more like a war effort, with the economy paused and then remodelled in front of us to provide what we need. Louis Vuitton and Brewdog moved into making antibacterial gel and factories are still being encouraged to build ventilators.

BEYOND THE LOCKDOWN MONTHS The Government have outlined a package of support for the economy, with many measures targeted at the self-employed. Primarily, the postponement of IR35 for at least a year, which was causing increased uncertainty amongst freelancers. They have announced the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) for sole traders, after extensive consultation with IPSE. These schemes are built on top of loans, hardship funds and tax deferral pledges put in place to help businesses small and large, but more needs to be done. Limited companies, those who have become self-employed since April 2019, and those who earn more than the £50,000 cap have been left out of the scheme and will suffer the knock-on effects of this omission if no further measures of support are put in place. a There are longer term implications beyond concerns for freelancers' finances as they wait for support. Interest rates are effectively at zero which will help with mortgage payments, but not savings (although we are all pretty used to that).

Mortgage holidays of up to three months have been guaranteed by the Government which may help you access more immediate cash. The stress on international markets might affect people's

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Derek Cribb

pensions, which the self-employed usually find it harder to save for, and ISAs and other investments, lowering their value. Often, they save using their businesses, but if they have to draw down on its assets this may drive insolvencies further down the line.

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) believes the cost of the crisis could be a 35 per cent dip in GDP and an increase of over £200 billion in borrowing, as the state has to absorb the cost of replacing millions of incomes whilst tax revenue inevitably drops off. This is a bigger fall than seen during the financial crisis, and the largest in a century. Unemployment figures in the US have already surged to well over 15 million people.

The self-employed have been amongst those most affected so far. Freelancers who have the luxury of working from home as consultants, designers and writers, have reported

Chief Executive Officer, IPSE

It’s a turbulent time to become CEO of IPSE, but rest assured we’re working harder than ever for you IT’S difficult to imagine a stranger time than this to start as CEO of an organisation – particularly one like IPSE, at the heart of the struggle to get support for the self-employed during the coronavirus pandemic. In my first week as CEO, I found myself in talks with the Chancellor about what support the self-employed needed and making the case for limited companies. Just in the last two weeks, I’ve been on Sky News and the Today Programme making that case, too. And all of this without even being able to go into the IPSE office in Westminster.

a drying up of work as bigger businesses seek to control spending and suspend projects. The creative sector, from films and TV to theatre and music production, is predominantly made up of freelancers, often registered as limited companies and work has been cancelled as far ahead as the end of 2021.

A lack of demand in everything apart from technology and food, and a lack of supply through the hit of labour shortages, could result in an “L” shaped recession. A deep contraction followed by a long depression waiting for the global economy to catch up with where it once was. This has been seen before, in the 1930s and 1970s to different degrees. It was only the huge spending on a global war in 1939 and state-led liberalisation in the UK under the 1979 Conservative Government which jolted the economy back to life after a decade of stagnation.

What we are seeing is much more like the Great Depression, the impact of which we may not fully understand for years.

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These are trying times for freelancers and the self-employed, it’s true. IPSE’s research has shown the devastating effect the coronavirus crisis has had on freelancers’ incomes. But in my first few months here I have also seen how hard IPSE works for the self-employed, both supporting its members and also striving to make sure all freelancers’ challenges are known, understood and addressed.

This year, IPSE has secured support for large parts of the self-employed community during the coronavirus crisis with the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). Although we didn’t get everything we asked for from the government, particularly for people who work through limited companies, we did persuade the Treasury to allow limited company directors to furlough themselves on the Job Retention Scheme. We worked hard to extend SEISS, too, and alerted the press to the groups that still aren’t getting the support they need: particularly limited companies and the newly self-employed.

Now I’ve seen what we can do for the self-employed, rest assured that this year we’ll be working harder than ever to champion your interests. Not just on support during the coronavirus outbreak, but also the other issues that matter most to you, from clamping down on late payment to finally creating a tax system that is fair for all freelancers.

