What Is the Meaning of Gig in an Online Freelance Job? With more and more people becoming inclined to work as part-time workers, words such as gig economy, gig economy workers and freelancers have been floating around. While there is no single simple, straightforward and watertight definition for gig/gig economy workers, the most accepted one is that gig is freelancing, and therefore, gig workers are freelance workers. A gig/freelance worker is not on the payroll of a particular organisation but she takes up project work for a specified period of time and for a specified amount. So for example, the people who service app-based services are gig economy workers. Though the term (gig) is relatively new, these non-traditional work arrangements have been around a long time. A study by the American Staffing Association found that the majority of Americans (78%) see the gig economy as a new way to describe the participation of this longstanding independent workforce, says a report in flexijobs.com But most human resource professionals don’t agree with a single definition of gig/freelance workers. Pinning down the exact number of people who work in the gig economy is also difficult. “The term gig worker covers freelancers, temporary workers, and contract workers and so it’s hard to define who is and is not a gig worker,” says Ajay Mathur, a senior HR professional. The good news for gig/freelancer workers is that it is increasing worldwide. As per a study by KellyOCG titled “Workforce Agility Barometer”, in about 56% of the Indian firms surveyed, the percentage of temporary workers/ freelancers in the total employee pool was more than 20%. If you are thinking of building your career in freelancing, consider these sectors: *Information Technology *Accounting & Finance *HR & Talent acquisition *Editing, proofreading & writing *Web development and designing There are many ways to find gig/freelance work, thanks to technology that provides a platform for both the gig worker and companies looking for freelance workers. Some of the online platforms for freelance jobs are: Guru; Truelancer; Task Rabbit; 99 design etc. But before you opt to become a freelancer, do understand your likes and dislikes; know all about pros and cons of freelancing and also choose an area of your liking. Once you have decided, reach out to peers, and build your fraternity and portfolio. Also ensure that you keep your promises and deliver your projects on time.
According to a 2021 Boston Consulting Group report, which is based on extensive primary interviews, field research and expert inputs, the gig economy has the potential to serve up to 90 million jobs (roughly 30% of India’s non-farm workforce), add up to 1.25% to India’s GDP in the long-run, and create millions of new jobs across all sectors of India’s economy. It also identified eight distinct segments of gig workers, each with different job-drivers and priorities that must be catered-to for platforms and businesses to take full advantage of the gig economy’s potential. BCG’s findings indicate that gig workers are different from non-gig (‘regular’) workers notably in:
Demographics: Gig workers are relatively younger (compared to non-gig workers) Work patterns: Gig workers typically work for fewer hours per day (7 hours versus 8.5 hours for non-gig workers) Education levels: Gig workers typically have lower education attainment levels (30 percent have studied till grade 9 versus 20 percent in the case of non-gig workers) Household contribution: Gig workers are more often secondary contributors to household income (30 percent of gig workers are secondary contributors versus 10 percent of non-gig workers) Gig workers also differ from non-gig workers in their motivations and the drivers of choice of work. While there are differences amongst gig workers themselves, in general, BCG learned that: Gig workers prioritize the potential for higher earnings and flexible timings in their choice of work, with other drivers like salary increments and personal development considered lower in priority. More than one in four gig workers take up gig jobs primarily to fund additional household expenses (beyond regular expenses) such as medical emergencies, household events, and paying-off leases Gig workers place high importance on transparent, timely, and assured payments Non-monetary benefits (such as medical and life insurance) are not big motivators for gig workers. Source View:- https://begig.livejournal.com/1536.html