In 2050, Will Gig Economy Workers Answer to Robo-Bosses?

In 2050, it is possible that up to 5bn of the 6bn workers worldwide will be employed in the gig economy and their boss could be a piece of software.

As freelancers, they are likely to be working from home on 20 projects with as many teams or companies. This will increase the importance of collaborative working and professional networks, flattening traditional hierarchies in organisations as most people no longer have a formal boss to help advance their careers.

At the same time, as technology develops, interaction between humans and machines will increase. More basic management tasks, such as checking project progress, will be completed by software, reducing the need for mid-level leaders.

Vocabulary:

gig economy – a labor market filled with short-term contracts, temporary projects, or independent freelance jobs rather than permanent, full-time positions, “Driving for a ride-sharing app or doing online graphic design are common ways to earn money in the gig economy.”

freelancers – people who are self-employed and sell their work or services to various different companies rather than being hired by just one boss, “Many writers and photographers prefer to work as freelancers so they can choose their own hours.”

collaborative working – a method where individuals or teams combine their skills and work together closely to finish a project or achieve a goal, “The new online tools made collaborative working much easier for team members living in different countries.”

professional networks – groups of business contacts and connections that people build to share industry information, advice, and job opportunities, “Attending industry conferences is a great way to expand your professional networks.”

flattening traditional hierarchies – reducing the number of management levels or ranks within a company so that employees have more direct communication and equal power, “By removing three layers of middle management, the startup is flattening traditional hierarchies to make decisions faster.”

advance their careers – to move forward, get promotions, or achieve higher status and better positions in one’s professional life, “Taking evening classes to learn data analysis helped him advance his career.”

mid-level leaders – managers, supervisors, or department heads who sit between top executive bosses and the everyday workers, “The mid-level leaders were responsible for explaining the company’s new safety goals to the frontline staff.”