Pentagon Creating - Gig Eagle- App, Gig Workers Unionizing, "Nobody Wants To Play Office", and More...

There are approximately 60 million Independent workers in the United States, representing $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 how organizations engage with talent.

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. Everywhere we look, we can see the U.S. workforce undergoing a massive and structural change.

Neobank Lance targets gig economy's income volatility - The New York City-based company divides a user's payments into sub-accounts for salary, tax withholdings, business expense balance, and a savings account automatically.

Gig Workers Inch Toward Right to Unionize in New York — But There's a Catch - State lawmakers, labor unions, and tech companies are nearing a deal to introduce legislation that would grant gig-economy workers in New York the right to join a union — but stop short of reclassifying them as employees.

The Military Is Creating a 'Gig Eagle' App to Uber-ize Its Workforce - The Defense Innovation Unit (an organization within the Department of Defense focused on adopting commercial technology) is building an Uber-like app called "Gig Eagle" to match part-time service members possessing private sector experience with program managers.

Permanent work: Jobs shift to full-time for many part-time workers - More gig workers are taking permanent jobs as employers sweeten pay and benefits amid labor shortages.

Gig economy reckoning spreads to popular home services company - Darlene Demiraiakian started working as an independent contractor for Handy more than a year and a half ago for the flexibility it provided her to make money while caring for her terminally ill partner. But she says there have been countless instances when something has gone awry — each of which has made her feel like she has little control over what arises while working for the company.

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.

Working 55 Hours A Week Linked To Early Death, WHO Study Finds - The pandemic has taught us many lessons about the sanctity of life and family, not to mention the importance of work-life balance. But with the gig economy and working from home (with endless Zoom meetings) is now an entrenched part of our ethos, giving rise to the tendency to put in long hours without taking proper breaks. 

This is actually what employees need to feel valued at work - Creating a level playing field is always part of the equation when ensuring that employees feel valued and part of the team. No one wants to report for work every day and feel like they're being treated differently than everyone else.

Corporate offices need to change in one major way, says ServiceNow CEO - The age of hybrid work that's upon us. Companies need to rethink how they approach office space dramatically. As ServiceNow CEO Bill McDermott told a group of analysts and reporters during the company's Knowledge 2021 event, "Nobody wants to play office anymore."

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.

 Workplace Safety and Wellness is the Top Priority for Business Leaders in 2021 - According to a recent survey conducted by Oasis (leading HR services provider), ensuring a safe work environment amid COVID-19 is the top priority among business leaders. Workplace safety is emphasized more than other essential business considerations such as talent acquisition and professional development.

PAUL ESTES, the best-selling author of the newly released 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 The Talent Economy podcast. Each week, Paul provides insights and perspective to over 95,000 readers of his weekly LinkedIn newsletter, and he frequently shares his insights as a keynote speaker and panelist. He has nine pending patents in content and collaboration related to the on-demand economy.