In our previous article about the gig economy, the need for variety was at the heart of what the gig economy entails. Another human need is factored in for the sake of this article: the need for certainty.
Humans have an intrinsic need for certainty that may sometimes contradict the aforementioned need for variety. Yet, these conflicting needs exist in varying degrees depending on the individual’s personality and the context of the situation at hand. The need for certainty comes amplified in emerging markets where financial and professional stability are oftentimes required to sustain oneself and loved ones.
The gig economy may, at first glance, appear to contravene the essence of established stability.
It does in the following ways:
The gig economy in some instances forms a barrier between the contingent employee and the organization as it fails to integrate workers into the organization’s culture. This being said, gig workers would often find themselves isolated from the organization’s community which inflicts feelings of anxiousness and demotivation and inevitably impact the employee’s performance.
The gig economy might result in a stagnant learning curve since gig workers often focus on deliverables rather than development. This model necessitates contingent workers to complete unique and independent tasks rather than visualizing the bigger picture and developing their skillset through receiving continuous feedback and comprehensive training. Consequently, workers would oftentimes doubt their performance.
The gig economy’s instability makes it difficult for gig workers to plan personal and professional commitments as well as manage their finances as opposed to a full-time job. Furthermore, the boundaries between work life and personal life seem to be blurry as a result of this instability. Such aspects position the gig worker in a state of constant nervousness and discomfort.
Nevertheless, these legitimate concerns are not show-stoppers. The gig worker may mitigate his/her apprehensions by opting for the following mechanisms:
- Planning, prioritizing, and updating upcoming projects in the pipeline – Creating one’s own personal pipeline of upcoming projects and categorizing these projects according to set criteria (e.g., profitability, duration, alignment with skills, etc.) allows a gig worker to visualize the near future and plan accordingly.
- Networking and building relationships for expanding your options – A gig worker is encouraged to build and maintain three types of networks:
o Operational networks of clients/organizations/groups from your career field
o Strategic networks of thought leaders and visionaries
o Personal networks of family, friends, and school alumni
- Updating and refining professional biographies and platform profiles – A great bio drastically increases the chances of gig workers getting hired (or at least puts them on the radar), especially if the client has not worked with them before.
- Specializing in what one is good at and ideally passionate about – Although being ‘a jack of all trades’ seems appealing, being ‘a master of none’ negates that appeal.
Moreover, organizations that hire gig workers as part of their workforce may circumvent the uncertainty associated with contingent work by:
- Embracing the gig workers as part of their community – Ensuring culture fit and creating a sense of belonging, even for a temporary worker, goes a long way. Inviting gig workers to participate in team-building activities and group outings may allow the gig worker to feel a sense of belonging, be more engaged, and have a support system within the organization.
- Providing resources and creating a corporate email address – Using the business domain name creates a sense of trust, reduces the chance of being marked as spam, and helps maintain a professional image.
- Including gig workers in the talent management plan of the organization – Creating and sharing key performance indicators, a learning plan, and performance appraisals allow the gig worker to feel engaged, skilled, and motivated.
Uncertainty does not only impact individuals. In fact, organizations that hire gig workers might also struggle with workforce planning. The theme of our upcoming article will be around alternative approaches to workforce planning that organizations could adapt to cater to the emergence of the booming working class of gig workers.
Gig workers are best at managing uncertainty. They believe there is no linear way to success. Some doors open, others close. Some doors hide opportunities, perhaps challenges. Some doors do not even open. Those that do, open one at a time. Doors have different sizes, and different shapes… such is the life of the gig worker: a series of projects and it is up to the gig worker to “love the wind” as N.N.Taleb says in his Black Swan.
