Majority of Mena professionals aim to do more freelance work in 2023

Freelancing has become one of the fastest-growing job segments in the Middle East, Bayt.com survey finds

Demand for freelancers in the Mena region has surged over the past three years. PA

About 89 per cent of professionals across the Middle East and North Africa region plan to do more freelance work in 2023, as demand surges for their services and employers seek cost-effective ways to deliver projects within tight deadlines, according to a survey by jobs portal Bayt.com.

The biggest motivations for taking up freelance work include earning extra income, exploring more career opportunities and learning new skills, Bayt.com said.

The survey, conducted from December 4 to January 6, polled 2,375 professionals and employers from 18 Mena countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt.

Freelance jobs - in pictures

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  1. Personal Trainer - in the UAE, personal trainers charge between Dh325 and Dh500 for a one-to-one hour-long session, which works out as Dh30,000 to Dh40,000 a month. Courtesy, Majid Al Futtaim

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  2. European nannies can earn as much as Dh150 per hour, but the pay starts much lower at around Dh25. Getty Images

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  3. Private Tutor - in the UAE, tutors charge by hour, starting at Dh350 and going up to Dh660, depending on the experience of the teacher, and the academic stage of the child. This works out as Dh32,000 to Dh60,000 a month. Getty Images

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  4. Journalist - freelance writers earn Dh100 to Dh125 per hour, or around Dh3,600 per month. Getty

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  5. Interior designer - self-employed designers earn Dh10,000 to Dh50,000 per month. Victor Besa /The National

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  6. Life coach - the hourly rate for a life coach ranges from Dh300 to Dh700 per hour, or Dh12,000 - Dh18,000 a month. Getty Images

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  7. Marketing and PR - freelance junior marketing or PR executives earn Dh6,000 to Dh14,000 per month as a junior, while experienced professionals can demand Dh60,000 to Dh100,00 a month.

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  8. Sports instructor - to host an hour long class as a freelancer, an instructor can expect Dh150 to Dh350, or Dh15,000 to Dh25,000 a month depending on the sport and the size of the class.

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  9. Make-up artist - to create a look usually takes an hour, and make-up artists can charge Dh500 to Dh800 per session. Depending on the number of clients this can work out as a monthly salary of Dh20,000 to Dh50,000. Courtesy, Dubai Bride Show

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  10. Web designer - creating a simple static website takes about a week, and designers earn around Dh15,000 to Dh30,000 a month. Gabby Jones / Bloomberg

“Freelancers are one of the fastest-growing segments in the Middle East market and this has been boosted by the pandemic,” said Ola Haddad, director of human resources at Bayt.com.

Since the Covid-19 outbreak, employees around the world have been leaving their jobs at much higher rates than normal, in what has been called The Great Resignation.

This comes as they seek a better work-life balance and more flexibility with their jobs, with many turning hobbies into viable career options as freelancers or small business owners.

Demand for freelance workers has also surged as technology continues to advance and employers become more adaptable to remote working.

The fastest-growing industries for Mena freelancers in 2023 include digital marketing, information technology, customer service and graphic design, the Bayt.com survey found.

Employers in the region believe there are multiple benefits to hiring freelancers, with 44 per cent of respondents to the survey saying they are better at delivering within tight deadlines.

Twenty per cent of those polled said freelancers are a good option for contingency planning between hires, 18 per cent said they are a cost-effective option and 17 per cent believe they provide extra help for small teams and departments, the survey found.

Meanwhile, 36 per cent of respondents said time management was a top skill required by freelancers, 24 per cent said good communication was needed and 12 per cent cited leadership experience.

Watch: The stats behind the UAE's hiring boom

“Eighty-six per cent revealed that their company is planning to hire freelancers in 2023 and 78 per cent say that their company offered a full-time job to the freelancer after completing a project,” Bayt.com said.

“Respondents usually search for freelance jobs on online job sites and professional platforms, social media, companies’ websites and personal networks.”

However, there are a number of challenges associated with freelancing, including a lack of job security, less pay than full-time jobs, lack of extra benefits and fewer chances of receiving a promotion, it added.