Gig workers — employees or employers?

[HONDACD125]

Every job actually has its own freedom, it's just which freedom we like and of course everyone chooses a job with a high salary, whether it's working in a company or choosing freelance. In addition, if you think about it, freedom is not about work but about how we interpret a condition.

Office work can be financially stable, Freelancers are free not to have to come to the office and Business, free from superiors. Well, basically what we focus on will shape our mindset. And how perfect it would be if we did all three and could divide our time well which is much better for achieving financial stability in the future. Because the more income, the closer you will be to achieving financial freedom.

After years of observation and being a part of the industry myself, I've realized that freelancing is not as lucrative or full of freedom as people think it is. People think that one can earn a lot of money by spending less time through freelancing, but that's not entirely true unless you are someone who is extremely talented and has created a name that gets you high-paying clients even for small gigs or jobs. Otherwise, the amount of money you will earn will be directly proportional to the amount of time you spend.

It's pretty simple: freelancing works on gig to gig basis, which means that you get a gig or an order from a client, you complete it, and get paid once the client approves your work, so for you to earn more money, you will need to complete more work, and completing more work requires you to spend more time, not to mention the revisions your clients may ask which are free extra work that you do for them if they don't like something in your work.

So, things are not always as easy as they look like, and not everyone on social media will tell you the real struggle.

[libert19]

...

Is being a gig worker worth all the cons mentioned? or do you still find being a traditional employee more appealing?

If you have less needs, and some savings to manage your needs when you are out of work (assuming, you'll get work after little break), then you will do fine as gig worker I suppose.

If you have a family to maintain, traditional jobs are comparatively more stable, and they come with perks (i.e, insurance and savings).

[TheUltraElite]

So, things are not always as easy as they look like, and not everyone on social media will tell you the real struggle.

This is applicable to gig jobs outside the internet bubble. Being a delivery agent also means sacrificing your physical and mental health and your fuel for getting paid. There are some things that you have to spend to get paid in every job but the gig economy is not sustainable for long by any person.

Like I said in my previous post, a single wrong move and the entire system can collapse on the worker.

They are good to sustain for the short term but never in the long term. Hence post-pandemic, people have to get into stable jobs in order to keep their minimum income intact and lead a worthy life.

[Xcode7]

...

Is being a gig worker worth all the cons mentioned? or do you still find being a traditional employee more appealing?

If you have less needs, and some savings to manage your needs when you are out of work (assuming, you'll get work after little break), then you will do fine as gig worker I suppose.

If you have a family to maintain, traditional jobs are comparatively more stable, and they come with perks (i.e, insurance and savings).

It all comes back to our needs, sometimes we are forced by circumstances to work to fulfill all our needs without being able to choose, but there are also some lucky people who can choose between the two so they can think more advanced in the future.

I think if someone doesn't have many needs then becoming a freelancer is quite recommended so they can earn money with their work alone, the rest they can think about more advanced things to make their life better in the future.

[tottong]

It all comes back to our needs, sometimes we are forced by circumstances to work to fulfill all our needs without being able to choose, but there are also some lucky people who can choose between the two so they can think more advanced in the future.

I think if someone doesn't have many needs then becoming a freelancer is quite recommended so they can earn money with their work alone, the rest they can think about more advanced things to make their life better in the future.

Life choices exist in each individual because we cannot just give up with the situation.
We often see people blame the situation so that they try to accept all consequences in life, but they forget that life in this world needs to be prepared.
Working in any form is not a problem when someone has the desire to progress and they can set aside the money obtained from working to build a business or investment.

When the financial sources we have are enough, then just think of ways to build a business because without capital to build a business is not an easy matter.
The reason why people find it difficult to develop is because they are afraid to face risks and most of us just try to live comfortably without any problems.

[Synchronice]

The term 'gig' originated from musicians to refer to the performances they are paid to do. Gigs are typically short-term temporary jobs. Gig workers are usually paid not on contract but based on project done or sometimes by hourly work.

During the pandemic, the gig economy rose significantly. We saw an influx of gig workers since almost everyone was laid off from their jobs and had to find something to do remotely. Now, it has almost became the norm. The pros of being a gig worker is you control your time. You do not need to clock in or clock out. No need to leave the comfort of your own house. You have more flexibility as long as you meet the terms of the project.

But we can't forget about the cons as well. Gig workers are essentially both the employee and the employer. They provide their own material or equipment to be used for their jobs. They are the ones to take care of employee benefits like healthcare insurance. Legal expenses are also their burden. One of the biggest factors of being a gig worker is its instability. Unlike employees, you are not contracted for a long time. So if you fail to find a job for a certain amount of time, you will not be earning anything.

