Technology has always been the main driving force behind the emergence of the gig economy. Through freelance job boards such as Upwork and Fiverr, ride-sharing apps like Lyft and Uber, and restaurant delivery applications like Zomato more flexible working opportunities have been created for the workforce. As technology continues to advance at a rapid rate, new opportunities are constantly created for gig workers. Many organizations have also adopted the remote and mobile work structures that were employed during the pandemic, on a permanent basis. Let’s look at a few ways technology will continue to change the way we work as we approach a new year.
Technological Innovations Continue to Curtail Barriers
Historically, technological breakthroughs involving everything from artificial intelligence to data analytics have removed many of the barriers standing between people and the products and services they both require and desire. The same principles apply to the gig economy where tech is making it possible for the workforce to find work and carry out tasks based on real-time requirements. Young adults and individuals living with varying degrees of disability are among the biggest contributors to the gig economy. The constant upgrade of related technology is especially good news to gig workers with disabilities as many of the current gig economy technologies are still not nearly as accessible and inclusive as it should be. Tech that is more accessible together with regular disability benefits can make gig work increasingly viable for individuals with disabilities.
The Human Cloud Becomes More Significant
The ‘human cloud’ is fast becoming more significant as global organizations are using, examining, and reprogramming work across various marketplaces. The human cloud is primarily a new task intermediation model that incorporates a number of work processes into a single digital platform. These platforms essentially pair organizations looking for gig workers with workers looking for gigs and also makes provision for the payment of workers as required. Some of the highest-ranked gig work platforms presently include Upwork, Freelancer, Guru, and TaskRabbit. While several of these platforms are not new by anyone’s standard, constant feature updates ensure that they remain relevant in a rapidly evolving gig economy.
Tech Impacts Work Culture Too
The gig economy as we know it relies very heavily on both creativity and technological innovation. One of the biggest advantages of the gig work model is the fact that it results in considerable savings that make it possible for organizations to invest in technological upgrades that include the development of virtual work environments. As already mentioned, the tech-reliant gig economy work model helps to eradicate many preconceived stereotypes that are based on age, gender, and level of mobility. Technology also allows for more flexible working hours, allowing many gig workers to not only decide when they work, but also where they work from. Remote workers can typically work from anywhere in the world as long as they have access to a reliable laptop or PC and a good internet connection.
Technology continues to be one of the main driving forces behind the gig economy. The rapid rate at which technology is developing is bound to propel gig work into the next year and the foreseeable future.
