Basically, I live to do gigs.
Amy Winehouse – Singer
Gig-work is project work. Let’s look at a few pre COVID statistics about gig-work:
- 94% of American jobs created between 2005 and 2015 were for ‘alternative work’ (gig-work).[i]
- 36% of U.S. VUCANs participate in the gig economythrough their primary or secondary jobs.”[ii]
- Workcontinues to undergo seismic disruptions with 70 million American VUCANs now self-employed or doing informal work, which is a number expected to continue rising.[iii]
- In the U.S., two-thirds of gig-workers are men and most would welcome fulltime, core employment. In many countries, this is often a higher number.[iv]
Think of the Uber, Airbnb, and similar business models. These companies own their IP and platform. They do not own vehicles or lodging facilities. Their business model aggregates gig-workers who own unused vehicles or space. We also have subscription business models. You may pay a monthly fee for clothes, razors, shirts, and almost any consumable product and service.
Gig-work and new peer-to-peer economy does provide opportunities for new businesses. In this new economy, hotels and lodging companies must reposition and rebrand themselves in terms of offering experiences and other attractors to tourists. A new brand of consultant has been invented that offers hotels and new revenue models to attract guests with new experiences and new value offerings
Work Lesson Earned: Customers and users want freedom of choice. Gig-work will increase to supply customers with new products and services. Got any creative ideas for gig-work?
[i] ‘Most Jobs Created Since 2005 Are Non Traditional’, NBC News, December 8, 2016.
[ii] ‘Clocking In’, MIT Technology Review, August 21, 2018.
[iii] ‘Entrepreneurs Thrash Out Future of Flexible Work’, San Francisco Chronicle, January 18, 2017.
[iv] ‘57 Million U.S. Workers Are Part of the Gig Economy’, Forbes, August 31, 2018.