The gig economy is an economy where companies contract employees for work and they are
entirely independent of the company or organization. An example of this would be uber or
lyft drivers being independent contractors. Technically they are representatives of uber or lyft
but not actual employees and do not receive benefits. Another example of this could be the
travel nursing industry. Hospitals or healthcare organizations contract nurses for a short
period of time to work in their different departments. In a gig economy, workers would be
highly skilled in whatever they're working on. They have to be able to adapt quickly to the
situations they're placed in. There is some time spent on training but the costs and time that
goes into the hiring process is eliminated. I have experience being a contract worker and I
much prefer being an employee. When I was a contract worker it was nice because I could
make my own schedule, but I wasn't given benefits and I also had to pay for any problems
that came up in my life from work. The job I work now can-do pay-outs to cover costs. I've
always been an employee in a company, but I have met others that are contract workers. It
always came down to the fact that you're able to make your own schedule when I've talked
with people I know.Gig Economy is something I haven’t heard of as the correct word for
contractors. Now that I I have learned what it actually means I know that a gig is often times
employment on your own. These could be food service providers or your own like cleaning
crew. The only positive I could see coming out of having a gig profession is a lot of times
you can make your own schedule and work when you’re able to work.
I don’t think personally I would put myself in that position to where I don’t have the stability
or the certainty of my next position. I like working for a company because I have disability, I
have the benefits that go along with being a full-time employee. I do see why some
companies contract out certain positions for gigs because they aren’t real reliable and they
aren’t forced to pay them the same or to provide the benefits like most companies do. I think
for now I’ll just stick with where I’m at. It seems to be a lot safer. For me, the gig economy is
working on your own, with your own customers or contracts with firms that pay you for your
job without having to cope with labor laws.We can contribute skills to the gig economy by
remaining motivated and persistent; there will be many people who agree with our business
plans and some who do not, which is why we must apply what we have learned in this class,
such as strategic planning, being analytic, and reviewing the process, and if something is not
working out, update the process or make changes.I like both, gig economy and employment; I
just need to balance my priorities. Right now, I have two teen-agers who rely on my husband
and me; they have recently begun driving, and our expenses are considerable. Currently,
employment is preferable because we require a steady income, our work schedules are
compatible with theirs, and we require the perks that our employment jobs provide to us:
salary, health benefits, sick days, vacation time, and retirement. However, we intend to work
for ourselves in the future when our children are grown, our house is paid off, and we receive
our retirement, even if it is little, because we want to retire when we are not too old.When we
had a family business a few years ago, my husband used to get some work done by
contractors who had better machines and the quality of the products were better, and it was
good for us because we had customers and we could provide better products without having
to invest a lot of money in new machines. Many people who have come from outside the
country and do not have the necessary documents to work have contributed to the gig
economy by obtaining an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number and working in jobs
that benefit the county. The gig economy has three components. The first is that the
independent employee is paid by the "gig" (slang for job such as giving someone a ride,
fixing a leaky toilet, etc.). The second is a consumer who needs a service and is motivated to
use an independent contractor rather than a traditional company (typically for increased
convenience or to save money). The third is the companies that have formed to facilitate
workers finding these gigs (Uber, Etsy, etc.). The Gig Economy is a segment of the economy
composed of Independent Contractors, that provide temporary, show up, non-scheduled
labor. The Gig Economy is filled with jobs that require just labor, a vehicle, or sharing a
particular skill, that contractors can enter and leave as they see fit into their schedule.When
we think of the Gig Economy, we usually think of Uber, Lyft, or food delivery services,
however, many other "gigs" exist that require a honed skill or particular access. These jobs
maybe submissions of a website built with certain requirements, foreign language translation,
or using credentials to enter restricted areas to assess business that the general public cannot
freely access. Many gigs I have personally participated operated on the lower end of the
spectrum, where I provided delivery of food, but I have also used design skills and specific
knowledge to assist on other gigs as well.For myself, I much prefer to be an employee. I
enjoy the stability, and the benefits of traditional employment, over the come and go nature
of gigs. For some people, gigs are ideal, such as those just passing through and traveling. As
for myself, I try my best to shine for my supervisors, and manage to climb the ladder higher
and higher with in the companies I work for.I remember when I worked for a restaurant, we
would have gig workers for takeout delivery. We used gig workers specifically due to the
lack of overhead and liability. The overhead we didn't need to pay included health insurance
and additional taxes. One of the lesser thought of reasons for using gig workers was the
liability, as we were not held accountable if the worker was involved in a traffic accident, and
no one could associate them with our business if they were driving too fast or recklessly. A
“gig” is sometimes called a “side hustle” and is generally a short-term task, project or job that
a person takes up to make extra cash.77But many do gig work long term or as a main source of
income. Some gig workers get paid per task or assignment. Others earn an hourly rate.
