Gig economy on the rise

Just one job done, and the next customer is waiting on the doorstep. In many professions, flexible contractors are welcome helpers in bottlenecks and for special tasks. But what sounds practical for both sides has more than just advantages. That’s a gig economy:

First, we need to clarify what the gig economy actually is. This term is used to describe the informal part of the labor market, where short-term jobs are bustling around, which are then taken on by freelancers, job seekers or marginal employees. Anyone who has work to offer or is looking for such work usually finds it on virtual platforms. The length and duration of the assignment is usually fixed in advance, but it can also change depending on the order situation.

What defines Gig Economy

The defined standards of a “gig” include offer, demand, placement and commission. The client makes the offer. The client is pleased about the lively demand and numerous applications. Once the right job performer has been found, the online platform is also pleased. Because for the switching it collects as a rule a commission. This is a business principle that has three legs to stand on. And it is enjoying growing popularity.

The advantages for clients

The term “gig” actually comes from the music industry and refers to a single appearance by a musician or an entire band without a fixed contract. What is quite normal in this industry has only gradually found its way into other professions. In the meantime, the gig economy is booming in other professional segments as well, and for good reason: It’s possible to bring in skilled personnel quickly without having to sign fixed employment contracts. This is not only practical, but also very efficient, because it gives you professional expertise and thus a clear competitive advantage. This is particularly important in agencies, where there is often a lack of space and budget for long-term employees. It is better to hire copywriters or media designers for individual jobs who work from home and help to handle urgent customer requests in a professional manner. Here there is the option of looking for freelancers specifically for just one project or reserving good external employees and hiring them again and again when there is a need.

Gig economy can be worthwhile for freelancers

To ensure that this does not result in bogus self-employment on the other side, it is important that external employees, who are mostly self-employed, also look elsewhere at an early stage. They often work on different orders practically at the same time, have to maintain contact with different customers and thus ensure a certain regularity in their professional work. This is the only way to ensure a steady income and a steady order book. It’s a balancing act, but one that more and more people are willing to take on. There are many reasons for this: They are taking part in the gig economy in order to bring more variety into their jobs, not to be tied down in terms of time or location, and also not to have a boss breathing down their necks. They appreciate the versatility, prefer flexibility and foresight with regard to generating new orders.

Gig economy as a cross-industry phenomenon

What in the early days applied primarily to computer-related creative work has long since gained a foothold in many other industries as well. Whether it’s traveling hairdressers, handyman services, gardening, courier services or janitorial services, they are all gig economy workers, because they are their own bosses and work neither at a fixed location nor for a fixed client. What this entails is a great deal of self-organization, because in addition to doing the actual work, this line of work also includes health insurance, taxes, and planning and finding new jobs as part of the regular workload. Only those who deal with this in a very organized and conscientious manner can be successful as freelancers.

Image copyright: Sportactive

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