Gig Economy HR: How to boost trust and belongingness in contract workers
Have you ever ordered an Uber, Instacart, or stayed at an AirBnB? Many of us interact with the gig economy on a regular basis.
There’s no doubt that having the convenience of riding in a temporary car, staying in a temporary home, or getting food delivered with the touch of a button has changed the way we live our lives.
But the dark side of the gig industry leaves huge gaps for improvement.
An increasing number of companies have begun to take advantage of the gig economy, and many (like Uber and Lyft) have built their empire on it. According to PEW, in 2021, 16% of Americans have, at some point, earned money from a gig job.1 Other estimates put that number closer to one third (36%), or approximately 57 million people.2
Despite the high numbers, gig workers aren’t often pleased with their work experience, often citing the lack of a workplace community.
References
1. Anderson, M., McClain, C., Faverio, M., & Gelles-Watnick, R. (2021, December 8). The State of Gig Work in 2021. Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2021/12/08/the-state-of-gig-work-in-2021/
2. McCue, T. J. (2018, August 31). 57 Million U.S. Workers Are Part Of The Gig Economy. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/tjmccue/2018/08/31/57-million-u-s-workers-are-part-of-the-gig-economy/
3. Glavin, P., Bierman, A., & Schieman, S. (2021). Über-Alienated: Powerless and Alone in the Gig Economy. Work and Occupations, 48(4), 399–431. https://doi.org/10.1177/07308884211024711
4. Anwar, M. A., & Graham, M. (2021). Between a rock and a hard place: Freedom, flexibility, precarity and vulnerability in the gig economy in Africa. Competition & Change, 25(2), 237–258. https://doi.org/10.1177/1024529420914473
5. Bérastégui, P. (2021). Exposure to Psychosocial Risk Factors in the Gig Economy: A Systematic Review (SSRN Scholarly Paper No. 3770016). https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3770016
6. Min, J., Kim, Y., Lee, S., Jang, T.-W., Kim, I., & Song, J. (2019). The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Its Impact on Occupational Health and Safety, Worker’s Compensation and Labor Conditions. Safety and Health at Work, 10(4), 400–408. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2019.09.005
7. Connecting for Inclusion: Broadband Access for All. (n.d.). [Text/HTML]. World Bank. Retrieved November 15, 2022, from https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/digitaldevelopment/brief/connecting-for-inclusion-broadband-access-for-all
8. Carr, E. W., Reece, A., Kellerman, G. R., & Robichaux, A. (2019, December 16). The Value of Belonging at Work. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2019/12/the-value-of-belonging-at-work
9. Bordeaux, C., & Lewis, S. (2021, September 23). Designing the Workforce Experience. Deloitte. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/blog/human-capital-blog/2021/human-centered-workforce-experience.html
About the Authors
Lindsey Turk
Lindsey Turk is a Summer Content Associate at The Decision Lab. She holds a Master of Professional Studies in Applied Economics and Management from Cornell University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Boston University. Over the last few years, she’s gained experience in customer service, consulting, research, and communications in various industries. Before The Decision Lab, Lindsey served as a consultant to the US Department of State, working with its international HIV initiative, PEPFAR. Through Cornell, she also worked with a health food company in Kenya to improve access to clean foods and cites this opportunity as what cemented her interest in using behavioral science for good.
Dr. Sekoul Krastev
Sekoul is a Co-Founder and Managing Director at The Decision Lab. He is a bestselling author of Intention - a book he wrote with Wiley on the mindful application of behavioral science in organizations. A decision scientist with a PhD in Decision Neuroscience from McGill University, Sekoul's work has been featured in peer-reviewed journals and has been presented at conferences around the world. Sekoul previously advised management on innovation and engagement strategy at The Boston Consulting Group as well as on online media strategy at Google. He has a deep interest in the applications of behavioral science to new technology and has published on these topics in places such as the Huffington Post and Strategy & Business.
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