Prediction: Entering the Online Gig Economy May Soon be Compulsory

One of the main reasons I work for myself, is simply that I am not a good employee. I get told what to do by a superior, and I instantly begin questioning their logic. I’m like that football fan who watches a match while thinking they could do everything better than the manager. That’s why I chose to enter the “gig economy.”

I’m far better off being my own boss. Putting my money where my mouth is, so to speak.

And now many more people are starting to enjoy the benefits of working from home. They’re enjoying the freedom of working in their underwear, losing the commute, and freeing themselves from anyone breathing down their necks.

But, for now, most of these people still work for a single organization. They’re still employees, just remote.

I believe that this is about to change.

Why I Believe the Age of the Digital Entrepreneur is Nigh

As mentioned, Covid-19 has resulted in many more people working from home. And surprise, surprise – they’re getting to rather like it!

As I just alluded to, simply losing the morning commute means getting back 5-10 hours of your life and a LOT of money each year. That’s before you consider all the other benefits.

Meanwhile, employers have learned that they can afford to let their staff work from home; that their job never needed that physical presence. That they may as well let their employees choose how and where they work, becoming a lot happier in the process.

This also saves the employers money, on everything from bills to the physical desk space itself.

And it’s for these reasons that many organisations have threatened to make this the “new normal.” At least to give their teams the option to work from home after the pandemic is just a distant memory (so that’s 2031 then). I’ve spoken to several friends who have told me they have no intention of going back to their old way of working.

That’s a good thing right?

Well, all I would say to this is: be careful what you wish for!

The Global Gig Economy

Yes, there are advantages to working remotely for both employers AND employees. But this setup may just give employers too much freedom – at least from the perspective of the employee.

That’s because there is no real difference between hiring you to work from home, versus hiring someone in India to work from home. Other than the price that is! Many remote workers are willing to work for a lower salary owing to lower costs of living.

Moreover, your employer might decide to look for someone with better qualifications or more experience. After all, they’re no longer restricted to a local talent pool!

In other words: you’re now competing with people from all around the world.

Losing the Advantage

You are no longer offering the benefit of being physically present. Sure, you still offer a few advantages over overseas workers (you can come into the office if ever you need to, you are awake at the right hours) but do you really think that is going to trump a much lower asking price? Or a more perfectly matched resume?

What’s more, is that an employer might, therefore, decide not to hire anyone at all. Not when there are freelancers available to do the same work for a relatively low fee. That way, there is no commitment on the company’s part. There’s no need to pay sick pay or health insurance. And as soon as the job is completed, they can stop paying.

And it’s for all these reasons, that I predict we are going to move into the next phase of the gig economy: where it is the norm to work online on a primarily freelance basis.

I feel as though this has always been inevitable – in fact, I predicted as much in my book Thriving in the Gig Economy. But thanks to the global pandemic, I think that this has been accelerated severalfold.

Good News, Bad News

This is both good news and bad news.

It means that if you currently work a conventional 9-5 job, you might find it difficult landing a job in the new jobs market. When you next have to look for work, things may be… different.

And yes, competing with people that are far more qualified than you, and willing to work for a lot less, is going to present some challenges!

See also: Online Buisiness Lessons From My New Book: Thriving in the Gig Economy

But the good news is that you can make this work for you. After all, this is precisely how I’ve been working for the past 10 years: and I wouldn’t change a single thing about it! I love working in the gig economy.

And there are flip sides to every challenge and drawback. Sure, employers now have their pick of workers from all around the world. But you have your pick of jobs all around the world!

It’s now easier than ever to train yourself online and gain certification. So, you can choose the type of professional you want to become, and then gain the qualifications to fill that specific niche. You can hone in on a very specific set of skills and become a superstar in that role.

I wanted to be taken serious as a health and fitness writer, so I got a personal training diploma, started working as a trainer, and wrote a book. (I can share more about some of that stuff soon.)

Being both able to program and write about programming has made me a great fit for a number of opportunities. Being able to present to a camera (and do my own filming and editing) helps a bunch too.

See also: The Digital Polymath: Absorbing the Web With Accelerated Learning Techniques

You can employ “lifestyle design” strategies to create the perfect work/life balance, and reduce your overheads. And you don’t even need to commit yourself to just one type of work! I’m an app developer, webmaster, freelance writer, YouTube presenter, and author. I have a friend who markets hotels online but also ran a website about fish.

The sky is the limit BUT you need to be willing to adapt. This is my prediction, and my recommendation is simple: prepare for the gig economy.

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