Is the gig economy dead?
With the growing concern over the economic downturn, many industries seem like they may start to take a hit.
The concern is real.
With automation, artificial intelligence, cheap outsourced labor, and other societal changes that are happening as we speak, the world is altering before our eyes. And like any change, some people are going to be left in the dust and others are going to thrive.
The cold harsh reality is that many jobs that seemed stable in the past have absolutely no chance of surviving. Do you have one of these jobs?
Are you working on getting into a field of study that may not need you in the future?
And if that’s the case, do you really want to venture into something that may not be there?
You should be considering this when thinking about the skills you’ll want to acquire.
I don’t think anyone can dispute what’s currently happening with full-time jobs.
The security is simply not there anymore and this idea that you’re going to work at the same company for 30 years and then live off a pension is almost impossible to fathom.
I know it is for me.
Even if it was a secure job, who even wants to do the same thing every day for 25 years?
Sounds horrible. I don’t know about you, but I like doing many different things and learning more skills in the process. Blame it on the ADD.
But what about the gig economy? Is that as susceptible?
I don’t think so at all.
People have an amazing way of developing things on their own when push comes to shove and that’s why you’ve seen such an increase of entrepreneurship.
Especially on the internet.
And those entrepreneurs need help. Every day I see these people that start these businesses seeking out competent people to help them grow their business.
And they’re looking for people ranging from a couple of hours a week to 40 hours a week depending on the project at hand. It may fluctuate, but it will always be there.
This freedom is amazing for the small business owner because if they were forced to hire someone full-time for a specific role, it would probably wind up killing their profits. And who wants that? If they’re not in business then there’s no more work.
This is a simple concept that many people don’t understand. They think because you own a business you’re Bill Gates, but in reality, many business owners are struggling just as much as the people that work for them.
And it’s not just small businesses, Fortune 500 companies are now on sites like Upwork discovering and using talent for their projects too.
More often than not, nobody really gives a shit if you’re in the office or in Marrakesh. As long as you’re good and getting the work done, the client will continue to work with you.
This sense of freedom is absolutely amazing. And it’s also much more cost effective for the businesses. Much more cost effective.
Think about what not having to pay for an expensive office lease or full-time employee with benefits does to your bottom line…
It frees up a lot of cash.
Yes, I know, some people still want those cushy jobs with all the benefits. Just like I want a million dollars in a suitcase showing up on my door. It doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.
We’re going to have to work at it.
And we should feel blessed that we can do that work from home.
