Gig Workers: Who are they and the Benefits

With the start of a new decade, there has been a significant rise in business in the corporate industry. The work culture has seen a shift, and industries are now adopting recent trends that benefit them the most. And as we speak of new trends, we should not forget to mention that the gig economy has made its presence in the booming market.

The gig economy has always been there, but organizations have been skeptical about it until recently. And with the rise in the gig economy, there has been a widespread increase in gig workers.

This article will discuss who these gig workers are and how they are helping organizations fulfill their potential.

Who are these Gig Workers?

Gig workers, also known as freelance workers, work on a contractual or temporary basis for a specific period. Recruitment happens depending on the organization’s needs and requirements, where the skill level and competencies of the candidate are the primary factors. These workers are independent contractors that work for more than one client at a time.

One of the most significant advantages of these workers is that they are readily available and have flexible timing. The organization only needs to find the right candidate for the work they have to offer.

Difference between gig workers and permanent employees

Even though both the gig workers and employees are part of the same organization, they have differences that are easy to figure out. Some of them are listed below-

• The freelance worker’s payment is project-based. However, permanent workers have a specific payment every month.

• A full-time employee can enjoy all the organization’s benefits, but the gig job does not provide gig workers with the same services.

• The organization covers permanent employees’ payroll taxes, but the freelance workers have to pay their own.

• The gig workers can choose their schedule and operate accordingly, but the permanent workers only need to work at a stipulated time.

These are a few of the differences between a permanent employee and gig workers. However, there can be more differences, but we have highlighted the prominent ones for your understanding. Doing so makes it easy for an organization to blend in well with the gig economy and the work structure.

Boosting Engagement of Gig workers

After you have completed the hiring of gig workers or freelance workers, it might turn out that these workers lose their engagement levels. And you must maintain their productivity levels and boost their morale periodically to bring the best in them.

And to help you out with that, here are some tips where you can benefit from the gig economy.

1. Constant Communication

Communication has always been the key to improving productivity and engagement. The freelancers who work for you will hardly or ever step into your office, making it quite challenging to have a conversation with them.

It is essential to connect with them often through various online tools that are available in the market. Ensure that you keep them in the loop about all the significant developments that go around the organization. Include them in the meetings to put their valuable insights into the topic that might benefit the company. By doing so, your freelancers will feel more comfortable and connected with the management that will eventually boost their engagement levels.

2. Hire the right person

Hiring the right person as a freelancer to do the job at hand is always crucial. You need to look out for those workers who have the required skills and knowledge to complete their job. And if they are the best fit for the job, then the workers will perform efficiently because they will have the experience and the ways to handle the job.

Learn More: Hiring Strategies to Recruit Top Talents.

3. Define goals and objectives

When you hire a contractual worker, you need to define the objective for which they have been hired. It is one of the most crucial steps because you want your contractual workers to understand what you want to achieve.

Clearer goals will justify their recruitment and make them understand what is expected of them. Once the workers see the bigger picture, they will channel their work with a proper target in mind, eventually producing good results for the organization.

Related Article: Goal Setting for Employees.

4. Recognition

Be it your permanent workers or gig workers; everyone loves when they are recognized for their hard work because they spend so much time and energy to complete a task. Keep in mind to reward and recognize them periodically so that they maintain their momentum.

You can award them with gift cards or send them thank you notes showing your appreciation for the work they do. In return, it will encourage them to elevate their performance levels and give their best to the organization.

Benefits of Hiring Gig Workers

1. Saving Money and Time

A significant benefit for organizations in hiring a gig worker is that they simultaneously save both time and money. An organization does not need to spend tons of money on onboarding contractual workers as they already have the prerequisite knowledge in their work field.

As they are already skilled, the onboarding process is unnecessary, which saves up a tremendous amount of time. All the organization needs to do- conduct an orientation session defining the organization’s mission statement and making them familiar with the work culture.

2. Flexibility and Availability

The gig workers’ flexible work schedule and their availability make them an excellent asset for organizations. One key thing to note is that these workers are always ready to work and can easily blend in when an organization requires them whenever there is an extra workload on the current workforce.

3. High Impact

The gig workers are usually high impact workers and bring increased efficiency in their work. They have so much experience in their niche, which is quite beneficial for an organization.

That experience becomes quite useful for the gig workers and the organization’s regular employees -because the regular employees will be able to learn a thing or two from them and apply it in their way. Thus, making the workforce a collaborative one where ideas are shared.

4. Does not require coaching

As the gig workers are already experienced and have mastered various skills, they do not require the necessary coaching. They are already proficient in their field and have their fair share of ideas on accomplishing the job.

Once the management explains the task’s requirements to them, they can quickly adapt to the situation and perform without any hassle.

5. Pool of experienced Workers

As the gig economy has seen a rapid increase globally, the number of gig workers has also increased. Thus, creating a considerably large pool of talented individuals with different skills, characteristics, qualifications, qualities, and much more.

With so many diverse candidates available, the organizations can hire them as per requirements and make the gig economy’s best use.

Summing it Up

As the world progresses, the gig economy also keeps up with the corporate world. Rather than seeing the gig workers as outcasts, one should see them as a disguised ally that will provide help whenever necessary. The organizations only need to know how and when to use such valuable sources of support to make the best use of its availability and foster positive results for the organization.

Mrinmoy Rabha is a content writer and digital marketer at Vantage Circle. He is an avid follower of football and passionate about singing. For any related queries, contact editor@vantagecircle.com