Guessing what life will be like is tricky. At one time, the thought was we'd all have flying cars and jetpacks at the end of the 20th century.
There were other predictions that were a lot closer (video chat, smart watches).
What complicates the job of prognosticators is not only the pace of innovation but also political and social change. Something may be technologically possible but it does not mean the consumer making the purchase decision wants the buying experience that technological advances may offer. Businesses may find processes that weaken the incentive to adopt a technology. Or a new disruptive technology makes the predicted one obsolete or irrelevant.
Today, everyone wants to maintain a great work/life balance and be successful, and gig works are making it possible. Gigs are short-term jobs, freelance projects or side hustles that are often found in the areas of writing, photography, graphic designs, sales, personal assistance, transportation, home care, etc. Gig workers, who are often referred to as independent contractors, take on gigs as a full-time job because of its flexibility, or as a part time job to earn extra cash.
Companies such as Uber, Upwork, TaskRabbit, etc., which offer these freelance positions are constantly growing in popularity as more individuals are searching for flexible working hours that allow them to work where, when and how they choose.
So is the future going to be a gig economy?
Gig works have become a huge part of employment growth in the 21st century, with over 30 million full-time and part time independent workers in the U.S. gig economy alone, according to Emergent Research and MBO Partners, in their 2015z report, and is projected to reach 38 million by 2020.
Gigs provide gig workers with independence and adventure that cannot be found in structured employment. However, although so many people who have turned to gig works have earned more than they did in traditional jobs, so many others have had to deal with long hours and low incomes. These, coupled with the lack of steady gigs and work benefits is a major challenge to the gig economy being the future of work.
Structured, full-time employment offer job security and more benefits such as health and tax benefits. So, except labor laws changes to grant gig workers access to these benefits, more people are likely to stick to traditional employment or just dabble in gigs as a part time job.