Is being a gig worker worth all the cons mentioned? or do you still find being a traditional employee more appealing?

Being a gig worker is very good if you are always busy because short-term works pay more money than long-term works, it's like the price of the apartment per square is higher when the apartment is small but it gets cheaper as the apartment is getting bigger, it's like buying a single pen vs in bulk.
If the job request comes hardly but goes easily, then it doesn't worth it.

By the way, one of the best gig is when you have your own team, find work for them, give work to them, pay them hourly but you manage to negotiate with the client about how much this particular task costs. I know some people who do this and they earn tons of money.

[BitHodlers]

Being a gig worker is very good if you are always busy because short-term works pay more money than long-term works, it's like the price of the apartment per square is higher when the apartment is small but it gets cheaper as the apartment is getting bigger, it's like buying a single pen vs in bulk.
If the job request comes hardly but goes easily, then it doesn't worth it.

This is not true at all, in fact it is the exact opposite. Short-term work and short-term work always pays less money than long-term work. You are not supposed to be a gig worker for long and neither should you dream of becoming a rich gig worker. It would be the same as playing amateur football your whole life for a living, if that was even possible, and dream of being the next superstar. You are not going to get far this way, the numbers are stacked against you. You should be working on long-term goals and skills that will get you a high paying job while you are working as a gig worker.

By the way, one of the best gig is when you have your own team, find work for them, give work to them, pay them hourly but you manage to negotiate with the client about how much this particular task costs. I know some people who do this and they earn tons of money.

That sounds like a 3rd world thing, there is no chance for something like this in the 1st world. People cost a lot of money, living is expensive.

[MarjorieZimmermanGinger]

Is being a gig worker worth all the cons mentioned? or do you still find being a traditional employee more appealing?

Rather than working casual jobs, it might be much better to be an employee because it is much more promising in terms of making money. The story is different if there are other choices that are much better so that we can make choices and now talking about job availability is very little so it is much better to decide to work as an employee. In the concept of implementation, people can make adjustments where they make efforts to achieve investment when they become employees and if they have the desire to build a business they can wait for the readiness of capital from the investment or savings they have. Sometimes talking about choices cannot always run smoothly so that all we can do is enjoy whatever job we have.

[Oluwa-btc]

Is being a gig worker worth all the cons mentioned? or do you still find being a traditional employee more appealing?

Whenever someone discuss about this, I always say "choose both". They will know what they're better at and they will learn how to commit with their own decision.

When someone only have one jobs, they will talk very sweet on the other jobs they didn't pick.

In my opinion, if you're poor, choose 9 to 5 jobs. If you're at least middle upper class, choose gig worker. Anyone must have safety net in order to backup if they're failed.

More Especially when it's a thing of interest,work preferences and comfortability.Most of these gigs Job offers comes with minimal qualifications,that makes it easy for any caliber of person to hop in.
Mind you,gig works can be interesting and flexible but it often doesn't come without it's instability and insecurities.For a side hustle it's really recommended as a temporary hustle network but on a clearer balancing,it's usually worth it.!

[slapper]

Every job actually has its own freedom, it's just which freedom we like and of course everyone chooses a job with a high salary, whether it's working in a company or choosing freelance. In addition, if you think about it, freedom is not about work but about how we interpret a condition.

Office work can be financially stable, Freelancers are free not to have to come to the office and Business, free from superiors. Well, basically what we focus on will shape our mindset. And how perfect it would be if we did all three and could divide our time well which is much better for achieving financial stability in the future. Because the more income, the closer you will be to achieving financial freedom.

After years of observation and being a part of the industry myself, I've realized that freelancing is not as lucrative or full of freedom as people think it is. People think that one can earn a lot of money by spending less time through freelancing, but that's not entirely true unless you are someone who is extremely talented and has created a name that gets you high-paying clients even for small gigs or jobs. Otherwise, the amount of money you will earn will be directly proportional to the amount of time you spend.

It's pretty simple: freelancing works on gig to gig basis, which means that you get a gig or an order from a client, you complete it, and get paid once the client approves your work, so for you to earn more money, you will need to complete more work, and completing more work requires you to spend more time, not to mention the revisions your clients may ask which are free extra work that you do for them if they don't like something in your work.

So, things are not always as easy as they look like, and not everyone on social media will tell you the real struggle.