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Balancing home and work life during lockdown

G

etting the balance between home life and work life is hard enough in general for freelancers. But, with most of the self-employed community now working from home as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, achieving the ideal work/life balance is even more challenging.

Steve Ash, freelance content consultant at CommsBreakdown and author of Going Freelance: Building Work Around Your Life gives his take on the day-by-day self-isolation adventure that many of us have been forced into experiencing, with top tips for enhancing that work/life balance.

THE IMPORTANCE OF A WORK ROUTINE AND STRUCTURE The temptation once you’re stuck at home for the foreseeable future is to take the slacker option: stay in your pyjamas all day, watch daytime TV and generally not do too much. However, if you’re lucky enough to have client work still on the go, you’re going to need some structure!

Routine is vital when in lockdown. As British astronaut Tim Peake pointed out in a recent interview, habits and routine are critical if you’re going to get through a period of isolation.

To bring some structure to your working day:

A CHALLENGING TIME FOR ALL FREELANCERS There’s no sugarcoating the fact that this is a serious time for freelancers. If you’re working in one of the most affected sectors, there’s a huge amount of uncertainty around what the long-term impact of the coronavirus pandemic will be. But even in these testing times, it’s important for us all to rise to the challenge of homeworking in isolation.

At the time of writing I’m on my third week of self-isolation at home with my family, and it’s certainly been a strange experience so far. However, as someone who worked from home on a fairly regular basis anyway, the concept of remote working is something I’m already very familiar with.

• Give yourself a ‘clocking on’ time – try to start working at roughly the same time each day. Having a start and end time means you complete a ‘working day’ and feel like you’ve done your usual day’s work, even though you’re confined to the house.

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• Write a to-do list – creating a list of tasks keeps you motivated and productive. It could be a handwritten list, reminders in your online diary or notes in a project management tool like Trello or Asana. Be realistic, tick off your tasks and feel that achievement!

• Take regular breaks to relax – humans can only focus on a task for around 90 minutes, so taking frequent breaks during

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the day is essential. Have a cuppa, go for a walk, or do some yoga – anything to take yourself out of that work headspace for five minutes.

• Exercise if you can – a sedentary lifestyle, sitting at a laptop, is not good for your health. Factor in time for one form of exercise in the open air, or try following one of the many YouTube fitness channels to keep yourself trim and your mind feeling energised.

• Make sure you stop work at a given time – yes, your home is now your workplace, but you need a clear dividing line between work time and your own leisure time. Set a time to finish and stick to it: working into the night will just tire you out for tomorrow.

FAMILY TIME AND STAYING IN TOUCH WITH CLIENTS One the biggest challenges of being ‘confined to barracks’ during periods like the lockdown is the lack of social contact and interaction. But there are ways and means to stay in touch.

You may be self-isolating with family, your partner, on your own or working miles away from home. Whatever your situation, it’s important to factor your home and social life into the mix when you can’t see people face to face.

Video conferencing platforms such as Google Hangouts, Zoom, Skype and Microsoft Teams have come into their own during this crisis. With a video call, you can keep in touch with your extended family and set up online parties with your friends. Video conferencing is also a

great way to maintain contact with your clients, have work meetings and open up your social interactions to those outside of your lockdown bubble Even birthday parties and other family celebrations can be moved to the digital space – allowing these important life events to carry on, even whilst the world deals with the ongoing emergency.

For freelancers with children, getting involved in home-schooling is a new task you probably hadn’t expected. But see this as a way to get more involved with your kids, dive into some education and not swear (too much) at the maths homework.

CREATE YOUR OWN UNIQUE WORK/LIFE BALANCE There’s no single solution for getting your home and work life balance right.

Everyone’s situation is different, and there are no hard and fast rules to follow. Families may be cramped together in a small space (noise-cancelling headphones are great at helping you focus), or you may be on your own, fighting the urge to binge-watch the latest Netflix series.

