There’s an exciting career revolution taking place – say hello to the “gig economy” (AKA, the side hustle), a booming new job market characterized by workers who call their own shots, set their own schedules and control their own destinies.
According to the Chicago Tribune reports, “There’s no hard data yet on the size of this labor force. Some say it represents less than 10 percent of the domestic workforce but is growing rapidly, while other studies say it makes up nearly 25 percent. The U.S. Department of Labor is conducting a study to determine its size.”
No doubt, it’s a trend that is on the rise. That – of course – got us thinking: What do insurance needs look like in the gig economy?
- The Gig Gap: For decades, having a job meant being an employee of a company—often for life. Today, it’s a different story. Many people are a part of the “gig” economy. Upsides like freedom and flexibility attract people to this work. Yet there are downsides like hustling to find jobs and managing a fluctuating income. Another lesser known one is not having enough—or even any—business coverage. Fortunately, there are easy ways to fix that.
- You’re Invited: Remember the “exchange chain letters?” If you sent a single kitchen towel to the first person on a typewritten list and then mailed the letter to six of my friends, you’d receive the bounty of 36 kitchen towels. These days, invitations continue, but the requests aren’t coming through the U.S. Postal System—they’re coming via email, text and, more often than not, social media.
- How to Cash in on the Gig Economy: Whether you’re a new graduate looking for a job, a retiree looking for some extra cash or a stay-at-home parent hoping to grow your nest egg, there are many advantages to joining the gig economy. Here are a few.
- [INFOGRAPHIC] Evolution of the Gig Economy: Gig economy. Side Hustle. Welcome to the 21st Century workforce. Check out a few ways some of the most popular side gigs have evolved over time.
