It used to be that employees were expected to show up at a certain time and leave at a certain time. They earned an hourly wage or a salary. Usually, they also had a set number of hours a week they were expected to work, regardless of whether their place of employment was busy or not. Technology has changed the nature of their work, and made way for the development of the gig economy.
The Gig Economy
The gig economy isn’t about employees. It’s about independent workers. They’re typically freelancers or contractors. They get no benefits and sometimes, they work a lot. If a company they usually do work for has no work for them, they don’t work. Gig workers work from job to job and get to work within a wide range of career areas. Though it may seem like a lot, all of this is possible because of technology.
The Modern Workforce
Technology has made the workforce digital, and jobs are changing to compensate. People who work as gig workers often don’t work at a company’s site and instead work at home, in coffee shops, and other places. They communicate with potential employers mostly via email. These workers find potential gigs on job boards or through their networking efforts. If they don’t want to take on a gig job for whatever reason, they’re not required to.
The Ramifications
People who work as gig workers have more flexibility. Technology allows many of them to work anywhere that they have an Internet connection. If they’ve managed their business resources correctly, they don’t have to work for companies or people they don’t care for. Many giggers also find that this type of employment may allow easier entry into a career opportunities they want. They just need to take on a short-term project or two to build the experience section on their resumes. However, many giggers find income inconsistent. They also deal with company bosses who still want to treat them as employees instead of independent business owners, which can create conflict and, in some cases, legal issues. Companies who hire gig workers must be very careful of the demands they place on these workers. Otherwise, these workers could be seen as employees, making them eligible for all the rights and benefits of being an employee.
Technology has changed pretty much every aspect of a business, opening up work opportunities for those who want to work in the gig economy. This change has also helped employers increase profitability because they only have to only hire workers when they need them. However, this job trend has some downsides, too, which both employer and worker need to consider before participating in the gig economy.
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