Welcome to the fourth post in our ‘Tech for Good’ series! Today, we’ll explore the gig economy’s intersection with social responsibility and how startups and nonprofits can harness its potential. After that, I’ll provide a glimpse into the tools or technologies that can be employed, offering new opportunities and challenges in pursuing solutions that have a positive impact.
Based on your own experiences (or if you’ve read the previous three posts in this series), it’s probably clear that using tech for good can look different in any given scenario and from project to project. And guess what? Figuring out how to harness the gig economy’s powers to build social impact is no different! We have to be more intentional about what we are trying to do.
So whether you’re building solutions with existing tools (hello citizen development!), leveraging a new technology with a product, brainstorming plans, bridging communication gaps, building digital teams, modernizing operations, or something else, the gig economy can help!
Ultimately, the goal is to understand better the gig economy and how it can empower startups and nonprofits to build solutions that improve our world.
Key Points:
- This “Tech for Good” series explores the gig economy and social responsibility.
- Learn how startups and nonprofits harness on-demand talent.
- Discover tools and technologies for positive impact.
Let’s get to it!
Table of contents
What is the Gig Economy?
The gig economy (also known as the freelance or on-demand economy) represents a labor market characterized by short-term, flexible engagements rather than traditional, long-term employment. In this ecosystem, individuals, often freelancers or gig workers, take on independent projects, tasks, or “gigs” for various clients or companies. This shift from traditional full-time employment offers both workers and organizations increased flexibility and adaptability.
For workers, participating in the gig economy means the freedom to choose when, where, and how they work, providing a work-life balance that aligns with their preferences. On the organizational side, with a Talent Strategy, businesses can access a diverse talent pool on a project-by-project basis, optimizing costs and resources.
Key features of the gig economy include:
- Platforms connecting freelancers with opportunities.
- The prevalence of short-term contracts or freelance work.
- The utilization of technology to facilitate seamless collaboration and communication.
Understanding the gig economy is essential as it is pivotal in reshaping how work is approached and completed. For example, it offers creative and innovative solutions to staffing needs for startups and nonprofits and improves your talent pool. Now, let’s explore how this transformative model intersects with social responsibility, particularly for startups and nonprofits.
The Gig Economy: A Game-Changer for Social Good
How does the gig economy align with using tech for good? The answer lies in its transformative impact on small tech startups and nonprofits. For startups, it provides access to specialized talent on-demand, allowing efficient scaling. Simultaneously, nonprofits can tap into professionals passionate about their causes.
Overall, the gig economy has revolutionized how small tech startups and nonprofits leverage the power of technology for social good. Startups can efficiently scale their operations by providing access to specialized talent on demand. Similarly, nonprofits can connect with professionals who are passionate about their cause, driving impactful social change. Upwork and Toptal are two platforms that connect freelancers and skilled professionals with tech projects. More specifically, Upwork connects startups with freelancers, and Toptal provides on-demand talent for tech projects.
A Quick Note
Below, I’ll break each example into its perspective based on industry and how the org may possibly harness certain technologies towards social good, considering what they already do. Then, in the following section, we’ll take it one step further and list some available technologies that would apply to the scenario. Please note that I have not contacted the companies to confirm they use these tools as displayed in the examples below or in context otherwise. The suggestions are based on my knowledge as a senior project manager and solutions architect specializing in citizen development and gathered based on other projects I’ve worked on.
Nonprofit Perspective
Example 1: Upwork for Nonprofits
Many nonprofits need more resources to hire full-time staff. Enter Upwork, a platform connecting organizations with freelancers worldwide. Nonprofits can leverage Upwork to access a pool of specialized talent for short-term projects, from graphic design to digital marketing. This flexibility allows nonprofits to scale their teams as needed, ensuring they have the right expertise for various initiatives.
Tech Startup Perspective
Example 2: Toptal
In the competitive landscape of tech startups, having a skilled and agile workforce is crucial. Toptal offers a platform connecting startups with top freelancers in software development, design, and other tech domains. By tapping into Toptal, startups can quickly assemble a team of experts for specific projects, accelerating product development and innovation. This on-demand model aligns with the fast-paced nature of startups, offering efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Leveraging the Gig Economy: A Blueprint for Success
In the evolving gig economy, nonprofits and tech startups find innovative solutions to challenges by leveraging on-demand talent through platforms like Upwork and Toptal. For nonprofits, Upwork becomes a gateway to specialized skills, offering flexibility in project execution. Similarly, Toptal empowers tech startups to assemble expert teams quickly, ensuring agility in product development.
Before harnessing the gig economy’s power for your benefit, consider the following:
- Identify Specialized Needs:
- Nonprofits: Pinpoint-specific skills required for short-term projects to address critical needs efficiently without a long-term commitment.
- Startups: Recognize the technical expertise necessary for rapid innovation and product development. Use the gig economy to fill skill gaps promptly.
- Explore On-Demand Platforms:
- Nonprofits: Use platforms like Upwork to connect with freelancers globally and leverage their expertise for tasks ranging from design to digital marketing.
- Startups: Use platforms like Toptal to access top-tier talent in software development, design, and other tech domains. Assemble dynamic teams for specific projects.