In essence, the balance you achieve will be unique to you – and that’s part of the appeal of freelancing for many of us.

The ability to manage your time, work when it’s convenient and spend more time with your loved ones is a huge part of the value of being self-employed.

So, my advice is to take the challenge of the coronavirus crisis one day at a time – and make the most of this bonus time to slow down, relax and enjoy the company of those you love.

Steve Ash is an independent content writer and consultant at CommsBreakdown, specialising in the technology, fintech, accounting and small business sectors.

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Virtual reality in an upended reality

By Christina McLean

T

he way we work has seen an enormous shift during 2020 as more people than ever are working from home. However, for many of the self-employed, working from home isn’t a new concept. According to research conducted by the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE) in 2018, the vast majority (87%) of self-employed people had worked remotely in the last 12 months, of which an overwhelming majority (97%) worked from home, at least occasionally.

That said, the scale of remote working for both employees and the self-employed is, dare I say it, unprecedented, and as a result many rely upon various video conferencing apps to effectively communicate with teams and clients, and to remotely co-ordinate projects. These communication tools have proven important not only from a productivity perspective, but also for wellbeing. Even over the course of two months, new updates and technologies are constantly evolving to help facilitate this.

Many claim that this will impact the way we work not just in the present pandemic, but also once we “return” to a new normal. As the way we work evolves and tools adapt or are created, the question is – does Virtual Reality (VR) play a role in this, and will this be its chance to plant roots in our working lives?

WHAT IS VIRTUAL REALITY? In basic terms, VR in its current form typically allows the user to wear a headset covering their eyes and presents a view into a virtual space using a screen in the headset. Depending on what you’re using it for, this virtual space can

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be programmed to be anything from underwater diving to boardrooms with whiteboards.

For an even more immersive experience, users can wear headphones to hear the sounds of their virtual environment (perhaps a colleague giving a presentation), and they can use controllers that function as their hands in the environment and allow them to perform certain tasks (like writing on a whiteboard).

What makes VR different from, and more desirable, than other media is that it’s meant to trick your brain into processing the experience as if it were happening, allowing for a more immersive event. If you compare a VR meeting to a video conference for example, it could be argued that VR content is more engaging and memorable, especially when you consider that other distractions are eliminated.

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One of the biggest benefits of the medium from a business perspective is its ability to make people feel like they are in the same space together. You can recreate that boardroom team meeting or that on-site pitch to potential clients. The virtual environments can be designed for optimal comfort and creativity.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO USE VR? Historically, one of the biggest barriers to the widespread adoption of VR was cost and practicalities of the equipment. Top quality VR requires a relatively powerful computer, a bulky headset, and handheld controllers. This makes it nearly impossible (or at least impractical) to implement into people’s home working lives.

However, recent developments have meant that entry into VR is becoming more affordable and accessible.

Headsets that you slot your smartphone into to act as the screen can be made of cardboard, like the Google Cardboard that costs around £12.

Then, you will just need to find a compatible VR app to download on your phone. This is probably the most basic option, and certainly won’t give you the same experience as higher-end alternatives, but it’s a good entry point into the world of VR. As the headsets themselves upgrade, the technology needed to run them does too.

The programs and apps used for VR are also adapting to become more accessible to the wider public.

For example, for joining video calls in VR, users could use Spaces, a new PC VR app developed in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Spaces markets itself as a “Bridge between a VR world and Zoom, Skype, Hangouts and more,” and allows users with VR to join regular video conferencing calls. Users are placed in a virtual environment with a virtual whiteboard and markers, alongside an adjustable virtual camera. This means that not everyone on the call has to have VR to still use it as a tool.

