The gig economy, which consists of workers who aren’t in traditional nine-to-five employment, is growing. Most people in the business world are aware of that, but what they might not know is how Generation Virtual is going to expand that gig economy exponentially. Generation Virtual, or Generation V, is nearly grown up now, and they’re projected to start their working lives in 2025. When they do that, many of them will do it in ways that aren’t the typical nine-to-five, corporate kinds of jobs. That’s going to materially change the game for both workers and businesses in new and exciting ways.
How is Generation Virtual Different?
Generation Virtual is the first generation that has completely grown up with technology. Never before have people entering the workforce used technology from their earliest memories. Because technology has been such a large part of what this generation has experienced, their ways of interacting are often different from other generations. For example, many of the members of Generation V prefer to interact and socialize online, as opposed to engaging in in-person activities. This generation has found ways to work online as well as socialize, and will add to the growing number of workers in the gig economy.
Technology is Making (Nearly) All Things Possible
With the increase in technology, there are things possible today that wouldn’t have even been imagined just a few short years ago. Holoportation allows an employee to attend a meeting as a hologram. Productivity apps track what you’re doing and how you could improve. The cloud gives you access to your files and other information, no matter where you’re located. With so many different things technology can do, it’s only logical that Generation Virtual will be using that technology to change the gig economy. The working world will go from 9-to-5 in an office to something far more open and global, adding value to life.
The Gig Economy is the Way of the Future
Even if you love to work for a brick-and-mortar company in a 9-to-5 capacity where you go to your office every day, there are many people who want something different for their employment. Generation Virtual is full of people who want to work remotely, work from home, travel while they work, and use the power of technology to make a living. These are people who will be part of the gig economy, and who will work for themselves as independent contractors instead of for companies as true employees. As more people choose this way of life, the working world itself will be forced to do things differently.
New Laws Might Not Hold Up to Scrutiny
Right now, there are some US laws that are looking to restrict the gig economy. A law called AB-5 in California is the most notable of these laws, but other states are trying to pass similar legislation. It’s unlikely that all of these laws will be passed or upheld without modification, though, because the gig economy is strong and growing. The members of Generation Virtual will stand against these kinds of laws, and as more people move into the gig economy there will be plenty of push-back against restricting gig workers. The growing wave of remote, at-home, and independent workers is here to stay.
The World Will Look Different When This Decade is Done
As 2020 gets its start and a new decade begins, it’s easy to see that things don’t look the same as they did at the start of the last decade. In 10 years, at the start of the following decade, things will look very different yet again. Technology is changing the workplace every day, and when Generation Virtual enters the workforce in 2025 technology will expand exponentially. That must be planned and prepared for, and should be noted so companies are ready for the changing level of technology when it occurs. Any company that doesn’t accept technology and the gig economy as the future may get left in the past.
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Michelle B. has worked as a professional freelance writer since the 1990s. During that time she has ghostwritten everything from product descriptions to full-length books. Her areas of specialization include real estate, legal topics, relationships, family life, and mental health issues, but she is also comfortable writing in a wide variety of other areas. She holds an associate’s degree in business management and a bachelor’s degree in legal administration.
