Blog Post #1- The Gig economy

The article “Flexibility and earning potential, two lures of the gig economy” written by Nigel Wilson for Forbes describes how the gig economy in the United States had over 70 million gig workers at the end of 2022, noted as the most gig workers in an economy in the world. The author notes that there are both positive and negative aspects of working as a gig employee with the majority of the negatives coming in the form of a lack of financial security and safety nets for those that have chosen to work in the gig economy. (Wilson, 2023)
A study referenced by Forbes and conducted by Legal and General found that 82% of gig economy workers chose to work in the gig economy vs. the 13% of gig workers having to work in the gig economy because for whatever reason they cannot find a traditional job.
The main reasons why people are choosing to work as a gig worker vs a traditional job include reasons such as not wanting to work in a corporate environment or being confined to a cubicle, they had moral reasons for refusing to work in a corporate environment or there were aesthetic reasons why they choose to not work a traditional job with 40% of those surveyed stating that they didn’t want to be confined to a cubicle/ office environment. (Wilson, 2023)
Overall researchers found that gig workers valued their work-life balance and flexibility over nearly every other category surveyed making gig work the right fit for them and only money earned was valued higher than flexibility and work-life balance. However as noted earlier there is a major financial downside to working in the gig economy, with 65% of those surveyed noting that lack of job security/ predictability of income and not having access to retirement plans, health benefits or sick days as some of the major downsides of being a gig worker.

This article related to other workplaces because gig work is becoming more of a norm in a global post covid economy, as the article noted there are currently 70 million gig workers in the United States with more being hired every day. Gig workers aren’t just Uber drivers, skip-the-dishes drivers or Instacart delivery people, gig workers are in many industries including photographers, substitute teachers, contractors, builders, office workers, retailers, health care workers, installers and so many other different positions in different industries that all exist here in Canada just as they do in the United States and while the number of gig workers in the United States is higher than the number of people living in Canada the impact of the gig economy is being felt and experienced here in Canada much as it is south of the border.
As someone that has been unemployed for the last 2 years while I’ve been in school the gig economy is how I’ve been able to help pay my bills outside of my saving by working gig jobs when I have the availability and financial need to do so and have seen first hand the struggles people have working a gig job that doesn’t offer benefits or pays a low wage and as someone with a medical condition with a monthly medication bill that without insurance costs $600 a month just to stay alive, I can understand both the need for flexibility and the need for better employee protections including benefits and sick time so that those of us with health conditions aren’t a bigger burden on government services such as health care and EIA.

 

Wilson, N. (2023, February 15). Flexibility And Earning Potential, Two Lures Of The Gig Economy. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/nigelwilson/2023/02/15/flexibility-and-earning-potential-two-lures-of-the-gig-economy/?sh=a9ba5fa4db0d

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