Generating additional income and having work flexibility are the most common motives to
work for gig economy.77
Independence and flexibility are the main aspect that people working in the gig economy
were often satisfied with. I would prefer a consistent business to work in. Gigs are enjoyable
and flexible, and I have taken part in a few. Most recent example is starting up an Uber
business in our small town that has 2 stoplights. My plan was to do during major holidays or
activities in town. It was a huge success and made extra cash during the two nights of driving
people during St. pats. Gigs like this are an effective way for quick cash. Long term
sustainability could vary, due to smaller communities. More business in bigger cities. A gig
economy is an independent contractor ,temporary or short-term contracting jobs. Where you
either are bidding for services or being hired on for a short period of time. Normally though a
temp service or a driving service job through a third party. The skills you can bring to this job
is being more flexible with your time and promoting yourself by the work you previously did.
In the delivery service that i have previous work i got to set my own hours. I worked for
however long i would have wanted to and did not have to check with anyone because it was
already in the app. My preference would be an independent contractor because i like to be i
control of how I want to plan my day. What contracts I want to pick up and i can say no and
just leave within reason if i feel like I am being treated poorly or if the customer was not
living up to what we agreed on and still get paid. Having the ability to negotiate every wage
and building the relationship with each customer i come across. A gig economy is a
temporary or short-term job or position, which is essentially disposable when you no longer
have need of it. The skills you can bring into a gig economy are what I call trade skills. For
example, my automotive knowledge and my ability to adapt to any job, at any time, at any
pace. I think adaptability and flexibility are important to a gig economy. With my small
business, I am the equivalent of a contract worker and I enjoy it a lot more than I ever
enjoyed being an employee because I am a mother before I am anything else, and being a
contractor allows me to set my hours and workweek around the needs of my children and
their appointments. I know that when I was working as an employee in the foodservice
industry, my employers weren't very flexible around my children and their varying schedules.
Working for myself allows that flexibility that is so important to me. A Gig Economy is
basically just a temporary position or short term. A position you can change at any time when
there is no need. Skills you can bring with you in a gig economy would be self-motivation
because since you are temporary. You need to show them why they should keep you. And I
also feel like since many people work in this gig economy, they have many experiences with
different jobs to bring all their qualifications to the table. I see both sides of being a
contractor worker, or an employee. Being a contractor worker, you are guaranteed a time
working with said company, but you are temporary. Being an employee, yeah you are in with
the company, but you could be let go at any moment for any reason. So, they both have their
pros and cons. I don't think I would mind being a contract employee, but I don't know how I
feel about bouncing from one job to another or having to try and find a new job. In my
current role, we do have some kinds of gig employees. I work in a school district, and we
have substitutes and long-term substitute teachers. Being a substitute teacher, you have a
temporary spot in a class, it could be a day, it could be a week. You could also be a long-term
sub which means you are subbing for one class for weeks if not months. In my opinion I
think Gig Economy means a side job. It's a job that isn't a permanent job and can typically get
done pretty quickly. I feel like a lot of people have these jobs on the weekends or something
to do when they get done with their "normal/permanent" job. I think one of the biggest skills I
can bring to the gig economy is my pipe lining and welding skills. When I graduated college,
I went through a bunch of schooling and testing to get certified in both of those. Another one
that is big around where I live is landscaping. I believe if you have the right clients and set up
that could be a side job or gig economy type job. I would much rather be an employee; I like
a more permanent/set job. I like to know I have a job and I can bring money home to my
family. I know with contract work you can usually negotiate your pay and most of the time
you are your own boss. I used to be a contract worker and I prefer a lot more what I am doing
now then back then. When you are a contract worker, you are set to do one or two smaller
jobs. When you are an employee, you are there for a long time and most likely have a lot
more jobs to do to keep you on your toes.
