Checking in on the Gig Economy
We have a human work issue. It was bound to happen. The “fake” news has been spewed for years from the GOP and heightened about immigrants taking our jobs during the Trump administration. Those low-wage jobs from restaurants to anything at the bottom of the hospitality industry, including low-wage dangerous jobs in corporations. Guess what, nobody wants these jobs but hard-working people who have come from other countries and are working hard to make a better life for themselves and their children. I applaud every one of them. That is what democracy is built on. People who come from nothing can grow up to become a Mayor, Senator or create a new industry. That is what we all love about America.
These workers are the backbone of our economy. Many have been deported and are not returning. Merkel had it right when the flood of immigrants from Syria showed up at their door. She let them in. Germany gave them jobs. Those jobs expanded the economy. Trump did not. Biden should let more in, figure out a more efficient process.
It appears, our Senators, who love to posture, have decided not to pass the considerably enormous budget that will change our country into the future even though the return on investment will be game-changing to our economy. Can someone provide these Senators and Congresspeople with some analytic data and graphs on immigration and spending bills?
The gig economy is up. Although the one thing the gig economy did was shift everyone’s sense of work. Many realized what most people in the gig economy really want and need is a full-time job with benefits, flexibility, and a decent paycheck. Until everyone has a proper health plan through the Government, like Canada, we will never have a functioning gig economy. It was a good idea, though. It gave people plenty of opportunities to make cash while doing something else, whether taking care of a family or working on their art, company, or a different side hustle.
Technology continues to fuel our country with dollars coming in from Venture and Private Equity, but many of these “new” game-changing platforms like Uber or Grub Hub need to change their business models. The labor market has been ravaged by Covid for countless reasons, from a new world, a different generation, and expectations, but it needs time to heal. Leaders need to take the temperature of their organizations and rethink the models. People need real jobs, and we are all realizing how important these jobs are.
The amount of people that retailers are looking to hire for the holidays is a significant number. The stores must treat these people right, pay them a fair wage, and be flexible with their hours. If they realize they can’t be profitable that way, they will have to rethink the model.
This arena is ripe for massive change. The gig economy was not the answer.