June/July 2020

If you're looking for something more collaborative, you might be interested in a service like meetingRoom. According to their website, meetingRoom is a service for people to work with each other using well-known meeting room staples, like whiteboards, in a virtual environment. An added benefit is you can return to rooms anytime and pick up where you left off. meetingRoom claims that their rooms are secure by design, built with "industry-standard encryption.

There are a variety of service providers, some of which are industry specific, so there is certainly research to be done if you’re looking for something that specifically suits your needs.

WILL WE EVENTUALLY BE USING THIS TECHNOLOGY? In recent months we’ve all gotten better at video conferencing. But VR triumphs over video calls in the sense that because participants are all taking part in the same virtual space, they are likely to be more engaged and present. Many argue that this improves productivity, responsiveness, and collaboration, and in the future it would also reduce travel costs and have a lower environmental impact.

One downside of VR in its current state is that the avatars (computer-generated characters that represent the users) are visually simple and cartoonish due to technical constraints.

When researching VR service providers, you will be met with countless demo videos that feature disembodied heads and floating hands.

It feels a bit like “uncanny valley” meets “this meeting could have been an email” in the sense that for what it does - replace video conferencing with virtual versions of ourselves - the distraction of the odd avatars alone might derail the purpose of meeting. However, this area is developing, and I have no doubt there will be better solutions very soon.

VR presents new opportunities for the way we do business remotely. But with technological barriers to entry and some still not-so-perfect visuals, whether VR enters mainstream business is yet to be seen.

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Politics, pandemics and pandemonium

By Alasdair Hutchison Policy development manager, IPSE

W

hen asked by a journalist about what was most likely to blow a government off course, the former Prime Minister Harold Macmillan famously remarked: "Events, dear boy, events."

Rarely has that old political adage seemed so true. Think back, if you can, to the start of the year. Boris Johnson, fresh from a stunning electoral success in December, was promising a “fantastic year” ahead for Britain.

The big issue seemed to be the forthcoming Brexit trade negotiations, and the PM’s domestic agenda of increased spending on the NHS, police and infrastructure. With a huge majority, Boris seemed to be master of all he surveyed.

Few could have anticipated then, as initial stories about a new virus emerged from Wuhan in China, that his best laid plans for Brexit and the country were about to be so dramatically upended. Run the clock forward just three months, and we found ourselves largely confined to our own

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homes under government instruction in order to slow the spread of a coronavirus that had become a global pandemic. Another favourite Westminster cliché is that a week is a long time in politics but the sheer speed at which these events moved was head-spinning.

While there will inevitably be a debate about the when and why of the government’s adoption of the ‘social distancing’ measures that now define our lives, what is at the forefront of Westminster’s collective mind now are not just the implications of the coronavirus outbreak for health, but for the economy too. Over the last few months, the country has taken the steps necessary to shut down everyday life and protect public health and the NHS. However, these have had an immediate financial impact on people's jobs and livelihoods.

One of the groups most affected by the lockdown and social distancing is the UK’s self-employed workforce. Comprising just over five million people, some 15 per cent of the working population, they contribute a combined £305 billion to the UK economy.

A report by IPSE (the Association of Independent Professionals and the SelfEmployed) highlighted the scale of freelancers’ concern. A large majority of freelancers (81%) predict that their income will decrease during the next three months. Perhaps most concerningly, two in three (66%) say they either have no savings or their savings would only cover them for up to three months.

As the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, presented his first Budget on March 11th he did so at a time when the full extent of the coronavirus had yet to be realised. His Budget won plaudits on the day but commentators, policymakers and the general public were soon to grasp that it would be inadequate to address the mounting reality of the economic challenge.

It became clear that the government would have to go further in its support for the self-employed, in particular. The measures he

outlined - some tweaks to the welfare system and the new Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans (CBILS) – would not be enough to cover the dramatic losses in income that thousands of freelancers were experiencing and would continue to suffer as they tried to rebuild their businesses.

