What’s the future of the gig economy?
We discovered Kaylania Chapman (a.k.a. The Blessed Driver) two years ago while doing research about the gig economy for Utility Avenue. Kaylania has a Youtube Channel, The Blessed Driver, where she shares personal opinions, reviews about gig apps, creative business strategies, and so much more.
Now, as times are uncertain, she graces us with her opinion about the future of the gig economy in our country.
During these critical and uncertain times, the fate of gig workers today may seem unclear. There are a plethora of negative factors that can be compiled together in what many independent contractors are facing. However, I indeed have had to brace myself for the unknown. I first started working in the gig economy in 2014 as a house cleaner for a debunked company (now renamed Homeaglow) called HomeJoy. It was a temporary fix to earn some extra cash to support myself and my son. In 2016, I started driving for Uber and Lyft. Then I began doing food deliveries for Postmates. Instacart soon followed in late 2016, as well as other food delivery companies.
For a few years, the gig world was booming. I was making great money. I rented a condo and got a car. It was great. I chose that route because I was a single Mom and needed a flexible schedule. Without going into too much detail, things were great until mid-2019. Issues with Instacart’s insane rules, platform outages, and pay cuts hit my pockets. Food delivery companies such as Uber Eats, GrubHub, and others, began to cut pay, companies got greedy, and it wasn’t worth it anymore. I knew my season as a gig worker was soon coming to an end in 2019, and I was okay with that.
Looking back, I do not regret a thing.
I worked very hard and did the best I could. But what about today? Is there a fighting chance to make a decent buck on any of these platforms? The short answer is ‘possibly‘. Many of these gig companies hire so many workers and are often short-staffed (mostly with non-English speaking) on customer service personnel, which makes it hard for gig workers to dispute any issues. Each individual has situations they deem as acceptable or not. While many workers still earn great money, others are suffering. Some gig workers have had a hard time finding decent employment while others choose the gig economy as it fits their schedule or lifestyle.
At this current time, gig work is sparse for most. With the onslaught of people creating software and bots to steal “batches” and orders from the apps, finding what used to be quick and easy work seems rare these days. With the recent breakout of COVID-19, things slowed down a bit in the gig world but remained a bit steady for grocery delivery shoppers (and drivers), and some restaurant drivers.
I have always said to my audience on my channel on Youtube, The Blessed Driver, to pursue entrepreneurship. Allow working gig jobs to be a stepping stone to a better future; otherwise, they’ll be like a hamster in a wheel going in circles without reaching a destination.
I feel that gig work (at this current time) is more fit for college students or people needing a part-time job to earn an extra few dollars. Full time could be possible, but not likely.
Seeking a full-time job or starting your own business will be more sustainable than working on the gig platforms. Know what season you’re in, and don’t be afraid to step out into doing something better for you and your family.
Life’s about taking risks.
You never know until you try.