Uber, Deliveroo, and Other Semi-Self Employment
If you haven’t had the luxury of McDonald's delivered straight to your house by a man on a bike then you’re missing out (unless the idea of paying 2x for lukewarm fast food isn’t your idea of appetizing). Regardless of your opinion on paying for the added convenience of delivery of an already convenient meal fast-food meal, the industry is on the rise. Uber eats and Deliveroo fills a gap that for the longest time had no reason to be filled. These fast-food restaurants had no incentive to employ delivery drivers and so they didn't. It took a third party to take up this challenge, and in doing so, created a new form of employment.
Uber has over 3.5 million drivers worldwide. In order to become an Uber driver, all you need is a car and a license from a council that Uber is licensed to operate in. As Uber describes it “Uber is a great way to be your own boss and make money. “
The gig economy form of employment where you can pick and choose when you want to work completely and have no one to report to is very attractive to those who need extra money or flexibility. Office culture simply cannot match this way of living and for many in this kind of employment, it would be near impossible to go back.
The Hidden Cultural Shift Hitting the Work
A trend that has largely gone unnoticed, mainly because it would be nearly impossible to measure or calculate. To some, it may appear that people's willingness to work has fallen and that people are more ‘lazy’ these days, however, this is inaccurate. What is actually happening is that people value their self-worth more these days, prioritising friends, family, and time to experience the world. People also find that their identity is less connected to their employment; no longer is the first question that people ask new acquaintances “what do you do for a living”.
This emphasis on time away from work increases the relative attractiveness of jobs that are employee-oriented and allow flexibility. A start-up that demands employees come into the office 5 days a week is going to find it a lot harder to find skilled employees than their hybrid counterparts.
Office Work No Longer Offers the Progression it Once Did
If you ask around you will find that many older working people have stayed at their company for 20-30 years or more, and for their generation, it was the norm. The culture of starting at the bottom and working your way up by working hard and proving yourself has become more fantasy than reality. While still possible, millennials and those entering the workforce have found that their careers progress much much faster if they ‘job hop’; prove themselves in one company role and then find another better-paying role outside of that company. Currently, traditional office work offers very limited progression and they are feeling the impact of the wider workforce.
Tik Tok, Tik Tok, Tik Tok
Tik Tok is a reason all of its own. If you are a marketer and don’t actively use Tik Tok to promote your brand, you are probably not doing things optimally.
I’m sure you are aware that Tik Tok is huge, but it is truly ENORMOUS.
Tik Tok overtook GOOGLE as the most used website.
So why is Tik Tok hurting the old-school office culture? A huge part of Tik Tok was/is people posting about their hobbies. A couple of million followers later, these hobbies become their livelihood, their biggest income source. This is THE DREAM for millions of disenfranchised workers around the world, to get attention and $$$ for doing what they already wish they could be doing more of.
Never has it been easier to market yourself and build a personal brand. Tik Tok is so effective at getting eyes on products, for many it doesn’t make sense to stick to older methods of marketing.
Office Culture Hasn’t Evolved
9 to 5, five days a week, in the office simply isn’t attractive enough for many people these days. With petrol prices at an all-time high, commutes cost more than ever incentivizing work-from-home lifestyles. Big brands that have to maintain office cultures for more than fifty years are struggling with bloated middle management who act in self-interest and scare away new talent.
Office culture feels restrictive and leaves talented people out of the workforce.
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