Dozens of freelancer groups, led by IPSE and the Creative Industries Federation, combined to write a joint letter to the Prime Minister, calling for direct income protection for the selfemployed. This was bolstered by their petition, which quickly garnered over 200,000 signatures.

SW1 began to pay attention to the issue. Select Committees highlighted the economic impact on freelancers, media interest exploded, and MPs wrote dozens of letters to the Chancellor.

Following this pressure, the government did go further and introduced the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). While this was an historic package of support, there are holes in it, through which too many freelancers are falling. In particular, those who are newly self-employed and do not have a 2018/19 tax return, as well as limited company directors who pay themselves largely through dividends, miss out altogether.

Few parts of society are continuing as normal – and Westminster is no exception.

Both Houses of Parliament temporarily closed, and we are now getting used to the sight of MPs taking each other to task over Zoom and videolink, rather than through PMQs or Select Committee grillings.

However, the crisis has shown that MPs and the political process – for all their faults – remain responsive to the public interest.

While the health and economic impacts of the coronavirus continue, that role will be more vital than ever, particularly as renewed lobbying begins for more support for those – including many freelancers – who have fallen through the cracks in government support so far.

MPs and the political process – for all its faults – remain responsive to the public interest

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The self-employed landscape

By Chloe Jepps

T

he global pandemic that we are currently navigating has had a huge impact on self-employed people across the UK. Whilst the government has introduced varying levels of support, many have been left without enough; new businesses, those earning over the £50,000 threshold and limited company directors.

The vibrant self-employment sector has continued to grow at rapid rates over the last decades but what impact will the current pandemic have on these numbers and will the support measures be enough to sustain the sector?

The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed (IPSE), takes a look back in their most recent annual report ‘The self-employed landscape’, exploring how the number of solo self-employed people and freelancers across the UK continued to rise throughout 2019.

At the end of 2019, the solo self-employed population equated to almost 4.6 million individuals, a four per cent increase from 2018, and made up 14 per cent of the entire UK workforce. Freelancers are a subcategory of the self-employed and made up 46 per cent of this population, including those working as managers and directors, as well as in professional and technical occupations.

Freelancers show a tendency towards higher levels of education.

Mainly driven by Brexit and a slow global economy, 2019 was a year of economic and political uncertainty across the country. The sector, however, grew from strength to strength with many firms needing to hire skilled professionals quickly and outsourcing their work to freelancers. As self-employment continues to grow in size and significance, it is vital that we strive to better understand who makes up this section of the UK

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working population. IPSE’s annual report looks at the demographics of this vibrant sector and examines what has changed since the previous years.

OVER-60s ARE DRIVING THE OVERALL INCREASE

The overall solo self-employed sector

In 2019 the biggest increase in the solo self-employment sector was in the over-60s group which saw a rise of 11 per cent from 2018, making up a fifth of the whole sector.

The increase in the number of older self-employed people meant that the age of the average solo self-employed worker rose to 47 – one year older than in 2018. The average freelancer age also rose by a year to 48. This is compared to an average age of 41 among UK employees. This means there is a growing population of self-employed people

who are now approaching retirement age.

That is worrying, as recent research has shown that 30 per cent of the self-employed are not saving for their retirement, while 56 per cent of those over 55 are concerned about saving for later life.1 Age

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YOUNGER FREELANCERS MAKING AN EMERGENCE At the other end of the age spectrum there was also a sharp growth in highly skilled freelancers aged 16-29. Despite being the smallest group making up only 10 per cent of all freelancers, there was a 12 per cent increase in 16-29-year-old freelancers between 2018 and 2019, three times the growth rate of the sector as a whole.

Previous research shows that, similar to the overall sector, younger freelancers are choosing to enter self-employment predominantly for the freedom and flexibility that it offers. Younger freelancers, however, are likely to find self-employment more challenging than they had expected (60% compared to 43% of all freelancers) and admit to worrying a lot as a result (72% compared to 53% of all freelancers).2

Location

THE RISE OF THE NORTH Although London and the South East still have the largest populations of freelancers and self-employed people, making up almost 40 per cent of the whole sector, there were some significant increases in other regions over the last year.

