Self-Employed Workers Are Happy Workers

[BridgeTheGap]

Working for a successful company isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Self-employed workers in the United States are more satisfied with their jobs than other people, according to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center. They’re also more likely to work for intrinsic reasons, like improving society or “because they want to,” rather than for money.

Working for yourself has plenty of benefits, but money isn’t one of them. The same satisfied workers also reported feeling more financial stressed, possibly due to the lack of health care and pension plans provided by self-employment.

If governments change the health care structure, and provide more benefits for self-employed people, we could experience a self-sufficiency revival, according to Phillip Longman in Foreign Policy. In the current financial crisis, people are increasingly working for themselves, growing vegetables for local consumption or developing open-sourced software in their basements. This has the potential to restructure the entire economy for the better.

Working for reasons other than money can make people more productive, too. In a speech to TED, Dan Pink proposes a radical “rethinking how we run our businesses,” based on aspects other than money. In creative work, according to Pink, motivating people with money can actually lead to worse performance. Pink proposes a system where people are motivated more by intrinsic qualities, like “mastery,” “autonomy,” and “purpose,” rather than money. If the Pew Center survey is any indication, people will be a lot more satisfied, too.

http://www.utne.com/Politics/Self-Employed-Workers-Are-Happy-Workers-5317.aspx?utm_content=09.22.09+Politics&utm_campaign=Politics&utm_source=iPost&utm_medium=email

[fasttense]

1. One of the reasons the self-employed are more "financially stressed"

is because their payroll taxes are doubled if they are not working for some other idiot.

[dugaresa]

2. i say bullshit, I know a lot of self-employed folks who like their work but have tons of problems

problems getting healthcare
problems managing accounts
problems with how cyclical their business may be
problems with marriages and children because their dream job interferes with reality (like paying bills)

and the idea of not motivating with money, that is for the birds. nothing like delivering people a "feel good" message that tells them money isn't everything. typically the folks giving that message have more money and want you to be happy with less.

there is no perfect job

[BridgeTheGap]

4. It's interesting that the "motivation" by money applies in a very different way to

the self-employed. I've done both. When you're self-employed, you have to determine a price for your services that you and your customers can live with AND you have to find the customers (marketing).
When you work for someone else, it's a whole different ball of wax. You want your employer to see as a "valuable asset" to their business and pay you more as a result. Employers almost always want to "low ball" employees on pay.
When I worked in a large bank, the general rule of thumb was that the only way to get a decent raise was to find work with another bank. There was no financial motivation to stay with the same company because of the "low ball" practices.

Pink's shtick (as best I can tell from a peripheral glance) falls in line with the "do what you love and the money will follow" theory. Maybe the people who work for themselves feel happier because of that fact, even though there is still plenty of stress involved because of other factors that you don't have when working for someone else.

[dugaresa]

8. i have worked for small and large businesses and have done consulting

I have seen more self-employed folks become miserable with a job they thought they would love because they ignored the practical from the very beginning.

Just recently a friend asked me to advise some folks that started a business two years ago that is now in the hole. They "feel so strongly" but yet have no business plan, are in debt and have no organized approach. Within 15 minutes of our converstation I got the feeling that bankruptcy was on the horizon if they didn't get their act together and as somewhat amazed that they kept this business going for about 2 years. Just because they loved doing it, didn't make up for much when they ignored the practical. Money doesn't follow because you love doing what you do. There has to be a plan.

Years ago I worked for a company that was owned by a single individual. When he got the opportunity to sell it to another much larger company, I remember him telling a group of us that it was a relief because he no longer had to worry about the day to day problems like making payroll. Here he was so successful and he was rewarded for his efforts but he admitted it had cost him in terms of stress to him and his family.

[Demit]

3. With wages on a downward spiral anyway, might as well start producing studies that ballyhoo

"working for reasons other than money," excuse my cynicism.

[madrchsod]

5. i`ve been both...

i`ll take working for myself any day. health care costs and taxation were the two biggest problems in owning my business. those two problems forced me to give up.

[Bonhomme Richard]

6. I have worked for myself for the past ten years.

Am I happier? Definitely
The truth is that I couldn't have considered starting a business without being lucky enough to have my wife's boss put us on an insurance plan. I am convinced a lot of people would start there own businesses if that consideration were taken off the table.

The upside....You have more control over what you do.
I feel good about coming up with a product that saves taxpayers money and protects the environment
A sense of freedom
Knowing that when I walk into the office Monday morning no one is telling me I don't have a job.
The potential to actually make real money. Not there yet but I am comfortable, though we are penny pincers.

The downside....Most of the above is an illusion
I gave up one boss for hundreds
I can do what I want but have to be OK with the consequences. And there are consequences.
You are responsible for everything.
For me...one week vacation and even then I have to be accessible.
You can't allow yourself to be sick...period. There is no one else to do the work.

[wilt the stilt]

7. I was self employed for years

the biggest issue is healthcare. The insurance companies just kill you. I believe one of the reasons why people become self employed is control. They are sick and tired of having very little control over their lives and having to eat shit from their bosses. Also, if you have no skills that allow you to start your own business then you are at their mercy and the danger zone is the mid fifties. Most corporations are looking for someone younger and cheaper than you.

[question everything]

15. A friend of mine finally walked out of his job, got tired of seeing the W

on the owner's car, got tired of working his butt off for the company only to hear the owner thanking... Jesus for saving the company.

However, since the company still needs him, he is staying as a consultant. Yes, cheaper for the company - taxes, health care - but my friend is elated. First, some medical problems that plagued him for years, disappeared.

A major consideration, thought, was that next year he will be 65. So even though COBRA is expensive, and, with pre-existing conditions he can forget about getting another plan - it will carry him to Medicare.

His wife is thanking her wisdom for paying for her own individual "Blue" insurance so she is kept out of this.

[izquierdista]

9. Sounds like Pink is onto something

Motivating people with things other than money. Since he's talking about "how we run our businesses", it's obvious that he means the CEO class. I think it would be a great idea, seeing how they have made a mess of bonuses, stock options, and the like. I'd be for giving them a flat salary, say $100,000 a year and reward them with "treats", maybe a saucer of milk after a productive meeting or a dish of caviar if they close a deal. I wonder what the average CEO would do to earn a bag of chocolate chip cookies?

Whatever is done, they should NOT be setting their own salary. That only leads to foolishness.

[Recursion]

10. What I'm sick of is companies who refuse to actually employ people

Programmers, sysadmins, editors, writers, etc. Way too many companies are trying to skip out on payroll taxes and health coverage by making almost everybody an "independent contractor".

[BridgeTheGap]

11. That's exactly where I'm at - for the past 4 + years! n.t

[2Design]

12. interesting about self-employed especially the responses here from the 'front' n/t

[Glenda]

13. My happiest time was self-employment,

and I'm about to do it again

[raccoon]

14. If the US had a national health plan, it would be a damn sight easier for people to be self-employed

[MellowOne]

16. I couldn't be happier

After years of making money for companies who didn't appreciate my efforts, I put all my energy in making money for myself. But I don't have the overhead of a small business, as I freelance at several different ventures and love every minute.

[groovedaddy]

17. Good for you! n.t

[bhikkhu]

18. Until they go try to get health insurance

In Oregon, it doesn't matter much if you're below the poverty line - if you're self employed no OHP for you. Then try paying $900 a month for insurance when you make $1100 a month...

[mule_train]

19. I loved being self employed

becase i was once made an example of what happened in a department if a certain boss didnt like you

i got along with all bosses in the future, but i loved taking that power away from little tyrants like him