The magazine for alumni and friends of the UB School of Management
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Kate Bezrukova, associate professor of organization and human resources, says this isn't the last we'll hear of legislation like AB5. "Expect more states to follow California's lead, since the federal government has done little to nothing on this and le it to states to regulate," she says. She also says that moving forward, the question is less about how companies will classify employees, and more about how long the jobs will even be there. "These could be very temporary jobs anyways, as companies focus more on arti- ficial intelligence to do these types of tasks," says Bezrukova. "For example, self-driving cars may take over soon, eliminating the need for drivers in ride-sharing gigs and school bus drivers altogether." In the meantime, she says companies should focus on retraining employees for the technical jobs that may see significant growth, such as maintenance for robots and distribu- tion of hardware for AI. "It's like when the computer revolution hit decades ago—there was great fear that comput- ers would replace people," says Bezrukova. "But work just shied and IT positions grew because we needed more support for our computers and networking." Looking ahead, economist Isaac Ehrlich says gig work will grow—and be a benefit during tough financial times. "The gig economy will be subject to cycli- cal fluctuation, much like that of the traditional labor market—but not necessarily in the same direction," he says. "Gig work can counteract the sharp decline in traditional employment during a recession because of the flexibility it provides." Flexibility for the economy and for the people working in it—like Nejame doing his dog sitting and Argentine in management consulting—thanks to the gig economy. MAKE SOME EXTRA MONEY: Create a side hustle. Turn your creativity into cash by selling products in large online marketplaces like Etsy. If you'd rather sell a professional service, try Upwork or Fiverr for freelancing or Bench for accounting and bookkeeping. Cash in your commute. Be an Uber or Lyft driver to turn your daily drive into paying ride-sharing opportunities along the way. Knowledge is power. Offer your academic expertise and earn money as an online tutor at TutorSpree. LEVERAGE EXPERTISE: Hire a personal assistant. Whether you're looking for ongoing help or a one-time assist, gig-assistants can help you optimize your schedule so you can spend your time and energy on what really matters. Try TaskRabbit, Instacart or Zirtual to improve your productivity. Give a one-of-a-kind gift. Use Upwork for graphic design or hire a songwriter at AirGigs. 5 WAYS TO MAKE THE GIG ECONOMY WORK FOR YOU 1 2 3 4 5 — Kevin Manne Kate Bezrukova If you're intrigued by the gig economy and want to try it out for yourself, Bob Neubert, director of entrepreneurship academic programs, has five tips to help you get started. Spring 2020 Buffalo Business 15