In 2019 the number of freelancers grew fastest in Scotland (24% increase since 2018), while the fastest growth in numbers of self-employed people was seen in the North East of England (19% increase since 2018). By contrast, the number of both freelancers and the overall solo self-employed in London fell by six per cent and one per cent, respectively.

THRIVING RANGE OCCUPATIONS Some may think that freelancers and the wider self-employed are only working in a limited range of occupations, but this is not the case and we find people working in this way across the workforce.

In 2019, the top freelancer occupations were artistic, literary and media occupations (16% of all freelancers), managers and proprietors (10%), teaching and educational professionals (8%), functional managers and directors (7%) and information technology and telecommunication professionals (5%). These all grew or remained stable throughout the year. The largest growth was among teaching and educational professionals, increasing by 24 per cent in just one year.

The largest occupation group among the wider solo self-employed was skilled trade occupations including construction, building trades, and agricultural and related trades. This group accounted for over 1 million individuals making up 24 per cent of the sector.

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THE FUTURE OF THE SELF-EMPLOYED SECTOR Not only are the solo self-employed a growing sector of the UK workforce, they continue to represent an economically significant one. In 2019 alone it is estimated that the sector contributed ÂŁ305 billion to the UK economy.

Initial research however, suggests that most self-employed people are concerned about the

financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic on them and their businesses. Close to half of freelancers (45%) say they might have to close their self-employed business if they don’t get more support.

This year may bring significant changes in the size and makeup of the sector and the 2020 annual report may paint a very different picture of this vibrant and innovative sector.

You can find out more about the research and other trends emerging in 2019 by reading the full report: The self-employment landscape: 2019 edition.

Go to report 2

Savanta ComRes (2019) Survey of the self-employed conducted on behalf of IPSE, London. IPSE (2020) What Makes a Freelancer? London, available online: https://www.ipse.co.uk/resource/whatmakes-a-freelancer.html

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Your monthly briefing

An IR35 warning

& finally, some good news

HMRC SNEAK IR35 INVESTIGATIONS

BRITISH ENTREPRENEURS ON THE RISE IN LOCKDOWN

NEW JOBS PLATFORM FOR DISABLED FREELANCERS

Data from Startups.co.uk has found that almost five new online businesses were started every day in April (including weekends), a 60 per cent increase on April 2019.

Opportunistic entrepreneurs appear to be capitalising on the lockdown with Startups. co.uk also reporting a huge increase in traffic to their guides such as ‘selling alcohol online’ and ‘how to start a takeaway business from home’ increasing by 78 per cent and a whopping 870 per cent respectively during April.

Brits are turning their hand to DIY side-hustles too, with a 55 per cent increase in ‘how to start a side hustle’ enquiries. This is perhaps spurred on by the increased demand for handmade face masks or home DIY projects, with a 27 per cent increase in visits to ‘how to start an Etsy shop’ in April.

Editor of Startups.co.uk, Bryn Glover comments: “While there are many things to feel negative about during this strange time, it’s really heartening to hear that behind closed doors many Brits have used the situation to start something positive. This seems to be opportunistic thinking at its best – entrepreneurs working out the services we so desperately need during lockdown (alcohol and takeaways) and making it happen.”

Gold medal winning Paralympian Liz Johnson has launched a new freelance job board for disabled people, allowing them to apply for opportunities on their own terms. The new website, called Podium, is the first jobs marketplace designed to cater for freelance disabled talent and tackle discriminatory hiring practices.

The platform is free to use and open for freelancers to create their profiles. These bespoke profiles empower disabled workers to showcase their skills and set their own rates of pay. From 1st June employers will be able to post jobs and search for professionals within Podium’s community of freelancers. Likewise, freelancers can search for roles which suit their needs and both parties can contact each other directly. This removes biased processes of selection and gives disabled people increased agency in the job hunting process.

