Freelancers face extreme hours and limited benefits: 23% work 12-hour days, while flexible leave for fertility or parental support is rare. Over a third report work impacting reproductive choices. Nearly a third plan to leave the creative industries within five years unless protections improve.
The lack of structured benefits in freelancing highlights a gap—without protections for family planning and health, many creatives burn out or exit entirely.
Long hours and limited leave show why industry-wide safety nets matter; talent retention depends on more than pay—it requires humane working conditions.