There’s a cult around the “digital nomad” but most people are living invoice to invoice, one Slack message away from a week without pay. Unless you’re top 1%, meaning, exceptional skill and personal branding so sharp it becomes its own gravity, freelancing isn’t a shortcut, it’s just capitalism minus the social contract

Freedom does not mean you control your time. But for most, time gets chopped into micro-tasks, endless project hunting, and unpaid client “brainstorming” sessions. That is just a different flavor of wage work with less predictability and no health insurance

It’s also bizarre how people think self-employment is an act of rebellion against the system. But the system is smart. It outsourced risk onto the worker and called it empowerment. Most freelancers are just solo agents absorbing volatility so big companies can stay flexible. Who gets real upside? The outliers. The rest are just spinning wheels in the hope that the next gig is the one that changes everything. You’re right, most people on social media aren’t going to risk the illusion by posting the months where their inbox is empty or their rates get undercut by someone in another timezone. But that silence is half the story. Real freedom isn’t about skipping the boss, it’s about not needing constant permission to exist. Most gigs won’t get you there

[Mahanton]

Every job actually has its own freedom, it's just which freedom we like and of course everyone chooses a job with a high salary, whether it's working in a company or choosing freelance. In addition, if you think about it, freedom is not about work but about how we interpret a condition.

Office work can be financially stable, Freelancers are free not to have to come to the office and Business, free from superiors. Well, basically what we focus on will shape our mindset. And how perfect it would be if we did all three and could divide our time well which is much better for achieving financial stability in the future. Because the more income, the closer you will be to achieving financial freedom.

After years of observation and being a part of the industry myself, I've realized that freelancing is not as lucrative or full of freedom as people think it is. People think that one can earn a lot of money by spending less time through freelancing, but that's not entirely true unless you are someone who is extremely talented and has created a name that gets you high-paying clients even for small gigs or jobs. Otherwise, the amount of money you will earn will be directly proportional to the amount of time you spend.

It's pretty simple: freelancing works on gig to gig basis, which means that you get a gig or an order from a client, you complete it, and get paid once the client approves your work, so for you to earn more money, you will need to complete more work, and completing more work requires you to spend more time, not to mention the revisions your clients may ask which are free extra work that you do for them if they don't like something in your work.

So, things are not always as easy as they look like, and not everyone on social media will tell you the real struggle.

There’s a cult around the “digital nomad” but most people are living invoice to invoice, one Slack message away from a week without pay. Unless you’re top 1%, meaning, exceptional skill and personal branding so sharp it becomes its own gravity, freelancing isn’t a shortcut, it’s just capitalism minus the social contract

Freedom does not mean you control your time. But for most, time gets chopped into micro-tasks, endless project hunting, and unpaid client “brainstorming” sessions. That is just a different flavor of wage work with less predictability and no health insurance

It’s also bizarre how people think self-employment is an act of rebellion against the system. But the system is smart. It outsourced risk onto the worker and called it empowerment. Most freelancers are just solo agents absorbing volatility so big companies can stay flexible. Who gets real upside? The outliers. The rest are just spinning wheels in the hope that the next gig is the one that changes everything. You’re right, most people on social media aren’t going to risk the illusion by posting the months where their inbox is empty or their rates get undercut by someone in another timezone. But that silence is half the story. Real freedom isn’t about skipping the boss, it’s about not needing constant permission to exist. Most gigs won’t get you there

Thats why i do fully made out those kind of reaction into those people who do say that freelancing is easy and makes out some easy money on which we know that there are tons of things that you would be needing up to do despite that everything could be done in the convenience of your own home. For those who havent been able to tried out freelancing then they are the ones who do easily say that this is just that simple but once you do step your foot into this field then you do know the sacrifices and the hardship into those people who have been working online. You can make huge amount of income which could be that multiple folds in comparing into your traditional day job but come to think that it would be needing up that required skills and knowledge for you to be hired online and come to think that getting hired or getting a job whether a gig or full time or part time job online isnt that simple. Competition is high just like into those traditional job vacancies and thats why its a wrong thinking that this field is just that easy to get a job and get hired. It doesnt sound simple as it looks. For those who do have exceptional skills then they would be always be ahead of the competition. If you are an individual who do wants to have that some hopes on landing up some job online then you should be trying it out because nothing beats out if you are having a work in the convenience of your own home and together with your family and thats the perks when you do have that work from home on which this isnt something that you can possibly be able to get when you are going into office on everyday. Somehow there are those individuals who do want to have that traditional because they do want to have that kind of socialization on which this would fall down into someones preference in the end of the day. What matter most on here or the most important is that we do able to make income or be able to support our family's needs and wants specially if you are the father or husband then you would definitely be that trying out to acquire or having that multiple possible income source as much as possible since we do have that responsibility to push through on.

[reagansimms]

Is being a gig worker worth all the cons mentioned? or do you still find being a traditional employee more appealing?

Being a traditional employee can guarantee a basic salary every month as long as you are still working, which is a better comparison than being a freelancer who does not have fixed working hours. At times freelance work can earn more money than contract work, but this type of work does not guarantee massive income. I prefer to combine both or with the term "kill two birds with one stone" or more specifically doing one job while earning another income. Doing a side hustle can provide various benefits such as supporting income, developing new skills, financial security and opening up new career opportunities in the future.

[shield132]

But we can't forget about the cons as well. Gig workers are essentially both the employee and the employer. They provide their own material or equipment to be used for their jobs. They are the ones to take care of employee benefits like healthcare insurance. Legal expenses are also their burden. One of the biggest factors of being a gig worker is its instability. Unlike employees, you are not contracted for a long time. So if you fail to find a job for a certain amount of time, you will not be earning anything.

Is being a gig worker worth all the cons mentioned? or do you still find being a traditional employee more appealing?

I work in a company and also work as a freelancer. I have health insurance from my company but even if I didn't have one, I can buy a private health insurance. Btw being a gig worker is very good, especially when you become famous and establish good connections. Slowly, I'm getting more known in local area and the number of my clients are going up. I'm an UI/UX designer with some front-end skills, so I have few stable partners. Since I'm into UI/UX, I'm also very good at marketing and I always try to give good advice to my clients because their success means stable partnership with me. I have a huge knowledge in many fields in informational technologies and it helps me a lot. To be fair, soon I'll leave my job and only work as a freelancer.

[LogitechMouse]

---
One of the biggest factors of being a gig worker is its instability. Unlike employees, you are not contracted for a long time. So if you fail to find a job for a certain amount of time, you will not be earning anything.

Is being a gig worker worth all the cons mentioned? or do you still find being a traditional employee more appealing?

I'll assume that the term "gig worker" here is a "freelancer".

Well, there are many freelancers that got out of a job during the pandemic that stayed as a freelancer until now. Why? Them getting terminated would be easy, but as long as they have the skills to get hired, it's easy for them to find another one. I've seen freelancers losing one of their clients, but they still have 2 more clients. I've also seen freelancers who lost their only client, but after a few weeks, they have another client already. Instability is always there if you're a freelancer, and that's the risk of it, but if you have the skills, and you know you can do the tasks or work, you can technically be stable with being a freelancer.

I don't know about other countries especially to those better countries, but in our country, most of the traditional employees are earning a minimum wage, and in today's lifestyle, that isn't enough to feed for a whole family. If you want to survive, and you're earning only a minimum wage on a monthly basis, you need 2 sources of income whether being an employee with a business as a sideline, or 2 minimum wage earners on a family or whatever it is. Because of this reason, I'm still working as an employee right now, and currently earning minimum wage, but I want to work as a freelancer.

Being a freelancer is all worth it if you will ask me. As long as you have the skills, it's easy for you to find a long-term client.

[YOSHIE]

Is being a gig worker worth all the cons mentioned? or do you still find being a traditional employee more appealing?

Talking about work, being an employee, free work or becoming a boss.
It needs to be understood, it all depends not on all workers are loose, Being a boss or employee can boost our economy positively and vice versa the three words of gori really make the individual economically prosperous.

Example:
If you become an employee of an oil company, of course you are a positive view from the economic side and also become a mining employee and so on.
Work off, from one side they are seen not successful from the economic side, it is general their economy one working day one day eating.
And being a boss, that is a big problem, it all depends on the business being run, the answer can be found in your own environment.

Conclusion: We facts can have a negative and positive impact on the economy depending on the work, such as the description above.

[tygeade]

Being a traditional employee can guarantee a basic salary every month as long as you are still working, which is a better comparison than being a freelancer who does not have fixed working hours. At times freelance work can earn more money than contract work, but this type of work does not guarantee massive income.

Not having a fixed working hour/time is also better. That means that we can work anytime we like. The notable one is we can now sleep peacefully. Also a free lancer can get their money before a typical employee get theirs. They can as well earn more money. It sounds promising but having too much comfort is also dangerous. It might make us to be less productive eventually, so we can still experience a lesser pay and worse is termination. For some, I think they only develop a boredom, especially from a long time of working, so they can think of switching a career.

I prefer to combine both or with the term "kill two birds with one stone" or more specifically doing one job while earning another income. Doing a side hustle can provide various benefits such as supporting income, developing new skills, financial security and opening up new career opportunities in the future.

Combining both is not always easy because one might be working full time on the other type of job already. I won't push my self/body further because I believe that health is still the real wealth.