Liz Johnson, who has previously worked with corporates such as HSBC and Chelsea Football Club to improve the recruitment and retention of disabled talent, says: “The disabled community is teeming with untapped talent and skill - all that’s left is to bring it to light. That’s where Podium comes in: connecting hiring managers and disabled freelancers via one, easy to use platform. We believe it has the opportunity to transform how disabled people find jobs and will enable our economy to benefit from the immense contribution this community is poised to provide.”

HM Revenue & Customs has resumed IR35 and tax-avoidance investigations which were previously on hold due to coronavirus, despite wide financial concerns for freelancers.

Despite pausing their investigations in April, the tax authority has now begun contacting taxpayers suspected of dodging tax. Those who were under investigation in April had their inquiry paused at the time but are now preparing to resume talks with HMRC. Fiona Fernie of tax firm Blick Rothenberg told The Telegraph that tax inspectors would be taking an especially close look at any suspected abuse of the coronavirus state support schemes.

The government has so far paid £7.2 billion to 2.5 million self-employed workers who have needed financial support during the lockdown.

Side-hustlers be warned, Ms Fernie also told The Telegraph that the Revenue would be looking at whether people on furlough were working when they were not supposed to, investigating matters such as internet trading during lockdown.

"There is no doubt that HMRC will be under pressure from the Government to look at anyone who they think is defrauding the system as a matter of urgency,” she said.

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Ask the expert Can a coach help me get my business back on track at this time?

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Thomas Doukas, PhD, Self-employed coach, consultant, and trainer

n these trying times with COVID-19 dramatically affecting our lifestyle, behaviours and states of mind, and as our habits and routines are disrupted, there is still opportunity for all of us. While this new state of affairs is affecting our jobs the need to adjust grows and coaching is now more significant than ever!

Personal wellbeing needs to become a priority as, with the lockdown and work uncertainty, levels of stress and anxiety are soaring. A coach can assist with re-focusing and creating routines at home to re-balance work and life in a flexible way. They can also support by listening to the individual’s worries and supporting management strategies.

Embracing new business trends may require learning new skills, a coach can help you identify and embrace these opportunities whilst retaining the values and purpose of the business. This allows a clear sense of direction that can be communicated to workers and clients; keeping motivation and morale high.

Prioritising these will give businesses an opportunity to make longterm plans that will help them survive a new economic landscape. A coach can support planning by stimulating analytical thinking, reasoning, and creativity ensuring you are confident and ready to respond to the changes ahead. You can find out more about Thomas at www.thomasdoukas.com.

How much should I adapt my original marketing strategy as external factors change?

Toby Tetrault, Head of marketing, IPSE

L

ike many self-employed businesses, you probably haven’t written down your marketing strategy, but it’s in your head. You have an overview of your business, you know your competitors, and you know how you want to achieve your business goals.

We are currently going through one of the most dramatic global changes (a huge external factor) in recent history, potentially affecting a shift in human behaviour at its core. The answer is easy in this case – yes, you should modify your marketing strategy to reflect this change in the environment.

You will potentially alter, depending on your industry, your pricing structure, where you sell and how you sell.

It’s tougher to pinpoint the threshold where you need to make an adjustment to your strategy. Some external factors will affect your business more than others. The PESTLE analysis can help focus your plan. This is a framework to analyse the key factors (Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, Legal and Environmental) influencing your business. Are any of these factors, out of your direct control, potentially going to affect your marketing mix? For example, consider the way you sell to your target audience. Has a new piece of technology eliminated your route to market?

Has a new trade deal opened a new market to you? It is these ‘big picture’ changes that will require altering your marketing strategy. If the external factors don’t fit into this category, they could still change the tactics (channels, messaging, promotions) you need to employ to reach and attract clients and customers.

Do you have a question for our experts?

