Essay on Gig Work

What is Gig Work, and what are the Opportunities and Threats? Do the two Jobs Advertisements be Described as Examples of Gig Work?

Gig work, or independent work, is a type of employment where an individual works on a project or task basis instead of the traditional employment arrangement. In gig work, employees are paid per project or task instead of regular wages or salary (Lehdonvirta, 2019). Gig work is often associated with self-employment, freelance work, and the gig economy.

In this case, the two job advertisements can be described as examples of gig work. Both adverts seek people to act as drivers, and the job is offered on task or project bases. In the first advert, the driver will be paid 35-70 euros, equivalent to 60% of the daily revenue. In the second advertisement, the driver paid a commission (12 EUR/h and 25 EUR/h on weekends). In both cases, the drivers will not be employed regularly but rather on an independent contract defined by the gig work’s feature.

Gig work offers benefits and drawbacks to individuals. One of the opportunities is that gig work is very flexible as a person has to work on their terms (Lehdonvirta, 2019). For instance, in the second job advert, there is no limited time for a person’s shifts. Flexibility enables workers to balance life with other aspects, such as personal responsibility or family. Additionally, gig work only requires a few experiences; thus, they employ individuals who do not have access to traditional forms of employment. Gig works provide a source of income for individuals who do not have access to traditional employment. However, gig work also presents some disadvantages and drawbacks. One threat is that it does not offer employment benefits such as paid leave, health insurance, and retirement plans. Gig works are unpredictable as work and income levels vary daily. Additionally, gig work presents the risks of exploitation, as some companies can take advantage of their status as independent contractors to avoid fair wages and benefits.

The role of Job Description and Person Specification lay in Recruitment and Selection.

The job description outlines the duties and responsibilities of a job. It describes the task required to be performed, the qualifications required for the vacancy, and the condition of employment. At the same time, a person’s specification outlines the significant qualifications, expiries, and personal qualities the best or ideal candidate should have. Bazana and Reddy (2021) posit that the main purpose of the job description and qualification is to ensure that recruitments and selection processes are objective, fair, and transparent.

In the first job advertisement, the job requirements section outlines the job description’s duties and qualifications for that position. It states that the person can be a man or woman aged 55 years and below, has a biometric passport, criminal record check, and category B. The duty is to work with Yandex Taxi, Bolt, and Uber, and they are expected to work a 12-hour shift per day. However, in this job advert, there is no separate person specification since there is no mention of any desirable personal qualities an ideal candidate should possess.

In the second Job advert, there is also a brief job description that outlines the nature of the task, which is driving a Bolt taxi in Kanaus. The adverts also state the job requirements as a category B license and at least two years of driving experience. The advertisements offer a brief job description and offer punctuality, courtesy, and responsibility as some of the personal specifications for the job.

Overall, employers in both adverts did not use personal qualifications in their job adverts. While Job adverts present a brief job description, it did not include information about the personal qualities required for the job. Job advertisement two also provided limited information about the nature of the work and limited personal specifications on the job description.

How Both Job Advertisements Should be Improved

For the first job advertisement, I would include more details about the job description by describing the tasks the drivers will be responsible for, such as picking up and dropping off passengers, ensuring passengers’ safety, and handling payments transaction. The job adverts could also include some personal specifications by outlining the desirable and essential qualifications required for the job, such as knowledge of the local area, good driving skills, and excellent communication and customer service skills. The advertisement would also be more effective if it provided more information about the working condition, such as the hours to work, expected workloads and the specific benefits offered.

For the second job advertisement, I could provide more details on the job description, outlining the duties and the responsibilities of the driver, such as providing reliable and safe transportation to passengers, ensuring vehicle maintenance and hygiene, and following companies’ procedures and rules. The advert should include more personal qualifications such as excellent navigation, good driving and communication skills, self-discipline, mechanic skills, and exceptional knowledge of traffic laws and regulations. The advertisements should also include more information, such as the commission rates, payment structure, expected earnings, and other benefits or incentives the company offers drivers.

In conclusion, gig work is independent work based on projects or tasks rather than the typical employment arrangement. In gigs, an individual is paid per task rather than wages and salaries. Gigs offer flexibility to workers and act as a good source of income for an individual unable to access formal employment. However, gig work can also be unpredictable as its quite uncertain and has an increased risk of exploitation. Employers can take advantage of their independent contractors to avoid giving fair compensation and benefits to their workers. In the recruitment process, job description and personal specification are significant to ensure an objective, fair, and transparent process. A job description outlines the duties and responsibilities of a job, while a personal specification outlines the key qualification, personal qualities, and experience that ideal applicants should have.

References

Bazana, S., & Reddy, T. (2021). A critical appraisal of the recruitment and selection process of the public protector in South Africa. SA Journal of Human Resource Management, 19, 1207. https://journals.co.za/doi/abs/10.4102/sajhrm.v19i0.1207

Lehdonvirta, V. (2019). Flexibility in the gig economy: managing time on three online piecework platforms. New Technology, Work and Employment, 33(1), 13-29.