What is Gig Economy?
The term " gig economy" in modern world is the collection of markets that match providers to consumers on a gig (or job) basis in support of on-demand commerce (Donovan et al., 2016, Page 02)
Gig work simply means any category of work which compensate the individual based on completion of the bits and pieces of a predetermined task on a short term basis. This may include delivery riders who are paid per piece, couriers, web designers,freelance writers and video editors (Finkin, 2016).
History of Gig Work
The term “gig” was first coined by the former Jazz Musicians in 1915 to refer solo performances. In the the 21st century, gig work was mainly referred as part time freelance work (Hasija et al., 2016).
With the advent of apps and advancements in mobile devices, gig work became the new trend and mobile apps facilitated as the platforms to undertake gig work online.
Tens of millions of workers are employed in the gig economy worldwide, and growth rates are relatively high (Schwellnus et al.,
2019).
Apps such as InstaCart, Uber, TaskRabbit, Fiverr, Lyft and GigWalk became popular platforms where the job seeker could have hourly pay based on his or her availability. This provided a great level of flexibility for the gig worker.
As per Donovan (2016) following eleven elements are came into be considered as benchmarks for a decent "gig work".
Employment opportunities
Adequate earnings and productive work
Decent working time
Combining work, family, and personal life
Work that should be abolished
Stability and security of work
Equal opportunity and treatment in employment
Safe work environment
Social security
Social dialogue, employers’ and workers’ representation
Economic and social context for decent work
Arguments
Regardless of the flexibility and the worker independence that a gig worker benefits it is a question as to whether the moral perspective, worker benefits and protection is assured in the gig economy.Non-payment, discrimination in payment, and psychological risks (Rani and Furrer 2021) are prevalent in the gig economy that people forbid to refuse.
Based on the method of employment, gig-service providing companies contend that they are merely the technology companies that mediate requests between riders and the customers. Consideration of plentiful gig workers as their company staff would push them to their bottom line as Uber and Lyft contend.
Conclusion
However for certain, the gig economy is here to stay and the arguments shall remain open for debate.Despite countries such as USA (California State) have proposed gig businesses to classify workers as employees, people voted against passing the law. With future projections showing that gig economy is blooming over the next decade the question of how the gig workers ought be classified shall remain amplified.
References
ᴅᴏɴᴏᴠᴀɴ, ꜱᴀʀᴀʜ ʜ., ᴅᴀᴠɪᴅ ʜ. ʙʀᴀᴅʟᴇʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴊᴏɴ ᴏ. ꜱʜɪᴍᴀʙᴜᴋᴜʀᴏ. 2016. “ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴏᴇꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ɢɪɢ ᴇᴄᴏɴᴏᴍʏ ᴍᴇᴀɴ ꜰᴏʀ ᴡᴏʀᴋ- ᴇʀꜱ?” ᴡᴀꜱʜɪɴɢᴛᴏɴ, ᴅᴄ: ᴄᴏɴɢʀᴇꜱꜱɪᴏɴᴀʟ ʀᴇꜱᴇᴀʀᴄʜ ꜱᴇʀᴠɪᴄᴇ, ꜰᴇʙʀᴜᴀʀʏ 5. ʜᴛᴛᴘ://ʙɪᴛ. ʟʏ/29ꜱᴠᴡᴋᴛ
ꜰɪɴᴋɪɴ, ᴍᴡ 2016, "ʙᴇᴄʟᴏᴜᴅᴇᴅ ᴡᴏʀᴋ, ʙᴇᴄʟᴏᴜᴅᴇᴅ ᴡᴏʀᴋᴇʀꜱ ɪɴ ʜɪꜱᴛᴏʀɪᴄᴀʟ ᴘᴇʀꜱᴘᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ\", ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀʀᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ ʟᴀʙᴏʀ ʟᴀᴡ & ᴘᴏʟɪᴄʏ ᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴀʟ, ᴠᴏʟ. 37, ᴘᴘ. 603. <ʜᴛᴛᴘꜱ://ᴘᴀᴘᴇʀꜱ.ꜱꜱʀɴ.ᴄᴏᴍ/ꜱᴏʟ3/ᴘᴀᴘᴇʀꜱ.ᴄꜰᴍ?ᴀʙꜱᴛʀᴀᴄᴛ_ɪᴅ=2712722>