Get in touch with our editor: editor@modernworkmag.co.uk

June/July 2020

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Events & networking

We will also be exhibiting at!

COURSE: HOW TO GET YOUR WEBSITE TO THE TOP OF GOOGLE

WEBINAR: HOW TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA AND STAY PRODUCTIVE

BITE-SIZED online training for how new and existing customers can find you and your business online. This half-day online live SEO course is designed for those who want to take control of their search engine performance.

This is a paid for event and registration must be made in advance.

JOIN chartered marketer and independent consultant Luan Wise for this webinar when she will address the time and productivity challenges of using social media. Luan's tips will be relevant to you whatever stage your business is at. She will talk about LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Details: 1 July, 10.00-15.00

Details: 14 September, 12.30-13.15

WEBINAR: HOW TO BUILD YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA AUDIENCES

WEBINAR: THE 4 STYLES OF CVS FOR CONTRACTORS, INTERIMS AND FREELANCERS – WHICH ONE IS FOR YOU?

Details: 14-15 October, London ExCeL

SAVE the date for this webinar – registration opening soon!

SOUTHWEST BUSINESS EXPO

DO you focus on who’s behind the screen when you’re posting content on social media?

Reaching the right audience and sharing content that’s relevant to them is critical if you want to get results for your business. In this webinar, Luan Wise will share how to identify if you’re reaching the right people on social media right now, and some top tips on how to build your audiences.

Details: 6 July, 12.30-13.15 COURSE: PRICING FOR PROFIT: HOW TO APPLY THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PRICING BITE-SIZED online training designed to be an engaging and practical introduction into the science of pricing. This half-day course will introduce you to three core elements: customers, competitors, and company success.

This is a paid for event and registration must be made in advance.

Details: 8 July, 10.00-15.00 WEBINAR: THE 8 BIGGEST MISTAKES CONTRACTORS MAKE WHEN SEEKING CONTRACT WORK JOIN us for a winning work session, hosted by The CV & Interview Advisors, focusing on personal branding, CVs, LinkedIn, networking and performance in client meetings; pointing out the good, the bad and the ugly and giving you some innovative strategies.

Details: 27 July, 19.00-20.00 30

Details: 16 September, 19.00-20.00 WEBINAR: HOW TO GENERATE CONTENT IDEAS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA DO you hit a block when it comes to content ideas for social media? In this session, chartered marketer and independent consultant Luan Wise will share some resources to overcome this challenge, whatever platform you are using.

Details: 5 October, 12.30-13.15 WEBINAR: HOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR CONTRACTOR CV AND LINKEDIN PROFILE WORK TOGETHER TO GET MORE INTERVIEWS

WOMEN IN BUSINESS EXPO SOUTH A two-day event designed for all women at any stage of their professional journey. Providing inspiration, guidance, and business services to find their best career match or support their business.

The expo brings businesses together from across the South West to enable them to do business with each other and to help the SW region grow and prosper. The largest Business Expo outside of London, IPSE and Freelance Corner will be exhibiting on stand 702.

Details: 4 November, The Westpoint Arena, Exeter THE BUSINESS SHOW The Business Show is back for 2020, returning to London’s ExCeL helping small businesses grow and develop. IPSE and Freelance Corner will be exhibiting on stand 744.

Details: 17-18 November, London ExCeL

SAVE the date for this webinar – registration opening soon!

Details: 25 November, 19.00-20.00 WEBINAR: SOCIAL MEDIA 2020, A YEAR IN REVIEW IN this webinar Luan Wise is back again to review the key changes in social media from 2020 and making some predictions for the year ahead. The presentation will last for 30 minutes with a Q&A at the end.

Details: 14 December, 12.30-13.15

For more information or to book your spot at an event, visit www.ipse.co.uk/events/ events-listing modern work

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Use this code to get £25 off all memberships: MODERNWORK25 www.ipse.co.uk June/July 2020

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