Gig employment will make the American economy of 2040 “scarcely recognizable,” reports Fast Company. In fact, 34 percent of American workers are already working gig jobs, according to Freelancing in America: A National Survey of the New Workforce, published in 2014.
Large organizations have long used gig employees for special projects, but have often used the term consultant rather than gig; however, they are essentially the same thing. That said, adapting to gig employment is something that every organization should think about. Should your organization be on the lookout for freelancers? Is this the right way to hire for your organization? Should your organizational hiring strategy change?
Here is what you need to know to make the right choice:
To keep reading, click here: Adapting to Gig Employment: Is It Right for Your Organization?
Gig employment is part of the ongoing decline of employee rights and benefits in the private sector. It’s totally appropriate for jobs for which one would use a consultant or contractor. But, if you want a full-time worker for an indefinite period of time, treating that person like a gig employee has its drawbacks for both sides. For the employee, there’s the loss of job security and benefits. For the employer, it’s likely that the gig employee will have lower morale — which adversely affects productivity — and, certainly, less “loyalty” to the employer. A lot of employers now try to get new hires to sign non-compete agreements; why would a gig employee ever do so?
So far, I prefer gigging. It’s true I don’t have the swath of benefits I did as an employee, but I can get what I want, and I’m paid for every hour I work… Employers tread carefully when setting mandatory deadlines because my labor over 40 hours a week isn’t “free to them.”
There’s potential for abuse in trying to make employment a gig/contract situation. Okay some will say that pay can be negotiated to suit, but the pay is only one of the reasons for seeking employment. One does have to look at future goals, one of which is financial situation at end of work life. Gig jobs completely ignore this by focusing on being a specific need for the employer. There’s no worker right except to gain a paycheck while employer needs your skills. Eventually you the worker wil want something more stable financially.
Too many people live paycheck to paycheck and rely on government benefits ( at least 46% of US population) and assume this is the status quo. Historical mistreatment of workers in the past and present are ignored for instant gratification of money in hand right now.
If this is the future of being employed, we need to set up regulations to avoid abuse, which is why the article talked about that enterprise for delivery in NYC.That employer realizes to continue operations, he needs to follow the regulations in place there. Unfortunately not every place has these regulations in place hence the possibility of abuse by employers.
That survey is old and very much out of date – 2014!
Had our economy continued on the same path it had during the Obamanation years, then, yea, we all would be working in a “gig” economy.
But, thank God, the election of Trump has ended that. During the Obama years, most people I know (including myself) were only able to find temp work. But, now, myself and everyone I know has decent, permanent jobs that pay well and have good benefits.
Companies, instead of thinking about is the gig economy good for them, now need to focus on how to get and retain talent. For if they don’t they will lose talent/employees to their competition. Working a gig is good for those who truly want to work that way; but, why take a gig job when what you want is permanent employment and there are other companies offering it?
I had been saying, during the Obamanation years, that recruiters/companies were treating job seekers like dirt and that one day those tables would turn. Well, those tables have turned and it is recruiters who come begging to me. Ha! I do try to not laugh in their face and tell them that the temp job they are offering me is a joke.
Congratulations. I guess the economic policies Obama put into effect are working.