ʜᴀꜱɪᴊᴀ, ꜱ., “ᴘᴀᴅᴅʏ”, ᴘᴀᴅᴍᴀɴᴀᴅʜᴀɴ, ᴠ. ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴀᴍᴘᴀʟ, ᴘ., 2021. ᴡɪʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀɴᴅᴇᴍɪᴄ ᴘᴜꜱʜ ᴋɴᴏᴡʟᴇᴅɢᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ɢɪɢ ᴇᴄᴏɴᴏᴍʏ?. [ᴏɴʟɪɴᴇ] ʜᴀʀᴠᴀʀᴅ ʙᴜꜱɪɴᴇꜱꜱ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ. ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ᴀᴛ: <ʜᴛᴛᴘꜱ://ʜʙʀ.ᴏʀɢ/2020/06/ᴡɪʟʟ-ᴛʜᴇ-ᴘᴀɴᴅᴇᴍɪᴄ-ᴘᴜꜱʜ-ᴋɴᴏᴡʟᴇᴅɢᴇ-ᴡᴏʀᴋ-ɪɴᴛᴏ-ᴛʜᴇ-ɢɪɢ-ᴇᴄᴏɴᴏᴍʏ>
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ꜱᴄʜᴡᴇʟʟɴᴜꜱ, ᴄ., ᴀ. ɢᴇᴠᴀ, ᴍ. ᴘᴀᴋ, ᴀɴᴅ ʀ. ᴠᴇɪᴇʟ. 2019. ɢɪɢ ᴇᴄᴏɴᴏᴍʏ ᴘʟᴀᴛꜰᴏʀᴍꜱ: ʙᴏᴏɴ ᴏʀ ʙᴀɴᴇ? (ᴏᴇᴄᴅ ᴇᴄᴏɴᴏᴍɪᴄꜱ ᴅᴇᴘᴀʀᴛᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴡᴏʀᴋɪɴɢ ᴘᴀᴘᴇʀꜱ ɴᴏ. 1550),
Out of the box thinking..The gig economy, along with the future of work, has become a popular topic of discussion. The gig economy, broadly speaking, involves working arrangements that are closer to “gigs” than traditional kinds of jobs.
ReplyDeleteThank You for your feedback Vishwa!
DeleteThank You for your feedback Vishwa!
DeleteThe changing nature of work and the gig economy pose new challenges for corporations, especially for planning and managing corporate real estate. That’s because today all companies are expected to do much more than provide every worker with a desk and maintain the space. They must create the environment that supports and contributes to meeting company goals. Good article
ReplyDeleteThank You Prabath
DeleteThank You Prabath
DeleteVery rare topic and this is the first time I sew it in this flat form. Really good one and I am a bit interested to know why gig workers don't like to be permanent workers? What are the disadvantages they will face if they became a permanent employee? Just give a brief idea if possible. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you Thushara, a very good question for debate.The primary reason is that most of the gig workers are addicted to the flexibility the gig economy offers and it enables them to focus if possible on another gig work that pays the same way. In that manner he can do multiple jobs while earning well which otherwise would be impossible if he/she worked as a permanent employee. I hope you got the point Thushara. Thanks for the valuable comment.
DeleteThank you Thushara, a very good question for debate.The primary reason is that most of the gig workers are addicted to the flexibility the gig economy offers and it enables them to focus if possible on another gig work that pays the same way. In that manner he can do multiple jobs while earning well which otherwise would be impossible if he/she worked as a permanent employee. I hope you got the point Thushara. Thanks for the valuable comment.
DeleteGig economy is a popular topic today and it enhances the performance level of employees and it is supportive to manage the corporate level tasks in an effective manner.
ReplyDeleteGig economy and service providers have been escalated drastically during the covid 19 lockdowns, all around the world. It ease the shopping for consumers and preserved shoppers hygiene. Job seekers have widened their opportunities to join Gig work as part time basis or permanent basis. You have uncovered a good topic to discuss, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete