The last three years have changed the economy in ways we could never have predicted, and in turn, changed our lives. A huge part of the workforce has stopped to think about the work they do, and a large part–about 50 million in 2022 according to CNBC–quit their jobs. “The Great Resignation,” as it was coined, came for a myriad of reasons, but one that came to the forefront was flat out unhappiness.
While their parents sat in jobs they’d had for 30+ years, the rising generation said no, this isn’t what I want out of life. So what do they want? Freedom, of course, but also, money. Conventional jobs out, gig work in. Gig work, like driving services, food delivery, and on-demand shiftwork, has seen a sharp rise. Today we’re seeing one of the best job markets in the years, so why is gig work still on the rise? Because who doesn’t love a side hustle or, in many cases, completely flexible full time work whenever you need it?
Salt Lake City-based Everee, a payroll technology company, and the Restaurant Marketing & Delivery Association (RMDA) have joined together to survey 315 gig drivers and report on their findings in the The 2023 Gig Drivers Report. The report includes the current status of the gig driver industry as well as insight from industry leaders.
RMDA is a restaurant delivery service found in around 700 cities across the country. RMDA helps facilitate partnerships with restaurants, multiplying buying power and aiding growth. Everee is a payroll platform that makes onboarding quick and easy, and gets payments in the hands of employees faster. When the two combine forces, the gig driver benefits. So why should we care about the gig drivers report? A few reasons.
Looking out for you. Everee and the RMDA want to see employees succeed in ways that fit their lifestyle and needs. Whether it’s taking gigs to fill a “conventional” 40-hour work week, or using gigs as a side hustle, RMDA wants to make those gigs easily accessible, and Everee wants to make sure you get paid when you need it.
Gig driving is a growing industry, but drivers aren’t satisfied with the system. The study showed that, “although the need for gig drivers is increasing, roughly 42% of drivers say it’s possible they will leave gig work within the next 12 months due to low or unpredictable earnings (30%), lack of benefits (28%), and the rising cost of performing work tasks (27%).” Finding the pain points in a job makes it easier to address the problems.
Data is powerful. A survey gets current info based on the feelings of those who are surveyed. A commonality can be identified and addressed faster with data to back up the findings.
“About 76% of [Americans] are living paycheck to paycheck,” says Brett Barlow, co-founder and CEO of Everee. “I think in general the American payroll system is failing Americans. It's causing disruption to so many people–76% or call it seven out of 10 of your workers, be that gig or anywhere else. They're frustrated or stressed about finances, but we believe getting money into people's hands faster gives them more control over their dollars.”
So is gig work and pay-on-demand the way of the future? When employees demand work/life balance, mental health issues are at a high, and the “30 year work anniversary” is a thing of the past, I think it’s safe to say that gig work or some form of that will be increasingly enticing to the workforce. What do you think? Comment below!
To read the full report click here. To learn more about Everee visit everee.com, and to learn more about RMDA visit thermda.org.
