Sponsored Content -- Being a ride-hailing service driver is one of the more prominent jobs in the gig economy where people have left traditional jobs for freedom, flexibility, and the chance to informally engage with others.
"I have had really good passengers,” Pricess Monteiro, a full-time Uber driver from New York City, told New York Business Daily. “I'd say 80% of them are absolutely amazing. I have had passengers offer me dinner. Given me large tips because they find something amazing about me. I've had passengers be encouraging and supportive. You know? Yeah. Ah, it's like a sense of like a fraternal thing with my passengers, they're pretty much good energy."
According to a case study by Kris Broda, the global gig economy is worth almost $350 billion in 2021 as people leave traditional jobs marked by having one employee and a benefits package. Working in the gig economy offers freedom and flexibility and the pleasure of basically being your own boss.
According to a 2019 Gig Economy Index by PYMNTS, 75.7% of workers would not leave gig work for a full-time job.
Transportation-based services and asset-sharing platforms are valued at nearly 90% of the entire gig economy, according to Broda’s study. That ratio isn’t surprising considering the popularity of services by such businesses as Uber and Airbnb.
Other forms of gig work include selling products on sites such as eBay, working as a freelance writer, web designer or musician, selling products like Avon or Pampered Chef, and working for pay apps such as TaskRabbit.
According to a 2018 Edison Research report, men are more likely than women to be employed in the gig economy, but women are more likely to have a gig job as a secondary income than men. The report also revealed that 51% of gig workers say they work harder for their income than those who work a traditional job.
Financial security is one of the most important factors when it comes to employment, while job security and medical coverage are often big concerns for freelancers. Still, gig economy statistics from 2020 provided by the MBO’s State of Independence show that 51% of the full-time independent workforce feels more financially secure than they would in traditional jobs.