Gig economy

The gig economy describes a labour market based on short-term assignments ("gigs") rather than permanent employment.

Examples:

• Mobility: Uber, Bolt (rides)
• Delivery: Lieferando, Wolt, Gorillas (food/groceries)
• Freelancing: Fiverr, Upwork (design, writing, programming)
• Microjobs: Amazon Mechanical Turk (small digital tasks)
• Trades: MyHammer (jobs for craftspeople)

Advantages:

✅ Maximum flexibility (work when you want)
✅ Quick start (no application process)
✅ Additional income alongside your main job

Disadvantages:

❌ No health insurance (as a self-employed person you pay it yourself)
❌ No pension entitlements
❌ No protection against dismissal, no holidays
❌ Income uncertain and often low (Lieferando: approx. €10–13/hour)