Some of the wealthiest and most fulfilled people I know are employed, and they are brimming with enthusiasm for the organisations they are contributing too. Even as a seasoned contractor I can see the appeal of nailing ones flag to a particular mast. So on the flip-side to this weeks earlier post here are some of the benefits of being an employee:

• Autonomy ~ once you reach a position where you have some say in the running of things, you have relative free reign to develop and grow your team. It is immensely satisfying to create and deliver on your own vision.
• Choice ~  employees have a choice to stay, go, move within an organisation and go for promotion.
• Ambition ~ if you want to contribute at a senior level (Director, upwards) you need to be an employee. Many organisations use interim managers for short-periods to help slay the scary fire-breathing dragons, but companies need someone who wants to develop and grow the organisation long-term.
• Flexibility ~ homeworking and other family friendly practices are making commuting five mornings a week rarer and rarer. Organisations today are far more fluid than before.
• Community ~ we spend so much time in the office, colleagues often become friends, sometimes lovers. The workplace is a microcosm of life and it is a gift to be a part of people’s hatches, matches and dispatches.
• Security ~ contractors can be the first to be laid off in a down turn. Even in a buoyant market, there is always a level of uncertainty about where the next contract is coming from. This is no different to being an employee and worrying about redundancy (however the extra redundancy payment as an employee can be very handy).
• Training ~ smart companies invest in skill development for permanent employees.
• Commitment ~ as an employee, ones identity can become linked to a brand, an idea, a sense of purpose. This is a commitment to own the delivery, to care about the long-term future of the organisation.
• Benefits ~ Paid holidays! Sick leave! Insurance! Performance bonus! Stock options!