Can a gig economy serve as an edge against inflation?

[Marvelockg]

Freelancing jobs are preferred by many because of the freedom that comes with it and the ability to combine it with other jobs which provides you multiple streams of income in the process. As inflation gains momentum by the day  in almost all the parts of the world, and job scarcity remains an issue, an economy that is more mobile and that gives workers the leverage to do up to three or two jobs mostly part-time would help them meet up with the high cost of living.

Wouldn't it be better that you only have to go to your office when you have a task to do and not the regular 9AM - 6PM routine even when you have nothing to do at office denying you the extra time to carry out your side hustle that can add up to the small salary most workers are being paid?

If our schools can work with this and make it less engaging for students to spend all thier times in classes but to rather identify areas they aren't good at and work on those area while the rest of the time is devoted into getting all soaked into learning a single skill or creating something for themselves, wouldn't it be better? With most institutions operating an educational system that has curriculum that's mostly outdated with course that are less relevant and yet taking up times that student can use in learning skills and adding values to themselves, it obviously calls for the need to look for better economic framework that will serve us better.

Coming from a region where the cost of living has skyrocked too high and having had experience that most workers are mere time consumers and not productive with those time and you're someone that's in that kind of setting but have the intention of doing more with your spare time, operating a gig economy that's same as a flexible economy could be the surest option.

[Upgrade00]

Not every role can function in a gig economy, there are certain roles where the business needs permanent workers and not freelance or contract staffs. We already have a gig economy thriving in almost every part of the world and helping bridge the gap between different countries as you can market your skill from any part of the world you are in as long as that skill is competitive enough.

What I will like to see a lot more of is work-from-home settings for permanent roles. Just as was realized during the 2020 lockdown, productivity does not drop when workers do their jobs remotely. Many jobs are digital and can be done from the comfort of the home allowing the gig economy to thrive even more

[Helena Yu]

It's not gig economy that used to cope against inflation, but it simply you're lack of money, that's why you're looking for second or third jobs.

You're talking as an employees, so you're looking to make something more.

But, if you're an employer, you will do same to the employees because you're want to maximize the profit of your business.

Many companies force the employees to work full day because they're also forced by other companies in that city, working from 9AM - 6PM make the employees need to have lunch, so it will encourage them to have lunch in restaurant near the company you work.

If the companies not force to work full day, the restaurants might go bankrupt due to lack of customers.

[The Sceptical Chymist]

OP registered in 2022 and thus is relatively new.  It is rare that anyone who's registered in the last 8 years (and probably more) could put together such a coherent post as this.  My proboscis is detecting a strong scent of AI, though I would never rule out my paranoia being out of control.  Just sayin'.

Wouldn't it be better that you only have to go to your office when you have a task to do and not the regular 9AM - 6PM routine even when you have nothing to do at office denying you the extra time to carry out your side hustle that can add up to the small salary most workers are being paid?

Have you ever held a job?  I've had quite a few, and there hasn't been a single one where I could just drop by when I have a particular task to do.  And by the way, having to drop in to your main job to do the task and then quickly scoot out the back door to your 2-3 side hustles sounds maddeningly tiresome.  Even if you're young and are trying to earn as much money as possible, what you proposed just isn't feasible.

[Marvelockg]

OP registered in 2022 and thus is relatively new.  It is rare that anyone who's registered in the last 8 years (and probably more) could put together such a coherent post as this.  My proboscis is detecting a strong scent of AI, though I would never rule out my paranoia being out of control.  Just sayin'.

wow! what's this idea that one must have been  writing with AI that has almost become a trend when individual that haven't stayed too long on the forum shares there idea in a manner that's probably apt and well detailed? Even if this was my first thread on the forum, I would still have looked at this statement as a direct insult to my ability to think through a concept and put it out in a manner that passes my idea in a way that anyone who comes across it can vividly understand it. Does it mean one can't share his idea without necessarily making use of an AI?

Well, I will rather take this as a compliment and if you care to, you can easily run a plagiarism or AI check on this or any of my previous thread to be sure if your assumption ia right or wrong.

I have never and can never write with AI. It's never been my thing.

[davis196]

So you are suggesting that the only solution to beat inflation is just... working more?
I wonder how the people in countries with hyperinflation are currently surviving. Do they work 100 hours a week in 5 different jobs?
If you live in a country with high cost of living, the smart solution would be to move into a country, where the inflation is low and find a job there. Working more in order to cover the higher cost of living is basically running faster throughout the "rat race".
I personally hate freelancing, even though I've worked as a freelancer several years ago. As a freelancer, you have no boss and you pick your worktime, but you will have to struggle to find your customers and you are about to compete with people, who are willing to do the same task for peanuts.

[franky1]

gig economies only work if the "client" you operate with is paying you enough for your time and you also have enough jobs to accumilate

for instance doing a logo for $5 only works if you are not taking 30 minutes per job and have a waiting list of clients wanting a logo.. however if you end up consulting with the client for 30minutes to get design idea's and then 30 minutes to draw it and then you dont get another request for a few hours.. its not going to be better off than minimum wage

same goes for food delivery. if you get $5 per deliver per 15min delivery timeslot. it only works if you are less than 5 minutes from door to door. because adding in the drive to the restaurant te wait for the food prep the delivery to the customer.. and then waiting for another customer.. that $5 ends up being a per hour amount

[kryptqnick]

Working remotely, with a flexible schedule, in a hybrid regime, and being a freelancer are all very different things that sometimes overlap and sometimes do not. I'm pointing it out because of the op's question of whether it would be better to visit the office for certain tasks instead of having a 9-6 job. Visiting the office occasionally can be a part of a full-time job with a hybrid regime, for example, and not necessarily a part of the gig economy.
In any case, I don't think it has much to do with inflation, because sometimes doing gigs means being precarious and having a very unstable income (while a full-time job might be a high-paying job).

[Alpha Marine]

What I will like to see a lot more of is work-from-home settings for permanent roles. Just as was realized during the 2020 lockdown, productivity does not drop when workers do their jobs remotely. Many jobs are digital and can be done from the comfort of the home allowing the gig economy to thrive even more

I agree with this. A lot of jobs that require people to be in the office all day can be done from home so I don't see a point in them going into the office every day. It doesn't have to be 100% remote, workers can come into the office maybe 2 days a week and they can choose different days that can be convenient for them.
I find it funny when people say working from home reduces productivity. that's not true at all. If the system is very well managed to make workers feel comfortable working from home and channels are created where they can discuss freely and easily with their colleagues and clients then there would be productivity.
All that's needed is a good working environment.