Maybe It's Time for Companies to Admit Defeat, Global Gig Economy $455b by 2023, Job Surveillance, 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.

I believe that?every organization?in?every industry?needs a Gig Economy strategy. Not having one in 2021 is like missing the internet trend in 1990 or the mobile revolution in 2010.

The Freelance Revolution

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

U.S. Freelance Workforce Continues To Grow, With No Signs Of Easing: New Report ?-?By any measure, the U.S. freelance workforce continues to increase by leaps and bounds. There are no signs it will slow down anytime soon.

Though Most Gig-Economy Workers Have Had A 'Positive Experience,' Concerns Over Safety And Fairness Remain ?-?It's been estimated that over?55 million Americans work ?in the gig economy. This includes independent contractors, freelancers, and various forms of temporary, flexible jobs. About 16% of Americans have earned money through an online gig platform. These are the people who select your food at the grocery store via Instacart, drive you around in Uber and Lyft cars, deliver food through DoorDash and provide a wide array and growing number of conveniences—mostly accomplished through app-based tech platforms.

Beware the emergency avocado: what does ultrafast delivery really cost us? ?-?A grocery revolution is underway, with individual items available at your door in next to no time. What does it mean for supermarkets, our wallets, working conditions, and the planet?

The Global Gig Economy ?–?Driven by platforms like Uber, Deliveroo, Bolt, and Airbnb, this economic model is expected to be worth $455 billion in 2023.

The Creator Economy?

The Creator Economy has many similarities to the sharing and gig economies in 2012-2015. Independent talent, technology platforms, and hype. All are driven by the dream of making a living by doing what you love. At over $100B+ the creator economy is just getting started.

YourStory's Creators Inc. Conference to celebrate the creator economy and usher in this new wave of entrepreneurship ?- On January 14-15, 2022, YourStory's Creators Inc. Conference will celebrate and spotlight content creators from across industries and different geographies as they rewrite the definitions of entrepreneurship, entertainment, experience, and education.

UTA Offers $230M SPAC IPO Targeting Gaming, Creator Economy Company ?-?United Talent Agency has priced the initial public offering of its new special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, at $230 million to create a new company focused on gaming, digital media, and creator economy jobs.

World Reimagined: Investing in the Creator Economy ?-?The creator economy, for those not familiar with the term, refers to businesses built by independent creators that range from vloggers and photographers to social media influencers to writers and more to monetize themselves, their skills, or their creations. The term also encompasses the companies serving these creators, from content creation tools to analytics platforms.

The Hybrid Workplace

We see unprecedented numbers of companies implementing remote work programs. The way we work has forever changed and will require new skills and leadership approaches.

Remote-working job surveillance is on the rise. For some, the impact could be devastating ?-?Remote-monitoring and surveillance tools could devastate employee relations unless efforts are made to put more power into the hands of workers, the author of a report by the European Commission's Joint Research Council (JRC) warns.

Microsoft warns: Embrace hybrid work or prepare to lose half your workforce ?-?Use software for supporting rather than surveilling your staff, and you can get them up to speed faster — and make more sense of how Microsoft Viva is different from Teams.

Major US tech firms keep pushing back their return-to-office deadlines. Maybe it's time to admit defeat. ?-?When it comes to a mandatory return to the office, it may be time for employers to admit defeat. In the last two weeks alone, some of the biggest tech companies in the U.S. have pushed back their return-to-office deadlines as virus cases surge again and concerns over the Omicron variant make the future less than certain.

We Surveyed 6,000 employees about the future of work. Here's what they want ?-?If companies fail to live up to changing expectations, they'll continue to bleed top talent, warns this work futurist.

Workplace Wellness?

We will spend one-third of our lives working, and the disruption to the way we work has never moved faster. This all can impact our overall wellness as we navigate the changing landscape and fight for balance.

?Navigating the Mental Health Crisis in the Post-COVID-19 Workplace ?-?The coronavirus pandemic has impacted us all in many ways. People have lost their loved ones, lost their sources of income, or even still dealing with COVID-19 symptoms or long COVID. Those who may not be directly affected by these situations may have difficulty coping with the social isolation and COVID-19 restrictions. These and many more COVID-19-induced disruptions are driving a mental health crisis threatening the workplace.

PAUL ESTES, the best-selling author of the best-selling book?Gig Mindset ?and is an unstoppable advocate for the simple idea of ensuring that all voices are heard and that all people have access to opportunity. This passion is inspired by the quote from the late?Leila Janah ?"Talent?is equally distributed,?opportunity is not."?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.??For 20 years, He struggled to balance his life with fast-moving leadership roles at Dell, Amazon, and Microsoft. He led a team of progressive H.R., procurement, and legal trailblazers to launch Microsoft's Gig Economy freelance program. Hiring his first virtual assistant transformed the way he lived and worked.

?Paul is the former host of the Gig Mindset and?Talent Economy podcasts. 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.?