NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fiverr International Ltd. (NYSE: FVRR), the company that is revolutionizing how the world works together, today announced its establishment and recognition of October 19th as International Freelancer Day - a day to honor and celebrate freelancers across the globe for their contribution to the world’s economy. Around 46.5% of the total global workforce are self-employed; that’s roughly 1.6 billion people around the world, according to the World Bank. With so many days throughout the year already honoring other professionals, there is still not an official global day to commemorate the freelance community and their contributions to the work world - this day aims to change that.
While there are many benefits to being a freelancer, they still feel they aren’t recognized as contributors to the larger work world. In a recent survey of freelancers on Fiverr, it was revealed they believe the top benefits of freelancing include the ability to work from home (49%), being their own boss (39%), and the ability to choose their projects/type of work/or clients (33%). However, when asked about the perception of freelancers’ contribution to the global economy, 34% of freelancers feel they are unrecognized as significant contributors.
“The amount of people engaging in independent work is rising as people place more value on freedom and flexibility when it comes to integrating their work-life. They’re prioritizing their families, their mental and physical health, their passions, and their interests,” said Micha Kaufman, Founder and CEO at Fiverr. “Without freelancers, millions of businesses would go unstarted; projects would not be completed, and deadlines not met. We feel it's important to establish this day to pay tribute to freelancers everywhere, to celebrate their talent and honor their passion, for their contributions to millions of businesses and the global economy. We invite other organizations to join us in building on this significant day for the years ahead.”
As part of International Freelancer Day, Fiverr and the Freelancers Union have established the Freelancer Wellness Fund. This fund will offer microgrants to support the holistic well-being of freelancers across the world. It’s intended to support them in areas outside of their work – serving as cash assistance towards the broad umbrella of wellness-related expenses including, but not limited to, mental wellness, social wellness (e.g., child daycare and other family-related expenses), physical wellness, and financial wellness (e.g., financial literacy workshops, etc.).
“Freelancers are a crucial part of the workforce, and their contribution to the economy should be recognized; it’s high time there is an official day to honor and celebrate them,” said Rafael Espinal, Executive Director of the Freelancers Union. “Freelancing, like other professions, has its benefits but also its challenges, which is why we have partnered with Fiverr to offer the Freelancer Wellness Fund. This fund is an excellent step to honor freelancers by supporting their mental and physical health.”
In addition to the Freelancer Wellness Fund, Fiverr community members will also be hosting a variety of networking events around the world this week to bring together the freelance community to connect, engage, and support each other in their local areas. The events will be held in over ten cities globally, including in the U.S., Australia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, the U.K., and Germany, among other locations. Additionally, Fiverr is running a global social media campaign encouraging freelancers around the world to share why they freelance with the prompt, “I freelance so that I can…”, which will be reposted across its social channels.
To learn more about International Freelancer Day and to apply for the Freelancer Wellness Fund, click here.
About Fiverr
Fiverr’s mission is to revolutionize how the world works together. We exist to democratize access to talent and to provide talent with access to opportunities so anyone can grow their business, brand, or dreams. From small businesses to Fortune 500, over 4 million customers worldwide worked with freelance talent on Fiverr in the past year, ensuring their workforces remain flexible, adaptive, and agile. With Fiverr’s Talent Cloud, companies can easily scale their teams from a talent pool of skilled professionals from over 160 countries across more than 550 categories, ranging from programming to 3D design, digital marketing to content creation, from video animation to architecture. Don’t get left behind - come be a part of the future of work by visiting fiverr.com, read our blog, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
