A gig worker refers to someone who earns income through temporary or short-term engagements, usually outside of the traditional employer-employee relationship. They’re part of the rapidly growing “gig economy,” which thrives on platforms that connect them with work opportunities in various sectors.
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In a latest survey focused on understanding indicators of financial health for the gig workers, it was found that among several groups delivery drivers suffer or have suffered from financial hardships but still believe they have control over their financial situation.
This article attempts to bring insights from experts on how Indian gig workers can earn extra income in the year 2024.
Vidyarthi Baddireddy, co-founder and CEO at PickMyWork; Sashi Kumar, head of sales, Indeed and Anshul Khurana, co-founder of Entitled Solutions, suggest different approaches to earn extra and increase the financial protection of gig workers who are contributing significantly to the day-today lives of the people.
Vidyarthi Baddireddy, co-founder and CEO at PickMyWork, said, “Indian gig workers in 2024 have a multitude of opportunities to boost their income across various sectors. By signing up on gig work applications, individuals can explore diverse avenues.”
“For instance, in the service sector, gig workers can venture into food delivery through apps like Zomato or Swiggy, while transportation gigs are abundant on Uber and Ola. Notably, specialised platforms present distinct opportunities, especially in sales gigs for internet companies, enabling gig workers to potentially earn three times more per hour than traditional delivery gigs.”
Baddireddy added that capitalising on festive seasons is another avenue for higher payouts. Businesses often offer special promotions and discounts, attracting more customers and creating increased demand for gig services.
“Savvy gig workers can strategically align their efforts with the festive fervour, catering to the heightened needs of consumers celebrating occasions. Part-time workers can make the most of their office commutes by engaging in gigs, turning unproductive time into additional income.”
For full-time gig workers, Baddireddy suggests that they are encouraged to diversify their gig portfolio to increase earnings. Additionally, emphasising comprehensive upskilling is crucial for sustained growth in the gig economy, ensuring workers remain competitive across various sectors and adaptable to evolving market demands, he added.
Sashi Kumar, head of sales, Indeed, highlights that workers in the gig-verse are no longer aiming to acquire expertise in just one area but are instead cultivating proficiency in multiple skills.
“While in-demand hard skills vary across sectors, most employers are inclined to hire workers who possess soft skills such as adaptability, teamwork, and strong communication skills. Acquiring such skills not only enhances one’s hiring prospects but also opens the door to better-paying opportunities,” Kumar added.
Kumar pointed out that the gig economy is highly susceptible to market changes due to the contractual basis of work. Furthermore, rapid technological changes are also constantly reshaping job requirements. As a result, upskilling becomes increasingly important to avoid facing challenges associated with skill mismatch.
“Initiatives in 2024 should focus on long-term learning programs, accessible training opportunities and educational collaborations across all tiers,” Kumar underlined.
Anshul Khurana, the co-founder of Entitled Solutions, feels that the sustainability for gig workers has been called into question with income levels normalising over the last year or so.
He suggests gig workers will need to look at ways to maximise income levels and the following could be helpful:
- Maximise efficiency: Gig platforms pay incentives for peak/odd hours as well as completing a certain number of tasks in a day, ensuring that workers have a complete understanding of the incentive structure could be helpful. Along with this, understanding the busiest hubs could help minimise the waiting time between tasks and help maximise workers’ efficiency.
- Identify secondary income sources: The market has several secondary gig opportunities and tapping these opportunities could help maximise income. An example of such an opportunity could be working with a milk delivery platform for a couple of hours in the morning and then moving on to work with another platform for the full day.
- Sign up for other referral opportunities: Some other referral opportunities could also help workers earn additional income while on the job. An interesting example of this could be a mapping company allowing workers to mark physical infrastructure on the map and earn a certain amount every time they do that, this is something that the worker can do along with the primary job and earn an additional amount.
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