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By 2017, one-third of employees had implemented a formal strategy to ensure employee wellbeing, while over half of employees opted for a more informal approach. Yet a mental health survey carried out the following year found that most Canadians reported workplace stress as a primary source of their mental health issues.

“Half of executives by the end of the day, ‘we feel used up,’ said Gruman. “And that’s just really terrible.”

Lindsay Angelo, a growth strategist and futures speaker, said she suffered similar issues during her stint in the corporate sector. “I had carpal tunnel at a young age even though I’m still young in my career,” she said.

Photo by Fellowes

It was only when she shifted to working as a freelance that her health took a turn for the better. “I certainly saw a shift when my body went from being shackled to the 9 to 5 lifestyle to designing my own day and own life,” she said.

Perhaps, if Emma were to make the same switch, then she may not look as sickly anymore, Angelo surmised. The Knowledge Bureau predicts that by 2020, almost half of Canadians will be working within the self-employed economy, changing the foundation on which traditional employers have operated for decades.

As a freelancer, Emma might “look more rested,” said Angelo. “Her skin would get some of that colour back — I definitely get more Vitamin D than before. The freelance world also allows you to do more walking and getting out, you’re not constrained to the five-by-five area, so (Emma would) be more agile more relaxed. Internally, more fulfillment, happiness. More positive.”

However, Higham says anyone, freelancer or otherwise, can suffer from the same inflictions if they continue to practise unhealthy working habits. “In Europe, your employer is obliged to give your work station a risk assessment, but if you’re working elsewhere, the (infrastructure) may not be as ergonomically friendly,” he said. “But on the positive side, if you’re working at home or in a cafe, you’re more likely to take breaks.”