Faced with increased demand from employees, investors and consumers to practice and not just talk about DEI in the workplace, businesses have started to make strides in the right direction. However, these changes almost exclusively relate to full-time employees. What about gig workers?
It’s a question worth asking because of the massive growth in the number of gig workers in recent years. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates at least 55 million U.S. adults make money through gig work. While the category includes highly specialized independent contractors, most gig work is for low-skilled labor. For example, Uber alone has created 3.5 million jobs.
As employers turn more frequently to hiring gig and contingent workers, they also need to consider how diversity, equity and inclusion affect them.
