Wonder

Research Outline

Prepared for Alex H. | Delivered October 8, 2019

Multicultural Gig Economy Market

Goals

To provide a demographic and psychographic profile of multi-cultural gig economy participants in order to pitch a tech company that brings together people seeking work

Early Findings

DEMOGRAPHICS Hispanic and African American adults are more likely to earn money through the gig economy than white adults. 

 31% of Hispanics, 27% of African Americans, and just 21% of white adults earn via gig work. 
 
 Younger workers are more likely to participate in the gig economy, with 38% of gig participants being between age 18-34. 
 
There are more men working in the gig economy (31% of men compared to 18% of women), however women are more likely to have a gig job to supplement their primary income (56% compared to 51% of men). 
 
 It was noted that the type of gig work varies by racial demographic, with African Americans, Hispanics, and people of color more likely to be temps and contract employees, and freelancers and consultants more likely to be white. 

 Black workers were twice as likely to be on zero-hour contracts then white workers, and black women in particular have increasingly sought gig work, which is potentially linked to discrimination in traditional workplaces. 

Gig workers were most likely to live in the following states;  California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Illinois.
PSYCHOGRAPHICSGig work was the primary source of income for 44% of participants, however this varied by race, with over 55% of African American workers having gig work as their primary source of income, 47% of Hispanic Americans, and only 41% of white workers. 

 56% of gig workers see their work as just a job, and gig employees were more likely to feel stuck financially than in a traditional job. 
 
There is also a higher level of anxiety in gig work, with those who have gig work as a primary income most likely to experience fear around missing auto payments or having unexpected bills. 
 
 People of color were more likely to accept non-traditional gig work that was lower paid and had less flexibility, due to discrimination in traditional jobs leaving them with fewer options. 

 Over 50% of gig workers didn't have access to employer provided benefits. 
 
 More multicultural participants were likely to select gig work not by choice, but because they had been pushed out of the traditional employment sector due to discrimination, which leads some to believe the gig economy could exacerbate racial inequality.