“Flexible working conditions are just one of the perks afforded by the opportunistic gig economy.” – Jason Hartman
The expansion and diversification of economic activities represents a hallmark of advancing civilizations. Within this overarching timeless context, the incidence and growth of new employment opportunities fuels economic activity and existing labor paradigms to new heights. In the modern world, startup businesses, venture capital, private investments and the gig economy represent stark new innovations that help expand the operational scope and depth of local, regional and global economies alike.
- Enter the Gig Professional
Gig workers, for instance, exist and operate outside the formal systems of traditional employment. However, the presence and expanding footprint of the gig economy has attracted comment and scrutiny alike from observers worldwide. It would be worthwhile to examine the pros and cons of gig work as part of conducting an analysis of this new work paradigm. Such an examination, when conducted through flowcharts, could assist analysts create a detailed, functional structure that outlines many aspects of the gig economy.
- The Flexible Schedule
Independent contractors represent a major section of the modern gig economy; these individuals may work for multiple clients and allocate specific times of their daily schedule to a variety of ongoing projects. Utilizing flowcharts to define, analyze and develop the contours of such work routines with a view to locate the pros and cons of gig work would be useful. The flexible nature of gig work emerges as a major opportunity available to the gig worker; such flexibility liberates the individual from the set routines espoused by modern organizations. In addition, the unstructured use of available time emerges as a major benefit and an enabler in its own right. Hence, the flowchart could project different stages in succession; this method allows us to review some of the elements in the landscape that helps delineate the pros and cons of gig work.
- Harnessing Human Power
The collective deployment of human effort, enabled by digital technologies, emerges as a significant possibility in the expansive landscapes offered by the gig economy. Such possibility has several angles – clients may deploy this system as part of method to execute large projects, while gig workers may utilize this stance to individually participate in large projects that hinge on collective effort. The many models of such deployment could find representation inside flowcharts designed to examine the pros and cons of gig work. A flowchart, for instance, could portray a simple matrix that depicts the model detailed above. Alternatively, project operators could utilize these diagrams to fabricate unique models of co-operation suited for bespoke work projects. Hence, flowcharts enable granular construction and analysis for readers interested in the pros and cons of gig work.
- Leveraging Opportunity
Opportunities to enrich the intellect – and develop new skill sets – can arise at random during the work schedules of modern gig workers. Such opportunities could find creative application in the subsequent projects undertaken by workers, leading to higher quality of outcomes. For instance, gig workers engaged in complex, multi-stage projects may learn new ability in terms of managing time and other resources; such learning could boost their ability to qualitatively upgrade their contributions to projects in the future. However, retaining such learning could operate through structured diagrams, leading to the creation of illustration-based records. These, when dispersed among select groups of gig workers, bear potential to elevate the collective ability to execute work assignments offered by clients. This instance clearly underlines the utility of surveying the pros and cons of gig work.
- Importance of Timelines
A considered analysis of timelines appended to each project remains an essential activity necessary in gig work. Timelines may represent the quantum of effort invested by gig workers in projects and assignments; these may also serve to boost and develop the abilities of gig workers to manage the expectations of clients. The nature of timelines could undergo a measure of analysis inside flowcharts, wherein gig workers develop assessments of project requirements and the quanta of human/brain power necessary to complete assignments. Such analysis also empowers gig workers to design and allocate leisure time as part of the engagement matrix that fuels their progress (and participation) in the gig economy. Flowcharts can enable multiple lines of such analysis, and boost the ability of operatives to delineate the pros and cons of gig work.
- Thoughts on Remuneration
Remuneration for services rendered to clients may represent a negative aspect when we review the pros and cons of gig work. The process and extent of remuneration could include variables that may impinge on the cash flows of gig workers. In this context, flowcharts may find deployment as an instrument to measure the quality and quanta of remuneration; such measurements could enable workers to create fact-based assessments of their earning ability plotted against months and years. An outcome of such measurement may manifest in detailed plans to step up worker engagement with clients; such plans can help the individual worker to scale up earnings sourced from the gig economy. Such measurement may also empower workers to pitch for higher rates of payment during negotiations for subsequent client engagements. In this instance, the flowchart clearly serves as a platform that helps assess the pros and cons of gig work.
- Adjusting the Pace of Engagement
Demanding clients may elect to accelerate the pace of project execution undertaken by gig workers. Such scenarios may stress the ability of gig workers to deliver quality outcomes, and may also necessitate a re-alignment of timelines appended to different ongoing projects. This situation could be negative aspect of the gig economy, one that generates asymmetries in the gig operative’s work universe. Additionally, the sustained tempo of such demands may impact the client-worker relationship, leading to uneven dynamics in certain segments of the gig economy. Analysts of such economic activity may use flow diagrams to chart the operation of such dynamics, thereby positing a clear narrative on the pros and cons of gig work. In addition, flow diagrams could assist in developing best practices designed to remediate the scenarios described above.
- Multiplicity of Work Spaces
Gig workers may opt to work from shared work spaces as an alternative to working alone at home or inside domestic spaces. We may examine the idea of human contact (with co-workers, colleagues and supervisors) that remains a cornerstone of traditional office spaces. A flowchart could assist gig operatives evaluate the benefits of each mode of working, thus helping them make an informed choice as part of assessing the pros and cons of gig work. Flow diagrams could also emerge as training devices that encourage gig workers to build specific routines that enable a work-life balance. Additionally, workers may create diagrams as a means to develop hybrid work strategies in tune with the emerging requirements of gig work. Further, such illustrations could serve as a tool of professional development that equips workers to fine-tune the terms of their engagement with the gig economy.
- In Conclusion
These lines of exploration allow for a holistic understanding of the modern gig universe. Each instance furthers our grasp on the headline topic, and encourages us to develop and delineate the nuances of analysis and exploration. Such activity finds completion through the agency of flowcharts, and empowers workers to generate unique insights that may power a higher engagement with alternative modes of economic activity. Flow diagrams, and their interactions with the human mind and its many experiences, operate as stalwart enablers in each context.
