The way we work has changed – quietly, steadily, and now irreversibly.
In this episode of The Independent Workforce, we sit down with flexible workforce specialist Jack Spencer, – founder of Freeflexer and co-founder of Club Redundo – to unpack what’s really holding companies back from working successfully with freelancers.
From missing ownership and outdated mindsets to the massive opportunities hidden in blended workforce models, this conversation cuts through the buzzwords and gets honest about what businesses need to do next to stay competitive in a world where independent talent is no longer the exception, but a core part of how work gets done.
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Key takeaways:
- Up to 40% of many companies’ workforce is freelance, and usually unmanaged.
- Compliance and cost problems are symptoms; the real issue is lack of ownership.
- Managing freelancers by time increases risk; managing by outcomes reduces it.
- Companies that treat freelancers as strategy outperform those who treat them as stopgaps.
Deep dive
Freelancers didn’t arrive – They accumulated
Freelancers didn’t enter companies through strategy. They entered through projects, deadlines, and urgent needs. One hire at a time, flexible work quietly became normal.
Today, many companies wake up and realise: 20–40% of their workforce doesn’t sit on payroll, and no one is responsible for them.
The real problem is ownership
The issue is rarely talent or cost. The real issue is that no one owns the flexible workforce internally.
• HR manages employees
• Finance manages budgets
• Legal manages risk
• But freelancers sit in between
As Jack puts it:
“Compliance and cost are symptoms. The cause is that nobody owns it.”
Without ownership, companies get chaos instead of strategy.
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From control to outcomes
Many companies still try to manage freelancers like employees. They want to control time, process, and behaviour.
But freelancers don’t sell time. They sell outcomes.
Jack explains the shift simply:
“When you stop supervising people and start defining outputs, this becomes an opportunity instead of a risk.”
This is where freelancers become specialists and innovators, not just extra hands.
This is no longer optional
Companies think freelancing is a choice. But the workforce already chose it.
Younger professionals want autonomy, not ladders. Experience now comes from variety, not loyalty.
The world of work shifted, whether companies planned it or not.
Ignoring this shift doesn’t stop it. It just delays adaptation.
AI is already in the workforce
AI didn’t arrive with a contract. It arrived through emails, decks, and proposals.
Jack calls this the “phantom workforce.” AI is great at structure and speed, but bad at nuance.
That means:
• Routine work shrinks
• Judgment becomes valuable
• Specialists matter more
Freelancers who bring context and experience stay relevant. Task-doers get replaced first.
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Trust is built in boring places
Freelancers don’t need foosball tables. They need three things done well:
• Clear briefs
• Easy onboarding
• Fast payment
And one thing companies forget: feedback.
Jack warns:
“Freelancer communities are tighter than Glassdoor. One bad story spreads fast.”
Your reputation travels faster than your job ads.
From resource to strategy
The biggest missed opportunity? Companies pay specialists, then use them like general staff.
Instead of: “Help us survive this workload.”
They could say: “Help us move faster than our competitors.”
Freelancers can launch products, test markets, and import experience, if companies let them.
Flexible talent is not a backup plan. It’s part of the workforce.
Tips for success
- Decide why you use freelancers.
Speed, innovation, or flexibility, not just emergencies. - Use one shared process.
Freelancers deserve the same structure as employees. - Build a trusted pool.
Don’t start from zero every time.
