Freelancing Helps Employee Engagement, the Algorithmic Workforce, From Jobs to Skills, and More...

Approximately 60 million independent workers in the United States represent $1.5 trillion in U.S. GDP and growing. Projections estimate that 50% of our U.S. workforce will be independent workers by 2025- 2030. The Gig Economy represents a trend that will digitally transform the future of work.

Every?organization?in?every industry?needs a Gig Economy strategy. Not having one is like missing the internet trend in 1990 or the mobile revolution in 2010.

?The Freelance Revolution

The Industrial Revolution of our time is the rise of independent contractors and the globalization of knowledge work. We can see the U.S. workforce undergoing a massive structural change everywhere we look.

Employee Engagement Is A Big Problem: Freelancing Is Part Of The Solution ?- A recent Gallup survey highlights disappointingly low levels of employee engagement globally, with only a small increase from previous years. The findings emphasize the significant impact of low engagement on organizations and the growing interest among employees to seek better opportunities. The survey underscores the importance of addressing low engagement levels. It stresses the potential benefits of a blended workforce that includes full-time employees and freelance professionals, as freelancers can be influenced by organizational culture and engagement levels.

23-year-old makes $48,000 in NYC as a freelance music producer: 'It still allows me to save and do what I love' ?- Kate Brunotts, now 23, moved to New York City after high school to pursue a career in music production, but decided against attending college due to the potential costs. Instead, she worked various jobs, including cashier and dog walker, and saved around $10,000 by turning 18. Today, as a freelance music producer and audio engineer, Brunotts earned approximately $48,000 last year and expects to make even more this year.

Uber Eats, DoorDash, GrubHub Team Up to Sue New York City ?- Uber Eats, DoorDash, GrubHub, and Relay have sued New York City over new rules mandating a guaranteed minimum wage of $17.96 per hour for gig workers, arguing that it would disrupt the gig economy. The companies claim that the law would cause immediate and irreparable harm to their businesses. The new rules are set to go into effect on Wednesday. They could significantly change the fluctuating per-gig rate system for delivery drivers, potentially leading to higher consumer fees and impacting restaurants' takeout business.

U.S. labor board ruling could spur unionizing by gig workers, others ?- The U.S. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has made it harder for companies to classify workers as independent contractors instead of employees, providing gig economy workers with a potential path to unionize. The board reversed a Trump-era standard and reverted to an Obama-era test, considering factors such as company control level and workers' dependency on a single company. The ruling came in a case involving makeup artists and hairstylists for the Atlanta Opera, who were deemed employees and given the right to hold a union election.

Barber shops rent to freelancers while salons miss out ?- Pennsylvania legislators are considering a bill, Senate Bill 830, allowing cosmetologists to rent booth space in salons, similar to the current practice for barbershops. The bill, introduced by Sen. Judy Schwank, aims to address what is seen as an unfair prohibition on cosmetologists, who are required to be part of a salon rather than freelancing. Supporters argue that reducing licensing requirements and regulations in the beauty industry would create more opportunities for workers and benefit customers.

A.I. Meets Talent: The Age of Generative AI

With the "Big Bang" moment in November 2022, OpenAI's ChatGPT was launched, ushering in a new era of generative A.I., accelerating the fusion of Technology and talent, and presenting challenges and opportunities for individuals and businesses alike.

It's Time to Prepare for the Algorithmic Workforce ?- The article discusses the rise of algorithmic workforces and their impact on the future of work. Companies are deploying algorithmic employees in various areas, such as customer support, recruitment, task allocation, and performance reviews. While the algorithmic workforce offers benefits such as cost-efficiency and data-driven decision-making, concerns around surveillance, employee morale, and the opacity of algorithms also arise. Companies must balance human emotions and algorithmic efficiency as the workforce evolves and adapt their governance and management styles accordingly.

Demand for A.I. skills on the rise as Fiverr searches spike for freelancers ?- The demand for artificial intelligence (A.I.) freelancers has surged on the freelance marketplace Fiverr, with a 1,400% increase in searches for AI-related services over the past six months. Fiverr has introduced new categories to help businesses find the talent they need to benefit from A.I. capabilities, including generative A.I. for image and text generation. The marketplace is responding to growing interest from companies seeking freelancers skilled in A.I. tools, A.I. artists, developers building AI-powered applications, and individuals experienced in creating prompts for generative A.I. engines.

4 ways ChatGPT will change the way we work ?- OpenAI's ChatGPT, an interactive chatbot that can perform various tasks, has gained significant attention in the corporate world, prompting companies like Microsoft to incorporate A.I. into their product offerings. The use of A.I. tools like ChatGPT is expected to shape the future of work, with virtual assistants predicted to reach eight billion users by the end of 2023. Despite the demand for A.I. training, only 14% of employees have received training on using A.I. tools like ChatGPT. This highlights the need for comprehensive training to ensure these technologies' safe and effective use.

The Changing Workplace

We see unprecedented numbers of companies implementing remote work programs. How we work has forever changed and requires new skills and leadership approaches.

From Jobs To Skills: What The Future Of Work Will Look Like ?- The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs report highlights the rapid transformation of workplaces in recent years, with labor shortages, evolving employee expectations, and adopting new technologies reshaping job requirements. To manage these changes, CHROs focus on skills-based hiring, enhanced education programs, and prioritizing skills and competencies in hiring to create a more diverse talent pipeline. As the workforce becomes more skills-oriented, organizations may adopt a revolving talent pool approach, with teams assembled based on project-specific skills, and the need for A.I. collaboration and continuous learning to keep up with the pace of change becomes crucial.

What is the future of the workplace? A new Washington Post series investigates ?- The Washington Post has launched a new series called "Work: Reimagined" that explores the future of work amidst rapid change. The series, to be published over several months, will cover topics such as automation, innovation, workplace surveillance, and the shifting demographics of the workforce, providing readers with insights into the evolving nature of work in today's world. The aim is to offer a dedicated resource for understanding the changing workplace as new technologies, norms, and innovations continue to shape it.

PAUL ESTES has been at the cutting edge of Technology for over 20 years with leadership roles at Dell, Amazon, Microsoft, MURAL, MagicLeap, and Ally Robotics. He struggled to balance his life with these fast-moving leadership roles, so he hired his first virtual assistant, transforming how he lived and worked. He shares his experience in his best-selling book?Gig Mindset ?which helps people and organizations understand that now is the time to address systemic?location bias ?and encourage companies to reach beyond their organizational boundaries to engage the world's best minds.??

He is inspired by the work of the late?Leila Janah , author of?Give Work: Reversing Poverty One Job ?at a Time, and her quote, "Talent is equally distributed, opportunity is not." This inspiration inspired Paul to lead a team of progressive H.R., procurement, and legal trailblazers to launch Microsoft's Gig Economy freelance program.??

Paul is the former host of the?Work on Demand Podcast . Each week, Paul provides insights and perspective to over 100,000 readers of his weekly LinkedIn newsletter, and he frequently shares his insights as a keynote speaker and panelist.