[BitHodlers]

Not having a fixed working hour/time is also better. That means that we can work anytime we like. The notable one is we can now sleep peacefully. Also a free lancer can get their money before a typical employee get theirs. They can as well earn more money. It sounds promising but having too much comfort is also dangerous. It might make us to be less productive eventually, so we can still experience a lesser pay and worse is termination. For some, I think they only develop a boredom, especially from a long time of working, so they can think of switching a career.

Very few freelancers earn excellent money, it is a small minority. It is a very competitive field and often you will find to be earning less than at a proper job, unless you don't have good education or skills.

I prefer to combine both or with the term "kill two birds with one stone" or more specifically doing one job while earning another income. Doing a side hustle can provide various benefits such as supporting income, developing new skills, financial security and opening up new career opportunities in the future.

Combining both is not always easy because one might be working full time on the other type of job already. I won't push my self/body further because I believe that health is still the real wealth.

Working more than full time is not a risk to your health, don't come up with excuses for being lazy. A lot of jobs are not that physically demanding, and because of that doing another hustle is very easy. Most people don't do it because they are lazy and prefer to waste time on things like Netflix. It is also why you (they) stay poor.  

[Fortify]

The term 'gig' originated from musicians to refer to the performances they are paid to do. Gigs are typically short-term temporary jobs. Gig workers are usually paid not on contract but based on project done or sometimes by hourly work.

During the pandemic, the gig economy rose significantly. We saw an influx of gig workers since almost everyone was laid off from their jobs and had to find something to do remotely. Now, it has almost became the norm. The pros of being a gig worker is you control your time. You do not need to clock in or clock out. No need to leave the comfort of your own house. You have more flexibility as long as you meet the terms of the project.

But we can't forget about the cons as well. Gig workers are essentially both the employee and the employer. They provide their own material or equipment to be used for their jobs. They are the ones to take care of employee benefits like healthcare insurance. Legal expenses are also their burden. One of the biggest factors of being a gig worker is its instability. Unlike employees, you are not contracted for a long time. So if you fail to find a job for a certain amount of time, you will not be earning anything.

Is being a gig worker worth all the cons mentioned? or do you still find being a traditional employee more appealing?

Gig work is great for filling the role of a secondary job if you choose to push yourself or need to make a bit of extra cash to cover bills, however it is really tough if that's your primary income. They are often without most of the safety net that a full time position can give you - things like sick pay or holiday, so you must work to survive. They sometimes require you to take care of your own tax arrangements (which is less common in Europe than say, America) as well. Some do actually add in unnecessary extra expenses to a transaction, companies like JustEat and Deliveroo for example - might help in certain situations but many restaurants are now realizing that having their own delivery drivers is actually more cost effective with the chunk of commission these companies demand.

[Mame89]

...

Is being a gig worker worth all the cons mentioned? or do you still find being a traditional employee more appealing?

If you have less needs, and some savings to manage your needs when you are out of work (assuming, you'll get work after little break), then you will do fine as gig worker I suppose.

If you have a family to maintain, traditional jobs are comparatively more stable, and they come with perks (i.e, insurance and savings).

In the end, when asked a question like this, it's up to each individual to decide because there is no definite answer as to which of these two jobs is better, freelance or conventional workers. Because both have their own advantages and disadvantages, and of course the best choice depends on each individual, starting from lifestyle, career goals or according to needs as you said.

However, to achieve our goals quickly, we must try to be able to do both. Income from conventional work to be able to meet the needs of life must be stable, income from freelance work can be diverted to investment for the future. So being able to live both will be better. After all, the more income, the better to achieve financial freedom in the future.

[_BlackStar]

-snip-

In the end, when asked a question like this, it's up to each individual to decide because there is no definite answer as to which of these two jobs is better, freelance or conventional workers. Because both have their own advantages and disadvantages, and of course the best choice depends on each individual, starting from lifestyle, career goals or according to needs as you said.

However, to achieve our goals quickly, we must try to be able to do both. Income from conventional work to be able to meet the needs of life must be stable, income from freelance work can be diverted to investment for the future. So being able to live both will be better. After all, the more income, the better to achieve financial freedom in the future.

Having more than one source of income is highly recommended - it would be a good combination if you have both passive and active income. Active income from work, profits from sales, or other such can be used for various basic needs - if it can be saved, it can also increase your reserve budget and diversify your assets. It's up to you how you spend this active income - but if you can save it then it will be better for your big plans in the future.

Having more than one source of income is really important - but not all of us have it. Some feel that having only one source ^{[active or passive income]} is enough but it is better to try to have both. Although some of us plan to achieve financial freedom this way - but financial stability is the most important thing.