Profit. Innovation. Greed.
Welcome to the gig economy.
Between Uber drivers and Airbnb hosts, freelance jobs are becoming an increasingly prominent part of our economy.
Gigged goes inside the Silicon Valley companies leading the way to this emerging ‘gig economy’. It tells the stories of the workers – from computer programmers to online comment moderators – who are getting by in a new wave of precarious, short-term employment. And it sketches out what tomorrow’s economy might look like: one where the fortunate get to work when they want, how they want, while the rest live lives of extraordinary hardship.
It might just be the future of work for all of us.
Review
What does working in the new “gig economy” of flexibility combined with insecurity feel like? This excellent book by the journalist Sarah Kessler will help those who have no experience of this way of earning a living appreciate the answer. This new labour market offers a measure of freedom and opportunity. But it also does not allow people to make the plans they need if they are to lead a fulfilled life. Reform must come. — Martin Wolf, Books of the Year ― Financial Times
Sarah Kessler’s wonderful book offers unprecedented illumination of the promise, and the peril, of the gig economy by taking a deep and intimate dive into the day-to-day lives of the workers who rely on it. The resulting insights are important and often troubling. — Martin Ford, author of RISE OF THE ROBOTS
With deep reporting and graceful storytelling, Sarah Kessler reveals the ground truth of a key part of the American workforce. Her analysis is both astute and nuanced, making Gigged essential reading for anyone interested in the future of work. — Daniel H. Pink, author of WHEN and DRIVE
In this well-researched and beautifully written book, Sarah Kessler provides a very accessible but sophisticated analysis of the “gig economy”. While vividly telling moving stories about individual hardships and achievements, it provides a broad perspective that helps us see the gig economy as the latest manifestation of the long-running historical struggle over power, security and risk between different classes. It is essential reading for anyone who is interested in understanding the future of our economy and society. — Ha-Joon Chang, author of 23 THINGS THEY DON’T TELL YOU ABOUT CAPITALISM
Kessler illuminates a great divide: For people with desirable skills, the gig economy often permits a more engaging, entrepreneurial lifestyle; but for the unskilled who turn to such work out of necessity, it’s merely ‘the best of bad options.’ ― Harvard Business Review
About the Author
Sarah Kessler is a deputy editor at Quartz, where she writes about the future of work. She was previously senior associate editor at Fast Company and before that associate editor at Mashable. Her writing has appeared in publications including Inc., Salon, and USA Today.
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