Why the Gig Economy?

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in moving towards a gig economy rather than the traditional work model we have previously seen. “Right now, more than one in three workers are freelancers…By 2020, half of the U.S. workers will be freelancers.” With education constantly shifting, companies are struggling to find people to fit their skill needs. “This could mean expanding geographically to find workers they need. They may also have to rely more intensely on gig workers to meet needs that they cannot via full-time hires.”

Additionally, technology has expanded and is continuing to grow at a such a rate that it is beginning to remove the necessity for in-house workers. “Cloud computing, advanced networks, and other technologies have combined to make working remotely a possibility for people across the globe. A few years ago, this wasn’t possible. Even in highly developed, urban areas, there simply wasn’t the telecommunications infrastructure for people to work efficiently any significant distance from their offices. In addition to this, much of the hardware and software required was priced out of the range that many people could afford. Today, someone can order business quality phone and internet for not much more than they would residential quality. Finding wifi connectivity is rarely a problem, even in some of the most remote areas of the world. There are also multiple apps and software that enable workers to do video conferencing, project management, and other tasks remotely. The truth is, the gig economy has allowed people who may not be able to find full-time employment an opportunity to earn money. In some ways, this is beneficial. For example, earning supplemental income to help guarantee a healthy retirement is a good thing.”

This move toward a stronger gig economy leaves a lot of availability for you to create your own niche and make your mark in the gig economy. So what are you waiting for? Embrace your side hustle and create the life you want!