Choosing solitude over solidarity in the pursuit of purpose
By: Tracy Brown
Tags: Gig Economy, Ex, Covid-19, Freelancing, Purpose

For many months now, I have mostly been mulling. Who hasn’t? There are so many conversations to be had in this ‘unprecedented’ time and to even come close to an answer, mulling has become a perpetual requirement. As an employee experience consultant specialising in creative making, I have been particularly interested in the unfolding insights that happen at the intersection between workplace and individualism, and there are scores of those to be mulled.

Of the many events that have piqued my attention, the plight of the self-employed worker has been the most interesting, not only because it impacts me personally, but because for some time now, I have been watching a growing disenchantment with permanency and a rise of the project economy within the creative making community. During The Future of Doing study, I interviewed many creative makers about why they chose to be freelancers and most said it was because they believed it was the only way to retain their independence, this being one of the most significant requirements for a truly creative mind. With so many freelance and consulting platforms emerging on the back of a maturing gig economy, you would think that they couldn’t be more chuffed with the changing times.

Sadly, the reality does not always meet expectations. Freelancers around the world told me about being treated with distrust and disregard, only given scrappy work that permanent staff didn’t want to do, regardless of the experience and talent of the individual freelancer. They were excluded from team events and offered little workplace protection. Their higher rates were often treated as an exploitative and regrettable cost to the business, instead of a worthy investment in hiring individuals with an ability to flex, overdeliver and execute accurately, ultimately saving costs in the long run. In addition, recruiters and gig platforms often over promised and under delivered on sourcing work. Yet most said that they would still continue to freelance because their purpose was underpinned by an independent spirit, strong enough to withstand less than perfect conditions. They relished in the fact that they could choose when to work and who to work for, run parallel creative projects and avoid all the political and hierarchical games that act as a poison to constructive thinking. Though some missed the ability to get an organisational foothold and lead, the sacrifice of independence would be too great should they take a permanent role.

The COVID curveball

When COVID hit and government after government revealed that their relief packages would not adequately cover the self-employed and organisation after organisation immediately fired their freelancers at the first sign of trouble, I despaired for independent talent everywhere. It also highlighted a lack of common sense and an inherent short-termism in the business community. At a time when work has to be delivered quickly and effectively, why would organisations remove the people who are typically most primed to do so? It is actions such as these that reveal low people-centricity, a disregard for the role that organisations must play in preventing an unemployment crisis, a lack of preparedness for the growing project economy and a blindness to the potential impact on their future supply chain. It has also revealed an inability to judge individuals on impact and their inherent worth (more of a reason to progress the meritocracy manifesto).

The big question is, faced with economic uncertainty and a clear message being sent to the self-employed that they are not worthy of protection, will this force a rush towards permanent employment or will independent spirits survive the cull?

The resilience of peerless purpose

I have come to realise that people who are continually at risk of being terminated at short notice develop a resilience of purpose, less dependent on external validation. They have chosen a life of relative uncertainty and solitude for the sake of being self-reliant. True, freelancers typically charge a higher rate and detractors argue that they are merely chasing the money, but freelancers are rarely utilised 100% over a year, particularly in countries like the UK where legislation will potentially limit their ability to do so.

Largely, it is a financial trade-off, one that allows periods of unemployment while still being able to cover expenses. It’s a lifestyle choice that is certainly not for the faint-hearted, but one that is designed around those that are confident in their talent and seek variety, flexibility and a preference to work with clients instead of working for employers.

I recently read a great quote by Erica Williams Simon that articulated the crux. She said ‘Best career advice that I can give: Don’t ever attach yourself to a person, a place, a company, an organization or a project. Attach yourself to a mission, a calling, a purpose ONLY. That’s how you keep your power & your peace. It’s worked pretty well for me thus far.’ Her words rung true, and particularly aligned to my findings from interviews with freelancers.

Organisational solidarity is conditional

COVID has not only emphasised fissures in the ‘workplace solidarity’ construct, many organisations have entirely imploded it. Multitudes of permanent workers who thought they were safe in their solidarity with their employer, aligned to their organisation’s purpose, have realised that a once secure job can disappear in an instant or be hugely downgraded. People who got up every day to do a job they thought meant something have been openly referred to as ‘non-essential workers’, while many highly-paid executives have retained their positions, albeit at a reduced salary. All that hard work, all that ‘loyalty’ losing value in the face of crisis.

Of course, some organisations have excelled themselves at looking after their teams and ensuring their safety, showing creativity, empathy and self-sacrifice. At the very least, even when they can’t save every job, they have done the best they possibly can for all their people, suppliers included. They will endure, retaining their valuable supply chains after we all emerge from this crisis because they have proved that solidarity with their workers is unconditional, and people will remember that. But it doesn’t dampen the debate about the questionable value of ‘loyalty’ as a determinant of how you treat talent.

One of the biggest foes of workplace excellence is offering progression based on ‘loyalty.’ It is a foe because it doesn’t imply ability or impact, which is mistrusted by those that focus primarily on doing great work. The Future of Doing study revealed a repeat concern with nepotism and tenure influencing workplace progression, something raised by creative makers in vastly different roles across the world. The rule seems to be that if you stick it out and manage up, you will be sure of progression and workplace security, or ‘keeping your feet under the table’, as the saying goes. Freelancers can’t play those games; they are excluded, but mostly they willingly exclude themselves. So when it comes down to showing solidarity in times of crisis, the first to go are those whose feet are not even near the table, let alone under it, regardless of their impact and contribution. While freelancers know the drill, many permanent staff now find themselves in a similar position, realising the conditional nature of organisational loyalty and prompting the question ‘is it worth believing in organisational purpose ever again?’

Real solidarity will always exist between creative makers, that which enables the true collaboration and chemistry needed to do exceptional work. Solidarity with team members only requires an exchange of skills and ideas, a responsibility to one another and concerted progression to a mutually agreed goal; it does not demand compliance with a set of rules you don’t entirely agree with. If it didn’t exist before, there is now a significant question mark over the meaning of organisational loyalty and solidarity, which will need to be answered without artifice to retain talent in future.

The value of purpose-led solitude

So, is the only protection a lonely and mistrusting life? No. Firstly, there is a substantial difference between solitude and loneliness. Vivek Murthy, the former Surgeon General of the United States, has said some beautiful and insightful words on the topic when being interviewed about his book ‘Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World’. He said “Loneliness is different than isolation and solitude. Loneliness is a subjective feeling where the connections we need are greater than the connections we have. In the gap, we experience loneliness. It’s distinct from the objective state of isolation, which is determined by the number of people around you. You can be surrounded by many people but still feel quite lonely if you don’t have strong connections and if you feel you can’t be yourself with them. Conversely, you can just be around a few people, but feel deeply connected to them.”

For those of you who have been harmed by the lack of solidarity your employers have shown in exchange for your loyalty, make your new-found solitude count for something. Find your independent sense of purpose, something that only relates to what you want to achieve with your talent for you. Something which can still benefit and be appreciated by others but is independent of managers, colleagues or clients, that doesn’t require you to be part of a bandwagon or chase a title. Focus only how to find the work you want to do and the people you want to do it with on the ultimate path to the fulfilment of your purpose. Find your resilience in isolation, with new online communities of likeminded people to prevent you from feeling lonely in your solitude. It will ultimately prepare you for a working future that will likely be more ad hoc, more remote yet far more purposeful in the long run.