what are gig workers

Gig workers are individuals who engage in income-earning activities outside of traditional, long-term employer-employee relationships. They are independent contractors, online platform workers, contract firm workers, on-call workers, and temporary workers. Gig workers enter into formal agreements with on-demand companies to provide services to the companys clients. Gig work offers high levels of flexibility, autonomy, task variety, and complexity. However, these jobs generally confer few employer-provided benefits and workplace protections. Gig work's appearance has been related to wide changes in the economy, such as advances in globalization and technology that put pressure on companies to respond quickly to market changes. The gig economy refers to the workforce of people engaged in freelance and side-hustle work. Gig workers usually find work through the internet and apps, and employers will post their company’s individual needs on job boards and be paired with a gig worker best suited for the position. Gig work is the primary source of income for more than one in 10 workers.