Uber and Yellow Cabs Become Friends, Side Hustles Increase by 231%, Zuck Takes Remote Work to the Extreme, 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 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 structural change everywhere we look.

Uber and taxicabs strike an unlikely partnership, years after ride-hailing destroyed the business?-?The ride-hailing giant announced Thursday it would begin adding taxicabs to its app in a global effort to allow customers to hail a ride.

Visualizing the gig economy and side hustles in commercial Licensing?- Our understanding of work and the workplace has evolved drastically since the start of the pandemic, as interest in the gig economy—already brewing before lockdowns—boomed. At the same time, demand for advertising images that capture these experiences has risen, inspiring more commercial photographers to think of new ways to visualize the modern workforce. In this story, we'll take a closer look at just a few topics to consider, across various industries, for future photoshoots.

Gig Economy May See Tougher Contractor Rule After Court Victory?-?A legal win on an independent contractor rule for Uber Technologies Inc., Lyft Inc., and other gig economy companies may wind up sparking a regulatory defeat as the Biden administration eyes a new approach.

How The Changing Face Of Gig Economy Is Helping Digital Nomads In 2022?-?The concept of freelancing is nothing new. Still, there is no doubt that it has enjoyed a significant spike in popularity in recent years. The wave of growth is set to continue over the coming years, with experts predicting that 86.5 million Americans will adopt this approach to work by 2027. A significant proportion identifies themselves as digital nomads.

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.

Let's Bridge the Tech Gap in the Creator Economy Between Enterprise and Freelancers?-?In the early 2000s, I started my creative agency. It was the dawn of the digital-content age, back when one of our biggest challenges was pressing DVDs and duplicating VHS tapes for "mass distribution"—about 50 to 100 copies. I had a handful of editing systems, and all our storage was locally connected to our computers. But because I'd assembled a talented creative team, we quickly began working with the likes of Universal Studios resorts and FEMA. Despite being unable to afford the most expensive resources at the time, my modest company was playing in the creator economy.

Patreon CEO Jack Conte on his $4 billion company's future and the creator economy?-"Finally, everybody seems to be excited about compensating creative people what they're worth instead of the minimum amount that tech companies can get away with," Conte says in the latest episode of Fast Company's podcast Creative Control.

The creator economy is heating up, but what exactly is this??The creator economy's total size is estimated to be over $ 100 billion. Over the last decade, major online platforms such as Facebook, Snap, Mx Taka Tak, Moj, and YouTube have reached billions of dollars in revenue. This success has resulted from the varied user content on these platforms.

How A.I. is Transforming the Creator Economy??- A.I. will usher in a new era of creator economy, where the ability to create and innovate will be the most prized commodity.

?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 work vs. back to the office? It's more complicated than you realize?- The existence of the office was secure so long as one basic assumption still held: that collecting teams together in one physical space – along with all the information and the tools they needed to process that data – was the most productive way of arranging a knowledge-based organization.

The rise of the rural, remote worker?- With headphones clamped on, participating in a five-way video call with colleagues, Andreia Proen?a looks like the modern-day remote worker. But unlike many highly skilled graduates, the 27-year-old industrial engineer has eschewed the bright lights of the big city for village life in Portugal's mountainous interior.

Mark Zuckerberg and Meta's Leadership Take Remote Work to the Extreme?- As more?companies begin their return?to the office, Facebook parent?Meta Platforms?Inc. is?becoming more remote. The company's management team, including Chief Executive?Mark Zuckerberg, is scattering to locations far from its Silicon Valley headquarters in an extreme test of?the limits of remote work.

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.

?Moving Beyond Acknowledgment: How Leaders Can Support Mental Health In The Workplace?- Before the start of the pandemic, mental health was a topic that floated quietly under many leaders' radars. Fast forward to 2020, and mental health in the workplace (virtual or otherwise) was thrown to the forefront of every company's plan.

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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.?