5 predictions for the gig economy in 2020

by Startacus Admin

What does the future hold for the gig economy? Here are five trends care of London-based courier startup Gophr that are set to transform the way we work in 2020... 

The gig economy is booming all over the world. In Britain, one in 10 adults is now employed in the gig economy - that’s a total of 4.7 million people. Attracted by the flexibility of self-employment and the accessibility of gig economy jobs, workers are increasingly abandoning their 9 to 5 roles.

Whilst the gig economy is not without its drawbacks, it’s easy to see how advantageous it can be for much of the adult population. With this in mind, it’s almost certain that the gig economy will continue to grow over the course of 2020, as more workers begin searching for employment that better suits their lifestyles. 

So, what does the future hold for the gig economy? Here are five trends that are set to transform the way we work in 2020. 

Astounding growth

In recent years we’ve seen the gig economy go from strength to strength, and this trend doesn’t look likely to slow down anytime soon. Recent research published by the University of Hertfordshire found that 5% of UK adults were working in the gig economy in 2016. By 2019, this had doubled. It’s also worth noting that almost half of respondents in this study took on gig economy work in addition to full-time roles, in order to supplement incomes. 

A new temporary workforce

Many industries have long relied on the help of freelance workers, like IT and consultancy for example. But over the course of 2020 and beyond, we're going to see freelancers incorporated into workforces in far greater numbers. 

Businesses are now starting to recognise the opportunities available via cooperation with freelancers. With additional freelancers on board, organisations will be able to build more engaged, productive workforces that can easily adapt to changes in demand.

Faster communication

Thanks to the constantly evolving world of digital communication platforms, we’re better connected than we ever have been before. And this has played a huge part in the rise of the gig economy. 

Workers can now find flexible employment to suit them, whenever they need it. Once their freelance roles begin, they’re then able to make full use of digital communication channels to stay connected wherever they happen to be. This is something we can expect to see far more of in the coming months and years.

Gone are the days of waiting hours for replies to emails. Freelancers are now working on the go using audio and video conferencing, and collaborating with entire teams via intuitive online project management platforms. As these platforms develop, their capabilities will increase, benefiting freelancers and businesses alike.

The rise of shared workspaces

The gig economy enables workers to choose their own schedules, with no need to visit the office at all. But this does leave some missing the interaction that shared working provides. Shared workspaces are the answer, and they’re rapidly growing in popularity. 

With coworking offices now appearing in all major towns and cities, gig economy workers can now access thriving office spaces that offer everything from super-fast internet and fully stocked kitchens to front-desk services and money-can’t-buy networking opportunities. The coming year will see more gig economy workers based in shared workspaces, working collaboratively with like minded residents.

Legislation and government support

The lack of legislation supporting workers in the gig economy has been widely publicised. Gig economy workers tend to lose out in terms of holiday pay, sick pay and other benefits that traditional workers are entitled to. They can often find themselves struggling if a client neglects to pay an invoice on time, too. But as the numbers of workers employed in the gig economy rises, public interest in legislative support is growing.

New York City announced a new “Freelancing is not Free” law in 2017, which set out guidelines to ensure that freelancers always receive payment for work undertaken. Over the course of 2020, we can expect to see similar legislation come into force throughout the world.

The gig economy offers endless opportunities to workers looking for flexible employment that fits their lifestyles. With the percentage of the UK workforce employed in the gig economy rising rapidly, we can expect to see some significant changes come to the foreground in 2020.

The growth of the gig economy will lead to a rise in industries designed to facilitate it, such as coworking spaces and digital team management platforms. More businesses than ever before will be making use of the opportunities that the gig economy presents, incorporating freelance support into their own teams in ways we’ve never seen before. The gig economy is going from strength to strength, and it’ll continue to be a force to be reckoned with in 2020.

This article by London-based courier start-up Gophr, who offer self-employed delivery jobs with flexible working hours, job variety and better earnings.

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• #freelance

Published on: 24th November 2019