Platform-based gig workers, those engaged in livelihoods outside the traditional employer-employee arrangement, are becoming a significant part of today’s society. Gig working also includes freelancing for niche jobs or non-core activities (design, engineering, etc.) of start-ups. While gig working offers flexibility and employment diversity, as the gig economy grows, questions arise about its impact on work ethics, ambition and societal values.
Building a Skill-based Portfolio
Gig work becomes a compelling option when skill-related, allowing individuals to craft a diverse portfolio from assignments with various clients. This approach not only enhances one’s professional standing but also aligns with the changing dynamics of the modern workforce.
Challenges in Student Attitudes
While the gig economy presents opportunities, concerns emerge regarding the attitude of certain students. Having been in the EdTech business for the past 2.5 years, the thought that keeps me concerned is the attitude and approach of a predominant number of students towards work, life and, in general, the future. I see many of them getting easily distracted, looking for an easy way out and not willing to put in hard work but still wanting a comfortable lifestyle.During my interactions, a few professors and principals shared their frustration and elaborated on situations where they brought in companies to hire students but enough students did not turn up for the interview because they were engaged part-time with food delivery operators or ride-hailing apps and were happy with the income they were making out of it.
In the contemporary digital landscape, yet another noteworthy phenomenon is observed where even students, driven by the pursuit of social media influence, engage in daring and sometimes precarious activities without a second thought. The allure of amassing followers prompts them to undertake actions solely for the sake of generating attention-grabbing “content” and become “influencersâ€
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A Thought for Society
While there is an ambitious lot of students who want to excel, take part in every other hackathon and also lay the foundations for a start-up, what do we do as a society to streamline the other major chunk of students who settle easily for less and do not even want to explore their capabilities?
Gig working brings employment diversity and flexibility. But what it also brings is uncertainty and instability when the person does not build an experience out of such gig work. The need for individuals to view gig work as an opportunity for skill development rather than merely a source of quick income is crucial.
While the gig economy is expected to grow at 17% CAGR (ASSOCHAM report), is “quick money” and “becoming viral” pushing our youngsters into an abyss?
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