- Leverage Collaboration Tools:
- Nonprofits: Use tools like Zoom, Slack, Trello, Microsoft 365, or Google Meet to facilitate communication and collaboration with freelancers. Each tool offers different features, so be sure to do your research. For example, many nonprofits I’ve seen are “Microsoft first.” Issues can arise if your consultant uses different tools.
- Startups: Harness GitHub, Slack, JIRA, Google Workspace, and Asana to streamline project management, code collaboration, and real-time communication with your remote team members.
- Balance Flexibility and Social Impact for Change Management:
- Nonprofits: Embrace the gig economy’s flexibility to address urgent needs without the long-term commitment of hiring full-time staff. Also, ensure that projects align with your organization’s social impact goals.
- Startups: Leverage the gig economy to remain agile in the fast-paced startup environment. Also, be intentional about balancing commitments that create innovative solutions.
Drawing Inspiration from Examples
Drawing inspiration from the nonprofit and tech startup examples, you can brainstorm solutions tailored to your specific context. Leverage readily available tools and technologies to enhance collaboration, tap into specialized skills, and embrace the gig economy’s potential for flexibility and social impact.
The gig economy offers a dynamic and scalable workforce model that transcends traditional organizational structures. Navigating the nonprofit sector, driving a tech startup, pursuing a personal project, or exploring the gig economy can unlock efficiency, innovation, and positive social change opportunities in many ways. Since this is a tech-for-good series, let’s look at readily available tools based on a nonprofit or startup scenario.
Potential Tools to Use in an Upwork for Nonprofits Scenario:
- Salesforce: Salesforce is a customer relationship management (CRM) tool that can help nonprofits efficiently manage donor relationships, track engagements, and streamline operations.
- Mailchimp: This email marketing tool can help nonprofits conduct effective email marketing campaigns to engage donors and promote a cause to a broader audience.
- QuickBooks: Helps with accounting and financial management, expense tracking, and transparent accounting practices.
- Canva: An excellent graphic design tool ideal for nonprofits that must create visually appealing graphics for marketing materials, social media, and other efforts.
- SurveyMonkey: A well-known survey and feedback collection tool that helps gather valuable feedback, conduct surveys, and assess community needs. Tip: If your nonprofit is “Microsoft first,” use Forms and make it more intuitive with its branching settings.
- Google Ad Grants: An online advertising platform for nonprofits that helps them promote their causes worldwide by running online advertising campaigns, increasing visibility, and reaching a wider audience.
Potential Technology Usage in a Toptal Scenario:
- Hootsuite: is one of two social media management tools on this list (the other is Buffer). This tool is generally for larger enterprises that need to streamline social media efforts, schedule posts, and analyze performance metrics.
- Buffer: is a social media scheduling and analytics tool ideal for smaller tech startups that want to strategically schedule social media posts and analyze engagement data to optimize marketing efforts. Pssst: Here’s a Social Media 101 podcast I participated in.
- Airtable: is a project and task management tool that facilitates real-time collaboration and promotes efficient project development.
- Zendesk: is a customer support and help desk tool that integrates with your existing stack to help you better manage help desk ops, nix communication gaps, and improve customer experience.
- Figma: is a collaborative design tool that facilitates design and prototyping, which is essential for tech startups that focus on user interface and experience.
- Monday.com: is a versatile platform for project management and team collaboration. It can help tech startups become (and stay) organized and efficient.
The Gig Economy: Solving Problems and Taking Names!
So, by embracing the gig economy, nonprofits and tech startups can find highly skilled employees more efficiently. As a result, they can better address specific challenges and harness the power of a dynamic, on-demand workforce. This flexible model offers opportunities for cost-effective scaling, access to specialized skills, and the ability to drive social impact. By leveraging platforms like Upwork and Toptal, orgs can navigate the gig economy terrain and advance their missions more efficiently.
What opportunities lie in the gig economy for your startup or nonprofit? How can you leverage flexible work models to advance your mission and create a dynamic, impact-driven workforce?
Still unsure? Click each link below to see how both companies have changed lives through the gig economy.
- Upwork – 2022 Impact Report
- Toptal – Impact Initiatives
The Takeaway
Overall, we’ve only touched the surface regarding the gig economy’s synergy with social responsibility and how it can help transform the landscape for startups and nonprofits. The gig economy offers a new dynamic workforce to help empower orgs to scale more efficiently and tap into specialized talent. For companies, it’s a good reason to consider a PMO. More importantly, developing new ideas to build solutions tailored toward positive change is up to us. The key takeaway? The gig economy isn’t just a labor market evolution—it can be a game-changer for those seeking and striving to make a difference.
Next Up: Part 5 – Data-Driven Decision-Making: The Heartbeat of Tech for Good
P.S. Here are more posts in this series.
- Part 6 – Cybersecurity and Data Privacy: Safeguarding Your Mission
- Part 7 – Accessibility: A Tech for Good Imperative
- Part 8 – Upskilling and Reskilling: Empowering Communities for Change
- Part 9 – The Evolving Role of Employee Engagement in Tech for Good Initiatives
Also, you don’t need to read this series in order, but if you’d like to, below are the previous posts:
- Part 1 – Technology for Good: A Guide to Creating Positive Change in Startups and Nonprofits
- Part 2 – Harnessing AI and Automation for Social Impact
- Part 3 – Digital Collaboration and Remote Work: Changing the Face of Nonprofits and Startups
