We Are All Creators, NFT's Taking Over the Gig Economy, Gen Z May Never Work in an Office, 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 structural change everywhere we look.

Economist's Outlook: The Personal Finance of Career Independence ?- For many highly skilled workers, the benefits of going freelance may outweigh the risks—especially right now. Toptal's Chief Economist explains why and reveals what he wishes he'd known when he stepped out on his own.

Meet the company that offers its contract workers benefits and job security ?- Millions of Americans are quitting their jobs and rethinking what they want regarding work and work-life balance. Companies are responding, meeting their employees' needs in remote work, flexible hours, four-day workweeks, compensation, and more. This story is part of a series looking at the Great Reshuffle and the shift in workplace culture that is taking place right now.

An NFT Bubble Is Taking Over the Gig Economy ?- Argentinian musician Frank Tavis had the life he always dreamed of. The 26-year-old was traveling the world and performing on the streets and in bars in more than 20 countries—each coin dropped in his guitar case helping pay his way to the next country for five years. Then the pandemic hit, bars shut down, and Tavis' income dried up. A friend recommended he join Fiverr, a freelance gig economy website where people are paid for various digital services usually offered by contractors. Tavis began writing songs for small sums of cash in mid-2020.

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.

I'm a creator. You're a creator. We're all creators! ?- It was early 2019, maybe, when the kids I'd interview who'd gone viral on TikTok started proudly referring to themselves as content creators. My initial reaction was: Why not "comedian" or "competitive dancer" or "aspiring actor"? Didn't that sound more exciting than two of the most meaningless words in existence: "content" and "creator"??

Fintech and Social Commerce Are Taking the Creator Economy to the Next Level ?-?In today's highly competitive online economy, e-commerce sellers are increasingly forced to look beyond traditional advertising on social media sites as they battle for the attention of potential customers. Collaborations with A-list creators and influencers, who have become highly effective brand ambassadors for a captive subset of users, can help boost sales rates. These creators are uniquely positioned to leverage the trust they've built with their audiences to promote relevant products.

Why Creativity And Data-Driven Are Not Mutually Exclusive In Today's Creator Economy ?-?Valued at over $104.2 billion, the creator economy, as reported by?Social Media Today , continues to drive the influencer marketing industry in a way that brings questions involving creativity and data to the table.?

Unpacking the future of the creator economy ?- From staying in touch with friends on Myspace to launching global empires on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, our relationship with social media has seen a massive transformation in recent years with the rise of the "creator" at the forefront. Michael Stocks looks at the future of the creator economy.

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.

The death of offices and the rise of remote work could mean someone with your title makes 20x more than you ?- The era of remote work will set you free. At least that's how the promise goes. But what if it creates a new class of high-earning remote workers, worsening wealth inequality along the way? What if it just feeds into a harmful dynamic called the "superstar effect," which has plagued the American economy since the 1990s?

It's Tough to Build a Corporate Culture in a Remote-Work World ?- RITA RAMAKRISHNAN STARTED as head of people and talent at the real estate startup Cadre in April 2020. She had moved from San Francisco to New York for the job, where she planned to oversee the growing startup's workplace culture. Ramakrishnan had all kinds of plans, but she never made it to the office; instead, she spent her first months converting her new apartment into a home workspace. The experience reminded her of an old saying: Man plans, and God laughs.

Thanks to Remote Work, Many in Gen Z May Never Work in an Office. Will It Matter? ?- Shannon Chin went from working and learning remotely in college to working two jobs remotely while staying with family in the Toronto area. She didn't meet her colleagues face to face at one of those jobs, in user experience, until December—nearly a year and a half after signing on. She hadn't seen their faces at all.

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.

How To Handle Mental Health Conversations In The Workplace ?- As mental health has grown to be more of a hot topic, many of us have accepted discussing with friends. Many of us have also become more comfortable discussing mental health with our friends and family. However, one place that I believe still needs to improve when it comes to mental health conversations is in the workplace.

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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.?