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The Gig Economy is a term that has gained popularity over the past few years, and it is something that has stemmed from the similar 'Digital Nomad' craze. We've all heard the stories of people thriving in a digital environment, becoming their own boss, waking upon on a sunny beach every day with their laptop, drinking mojitos and earning a living in the process. Although this is certainly possible, only a few lucky people get to experience this type of luxury - and although it might be something we should all aspire too, it is not the most accurate representation of the so-called Gig Economy. Despite this, the gig economy is still thriving - even if you are sat in your at-home office or local Starbucks as opposed to a beach in the Bahamas with your factor 50.

What Is The Gig Economy?

The BBC has defined the Gig Economy as "a labour market characterised by the prevalence of short-term contracts or freelance work, as opposed to permanent jobs." Snappy. In simple terms, this means that it is a workforce economy based around short-term, freelance work. Some people work this way out of choice and it is their primary income, whereas others choose to do odd jobs alongside their primary career. However you approach it, any form of independent work can be considered part of the Gig Economy.

Despite popular opinion, the Gig Economy is not just for tech workers, writers or laptop livers - it is expanding, and can be approached in a multitude of ways. In 2016, McKinsey reported that "up to 162 million people in Europe and the United States—or 20 to 30 percent of the working-age population—engage in some form of independent work." For some people, their 'gig' could be freelance writing or editing music, for others, it could be bartending, hairdressing or teaching - the possibilities really are endless.

Where Did The Gig Economy Trend Come From?

Although the majority of people think The Gig Economy is a product of the 21st century and our increased pursuit of digitalisation, it actually has much older roots, dating back to 1915. Yes, you heard me right, good ol' 1915. Jazz Musicians used to coin the term "Gig" to refer to performances that they were being paid for. In the 1930s, Americans had to navigate their way through the great depression; a time where finding steady work was an impossible undertaking. So what did people do? Most decided to work independently, journeying from farm to farm to help with the harvest and any other manual labour jobs.

Years later in the 1990s, Craigslist and Upwork were born, both seeking to help people work independently and connect them with jobs. Fast forward and here we are, back in the (very weird) present amidst an enormity of apps. For the past decade, The Gig Economy has been overshadowed and misinterpreted by the likes of Uber, Airbnb and Deliveroo - companies who have been accused of abusing the freelance system, using it against the very people who opted to work this way for the greater freedoms it provides. As John Frazer writes in an article for Forbes "A point worth noting is that gigs move the risk away from organizations and on to the individual.".

Some examples of this are:

• Gig Work can benefit the companies more than they benefit you - they become exempt from health insurance and other obligations
• No wage or overtime requirements
• Fewer systems to protect from harassment or discrimination
• No or little access to unemployment benefits

These are just a few of the issues with The Gig Economy and it isn't unique to these main players. However... did you know:

• Uber drivers could lose their ability to set their own hours
• Uber & Lyft have collectively spent $60million to reclassify some of their workers as contractors
• Airbnb spent $8million countering a law in San Francisco which would make short term rentals less profitable

Despite everything going on, the system is improving. In 2015, Arizona passed a law requiring Uber and Lyft to have additional insurance. In 2019, California decided that all app-based workers are to be classified as employees. New York & Berlin threatened to ban Airbnb and fine the hosts as it was negatively impacting the housing economy. So with all the negative press and the lack of job security, you might be wondering why people are still choosing to Gig? Read on to find out.

Why Are So Many People Still Choosing To 'Gig'?

In a BBC article from 2016, it was uncovered that over 5million people in the UK chose freelance or independent work as their primary form of income. Gig jobs spam the entire spectrum of jobs and pay rates, from manual labour jobs to teachers, to bartenders and senior executives. So why do people choose to opt to work this way as opposed to the traditional job format?

Flexibility: Working this way usually means you can set your own working hours and choose how much work you want to take on. Even if you don't get to dictate your hours completely, you will have greater flexibility than those who are still tackling the 9-5 office treadmill. When 'gigging', you can either choose to take every opportunity available, maximising your income, or choose to only do the jobs that you want, ensuring you get the most out of your free time. Or something in between. Either way, it should be on your terms, for the most part.

Choice: Gigging allows you to be decerning about who and what you want to work with. This can be as simple as choosing whether to do a bar shift for some extra money or if you want a night off. Further down the line, it allows people to choose the companies and businesses they want to work with, so they can apply their skills and expertise to the projects that they believe in and with people who share their values. By working in an area or field you are engaged in, you're likely to be more productive and, generally have a better time!

Employers: Employers have reported countless benefits of hiring people for one-off jobs or on a freelance basis. This is mainly due to the fact that the decision to take the work is the 'giggers' own choice. Done right, it can lead to business relationships built on mutual respect and a open dialogue.

How Can bounce get me Gigs?

bounce is a new recruitment app that launched on the 13th October 2020 - we are in our early stages but our doors are open for everyone and anyone, job seeker and employer alike.

Our app was born to help people bounce-back from Covid-19, matching job-seekers or giggers to a plethora of opportunities. Unlike the mainstream apps, you will not work for bounce, we are simply here to create a streamlined way of matching job-seeker and employer. Anybody can register for bounce free of charge, and it costs nothing to post or apply for jobs.

bounce accommodates almost any opportunity or goal - if you are looking for a one-off or part-time job then bounce. Whether you want to try something different and learn new skills or cover a familiar role with your downtime one weekend. The possibilities truly are endless.

You can download bounce on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store today, if you'd like to stay in the loop about everything bounce, then sign-up at bounce-jobs.com.