Web3 Gig Platform Brainstrust, Amazon’s Gig Model, 5 Challenges of Hybrid Work, 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.

Braintrust: A Story of Hockey Stick Growth in Record Time?-?In 2018,?Braintrust?was formed to disrupt the gig economy by giving control back to freelancers. Founded by Adam Jackson and Gabriel Luna-Ostaseski, it is the world's first decentralized talent network and operates as a Web3-based decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). Run-on the?Ethereum blockchain?with its native token, BTRST, Braintrust is built, owned, and controlled by its users rather than a major corporation.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 'Great Resignation' Will Transform the Gig Economy. Are You Ready to Take Advantage??-?This past December, 4.3 million Americans quit their jobs while 10.9 million jobs remained open. Dubbed the?"Great Resignation,"?this market dynamic shows few signs of abating, at least in the short term.?

New pay rules shake Amazon's gig model?- The NSW Industrial Relations Commission ratified an agreement between the Australian Industry Group, Business NSW, Toll, FedEx, Global Express, and the Transport Workers' Union that mandates pay rates for parcel delivery drivers all size vehicles.

Gig workers deliver a message to Seattle City Hall about the need for a minimum wage?-?Delivery drivers for Grubhub, Uber Eats, DoorDash, Instacart, and other companies left the Seattle City Council holding the bag this week — or 400 bags — in a protest aimed at drawing attention to how little the gig workers make after expenses.

Uber and Lyft Are Taking on Healthcare, and Drivers Are Just Along for the Ride?- Within the first week that Austin Correll was driving for Lyft in the fall of 2021, he was sent to pick up passengers at an address that turned out to be for a hospital. When he pulled up to the curb, he found an elderly woman in a wheelchair and another other with a walker, waiting for him — flanked by four or five nurses.

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.

Social Native acquires creator assets from Influence.co, further expanding its investment in the creator economy?-?"We are committed to empowering human creativity across the globe. This acquisition further strengthens our stronghold on activating large volumes of diverse creators." says David Shadpour, Founder and CEO of Social Native. "As more and more brands embrace the creator economy, our investment in data and machine learning ensures brands are able to scale diverse content required to stay relevant in 2022 and beyond."?

Tour Livestreaming Startup Heygo Taps Creator Economy for Revenue?- The startup Heygo is like a "Twitch for travel" in a sense; it's surfing the waves of interest in live-streaming by the creator economy. Destination marketers need to tune in.

Brands See Increased Sales After Arming Creators on Social With Affiliate Links?-?For years, Noelle Downing, a lifestyle influencer with more than 450,000 followers on Instagram, wanted to partner with brands like Urban Outfitters and Free People. But it wasn't until she turned to affiliate marketing that she sealed the deal.

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.

In a Hybrid World, Your Tech Defines Employee Experience?- One of the big questions many leaders face now is: how can we meaningfully communicate, collaborate, and connect in a hybrid (or remote) environment? As companies compete for talent and adapt to new ways of working, the technology they use has become the dominant feature of the employee experience — a place where many companies are falling short.

5 Challenges of Hybrid Work — and How to Overcome Them?- Hybrid working arrangements can be daunting for those about to adopt them and challenging for those who already have. But the good news is that we're learning quickly where the most significant obstacles lie and how to minimize them in advance and manage them as they come up.

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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.

?Tech worker burnout is reaching alarming levels?- A combination of skills gaps, increased pressure during the pandemic, and the intensity of workloads increases burnout for tech workers.

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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.?