Navigating the gig economy

Independent contractors or 1099 workers have become commonplace in most industries. But choosing an independent contractor is not the same as working with a third-party vendor. As a company looking to hire technicians, it’s essential to understand the differences.

Benefits of working with independent contractors

Unlike third-party vendors, independent contractors have a direct relationship with companies. Advantages of choosing independent contractors include the ability to:

• Maintain control over vetting technicians, hiring technicians, and managing their work.
• Gain coverage for specific skills or geographic areas.
• Reduce costs by 15 to 20 percent versus third-party vendors and 30 to 40 percent versus full-time employees.

Why many technicians choose independent contracting

Independent contractors are dedicated professionals who choose to work independently to enjoy greater work-life balance, flexibility, and autonomy.

According to a recent study by Radius Insights of nearly 900 on-demand technicians:

• 98% of IT field service technicians prefer to work as an independent contractor in some capacity (62% prefer contracting only; 36% prefer a hybrid of contracting and traditional employment)
• This increase in independent contracting delivers on contractors’ desire for flexibility (36%) and control and autonomy (27%).
• 67% of respondents choosing independent contracting have a decade or more of field service experience, and nearly half have more than a decade of experience with independent contracting.
• These are experienced technicians motivated to deliver high quality outcomes on behalf of clients. 76% have either formal IT education or training, and 59% have IT certifications.
• Independent contracting in field services has staying power. 63% of respondents plan to continue contracting in IT field services for 4 years or more.
• 96% want to secure more contract IT work.

Tap into the Field Nation marketplace

Our technicians are committed to doing the job right and building relationships with companies like yours. You can define what right means for your business, and our technicians will work with you to make it happen.