(Sponsored content) – Uber and other similar gig economy jobs are offering easy options for many workers by having minimum requirements for employment, allowing people to get a job without any special skills or training.
The jobs also offer flexibility, allowing workers to maintain a work-home life balance that appeals to them. For Lance Hutchinson, a full-time Uber driver from Tallahassee, those were two key reasons for him to become a driver with the company.
“I've been an entrepreneur all my life, and then I retired,” he explained. “I own my own companies. And when I retired, I got bored. You know, so this was flexible.”
Digital platforms like Uber allow people to seek a job that will be a match to their skills and offer working conditions that fosters a desire to participate, according to a report by Valeria Pulignano titled "Work and employment under the gig economy." This could include a range of life challenges, including retirement. Many workers are seeking out gig jobs to avoid being under the watchful eyes of a boss for an entire shift. Like so many others, that flexibility proved to be a great draw for Hutchinson.
“I could do it when I wanted to do it, and I could,” Hutchinson noted. “I didn't have a boss and didn't have another, other annoying employees to deal with.”
Ultimately, driving for Uber proved to be a great option for Hutchinson because it fit into his schedule and lifestyle.
“And the extra money, obviously on a retiree’s budget, you know, it is extremely nice,” he said.
Gig work offers a chance for employment for many people who face barriers to employment. According to Forbes, 84% of freelance workers like the flexibility their work gives them, allowing them to enjoy their lifestyle, compared to 63% of traditional workers. However, the report noted that 42% of workers admitted they likely wouldn’t be able to find a job due to circumstances in their life.
Moreover, 12% of the American workforce started to take on gig work during the pandemic, according to an Upwork report, generally for financial stability as well as out of necessity to pay bills.
The work-life balance proves to be quite a draw, and gig workers also report flexibility, autonomy, meaningful feedback and creative freedom as attractions, according to a Gallup poll.