While gradual, such a move can be catastrophic for organizations unless they have the template ready to adjust to the new norm. Even today, many organizations depend on independent contractors and gig workers for several tasks. While it exempts them from having to pay benefits, there is a need for them to undertake behaviour training or gig economy training to ensure that they perform their tasks well.
This article discusses the challenges gig workers face and the need for behavioural training to help them upskill and perform their tasks optimally.
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The growing importance of gig workers
The scope of the gig economy has grown manifold times in the last decade or so. But what do we mean by gig workers exactly? For example, do you order food via an app, buy homemade food, or book a taxi driver? In most cases, the person delivering the service would be a freelancer or a gig worker. Essentially, a gig economy is an economy that emphasizes a lot on flexibility and uses digital platforms to exchange labor and resources.
A NITI Aayog report released in June 2022 stated that India had around 7.7 million gig workers in 2020-21. The number is expected to grow stupendously in the next few years and is projected to reach approximately 23.5 million by 2029-30. If we talk globally, a Mastercard report states that the number of global gig workers stood at 43 million in 2018 and is expected to grow more than 2x to 78 million by 2023.
Challenges Faced by Gig Workers and the Need for Behavioural Training
Given the scenario, gig workers inadvertently act as a link between you and your customer. So, it is imperative for them to have excellent communication skills and ensure a superior customer experience.
These people often do not have the financial resources or access to other resources to help them understand how to contribute to your organizationās cause. So, it becomes the unsaid duty of the employers hiring them to help them mitigate these issues.
Unfortunately, 52% of gig workers do not receive behavioural training or any other upskilling training, as found by an EY survey. As for organizations, they are often in the dilemma of whether or not to train these workers instead of focusing on āhowā to teach them.
It is because many of these people are doing these gigs to generate income to fund their primary purpose, such as education. In other cases, many of these individuals were previous employees who no longer want to move upward on the career ladder but are looking to do something independently and are focusing on improved time management.
Given that these gigs are often temporary, these workers are not supported by perquisites, such as sick pay, pension, or HRA, otherwise enjoyed by the salaried class. It further augments the need to train them and help them achieve a sustainable lifestyle.
Topics on Which Gig Workers Require Training
Given how gig culture has developed, it has its fair share of shortcomings. One of the biggest worries of organizations hiring freelancers is maintaining the sense of cohesion and community they otherwise manage seamlessly in a more conventional, office-based environment.
The workers also fear losing out on creativity that can otherwise augur from human interactions in an official environment. Organizations need to collaborate with these workers to ensure they do not feel left out and conduct gig economy training to help them exhibit a sense of belonging.
Another major worry is the sense of loneliness among gig workers. The numbers also prove it – lonely workers are 2x more likely to think about quitting their job and are twice more prone to missing work because of illnesses. The lack of connection has even resulted in some companies reporting an annual churn as high as 500%. It is another hurdle that needs to be overcome using behavioural training for gig workers.
Benefits of Behavioural Training
Here are some benefits that gig workers can enjoy from behavioural training –
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It helps mitigate communication and behaviour-related shortcomings
We all have encountered rude Uber drivers, delivery agents who do not care about parcels, and many other patterns common with gig workers. These signify the shortcomings of the organizations hiring them, and some of these issues can easily be addressed via behavioural training. These courses can help workers understand how to effectively communicate with customers without coming across as rude.
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They learn to manage time efficiently
A large chunk of gig workers has opted for freelancing because they want a better work-life balance. Robust behavioural training can help them learn more about the nuances of time and its management. It allows them to set their priorities right and handle difficult situations to tackle and mitigate unwanted delays.
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It helps bring consistency
While gig workers or freelancers are effectively devoid of certain standards that officegoers have to adhere to, the fact that they are the link between the organization and the customers makes them liable. Giving them proper gig economy training will enable you to convey your expectations and prepare these workers to exhibit a behaviour pattern that aligns with your brand experience across other channels.
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It keeps them motivated
Behavioural training helps gig workers understand how to identify their personal goals and the steps to achieve them and is a crucial enabler in providing a sense of motivation. A motivated employee, permanent or temporary, can perform multiple times better than their potential and cut through challenges with greater ease.
Keep All Your Behavioural Training Concerns at Bay with Centum Learning
In this world of cutthroat competition, the minutest things often make the most significant difference. Having a trained gig worker instead of an untrained one can help you achieve a competitive advantage and is equally beneficial for your temporary staff.
We at Centum Learning offer behavioural training programs that can benefit gig workers, helping to train your employees efficiently and empower them to shape their future success.
