How to Encourage Gig Workers at Your Organisation
India is still, a growing economy and job market have remained constrained. The employee behaviour in an organization continues to be largely guided by fear of the employer and hence it is taking time for more independence to flow in the employee approach and organizational behaviour. The conventional approach of being a disciplined, loyal and hardworking employee burning mid-night oil / enslaved 24×7 is starting to see penetration to give way to living and enjoying life with family and friends now. Employees want to live in present unlike the earlier vision of working for retirement and building wealth. We are seeing a clear shift in philosophy from the fulfilment of basic needs to the next levels of physiological and self-actualization needs.
“The change is already starting to be more visible in the metropolis in India where the businesses are largely overwhelmed with the IT boom. It is largely being envisaged that Innovation and creativity cannot be restricted within the realms of the boundaries and requires to be provided wings for the best outcomes.”
The increasing tendency of the new Gen-Y and Gen-Z to have a better Work-Life balance and to go entrepreneurial is dominatingly emerging with the World market opening and Multinationals finding a way to India. While comparisons of work practices of these matured economies have become rampant the difference of the cultures and seamless adoption of these are to be much weighed before implementation.Â
With this, Organisations have evolved to accept that the conventional shift timings restricting employees to align their work schedules to them are no longer the best way to operate. The traditional approach of cajoling employees to fall in line with organizational requirements is no more a motivating factor and is not necessarily providing the best productivity. Working at ORGANIZATION OF CHOICE and doing WORK WHICH INTERESTS individuals are seemingly clear changes in employee behaviour, and youngsters do not mind pursuing them. This has shown wind already to theories of LOYALTY and LEADER WORSHIP. Employee diversity is on the up and Convenience has started taking roots in individual decisions.
While the above are the behavioural changes, the nature of work has also evolved and the load of work in an organization is fluctuating with the VOLATILE economy. This has created a real need to have flexible resources where the earlier policy of HIRE UNTIL RETIRE cannot be pursued as the longevity/ steadiness of load is not guaranteed. The model followed could be one of having fixed resources for the minimum payload where the CORE of the organization may be concentrated, and the overheads are OUTSOURCED and or deployed through resources hired for timebound assignments. This allows the organization to breathe, inhale and exhale based on requirements.
Marrying the two thought processes related to Individual and the Organization provides a WIN-WIN situation for both and allows the organization to adapt to requirements. For individuals yearning for flexibility, the above model provides the solution.
Organization have started understanding the above and are taking steps towards it. However, they are yet to design a structure that provides a balanced solution and comfort to the flexible manpower, barring a few. This has led to a scenario where individuals on flexible engagements with good skillsets are having a high level of turnover. The tag of a PERMANENT job is what they strive for not knowing that nothing TODAY is permanent in jobs – PUBLIC or PRIVATE.
To counter the insecurity, if remuneration is positioned at par or much above, with equivalent skill employees, on REGULAR positions, in the organization will deem respect to the GIG nature and people will be attracted to it and would not mind going idle when nothing exists for them. E.g. BECHTEL in India deploys this strategy for Design centres where GIG workers are paid on Manhour cost which turns out to be more than the salary cost if the person is employed on regular rolls. Some of the MNC’s and Indian organizations deploy the same strategy when supporting the design centres one BU to another in the same business house but these costs are only booked into financials and actual salary payout to the employee sticks to the organization norms, thus showing profit and revenue through services in the books. These organizations are reluctant to offer the same manhour cost to agencies/ individuals deployed externally unless compelled and are therefore unable to provide a VALUE PROPOSITION.
Freelancers, Female unemployed professionals prefer to undertake assignments that are time-bound and in the shape of projects and are not scared to take assignments larger than they can handle as an individual and are roping in like-minded professionals to help. Individuals are available to work on a part-time basis, a time-bound basis, and this availability can be well-capitalized by the organizations. Providing a structure to outsource assignments, which are not of a regular nature or for which the regular team has difficulty in finding time (due to pre-existing engagements), making it an attractive value proposition, will provide an organization with the desired flexibility, speed, and productivity thus developing internal and external strengths, encouraging peaceful co-existence.
This process will help the organization keep itself lean, avoid overheads but still exhibit strength in execution. The GIG arrangements require administrative efforts much more than regular nature employment, but digitalisation can help overcome the same with comfortable ease. The legislation in the country are already looking at an overhaul and we are likely to see more flexible structure in them to support future zing.