Five Success Constraints: What Makes Success in the Gig Economy Challenging?

We identified five key factors that have the potential to hinder workers in their pursuit of success in the gig economy:

(1) Time constraints (2) Lack of routine (3) Lack of skill building resources (4) Lack of structural guidance in navigating career success and (5) Emotional stressors

With all the opportunities and flexibilities that gig work platforms offer, the pursuit of success is a thrilling endeavor. In our previous post, we uncovered the five elements for success in gig work platforms: (1) flexibility in managing time and space, (2) financial stability in work and employment, (3) opportunities for continuous professional development, (4) personal and professional fulfillment, and (5) autonomy.

However, achieving success can also be a daunting journey. We all admire those who seem to effortlessly conquer gig work platforms, but beneath the surface lie a series of challenges that make this path far from easy for many. In this post, we will delve deeper into these limitations, which we like to call the ‘Five Platform Success Constraints’ .

* We draw interview quotes from Digital Work Group’s multi-year longitudinal academic study.

🕒 Time Constraints

Time is a precious commodity for gig workers, and even more so for online freelancers. The allure of working from anywhere at any time is counterbalanced by the need to be constantly available. Balancing work, personal life, and individual goals can be tricky when hustling on a platform. With the never-ending deadlines and the 24/7 nature of the internet, time management becomes a critical skill to master. Online freelancers we interviewed shared their challenging experiences in which they must learn to allocate their time effectively, prioritize tasks, and maintain a sense of work-life equilibrium.

“Time management is always a challenge because you’re the Genie in the bottle. People want something and they want it yesterday and then that can be kind of challenging. When you’re a freelancer you aren’t really bound to any particular time zone. I’ve done work for people all over the world and I don’t mind the different time zones. It’s fine; I’m totally cool with it. But just as a person, as a human, you have to figure out, so when am I going to sleep.” ㅡ P15

🔄 Lack of Routine

Traditional 9-to-5 jobs provide structure and predictability, which can be comforting. In gig work platforms, however, sustaining a routine can be elusive. With projects and clients coming and going, and work that often spans various time zones, maintaining a consistent daily schedule can be challenging. This lack of routine can disrupt work-life balance and make it harder to find stability in your career. To overcome this constraint, online freelancers strive to create their own routines, setting boundaries and establishing habits that help them navigate the ever-changing landscape of platform work.

The challenge has been, I guess, somewhat the lack of routine, and then just trying to train myself to be a little bit more flexible.[…] I came from a very rigid structure, constant appointments type of environment, so whenever I first started out, I really expected things to still be that way, and it took a little while to transition into saying all right, today I’m going to be working nine to five hours, but tomorrow I might not be able to work until two-thirty to nine, or something. ㅡ P2

📚 Lack of Skill Building Resources

Staying ahead of the curve is vital in the gig economy, where technology and trends evolve rapidly. However, the sheer abundance of information doesn’t always translate into useful skill-building resources. It can be challenging to identify and access quality skill building resources that are relevant to your platform work. To overcome this constraint, online freelancers are actively seeking out learning opportunities, leveraging online courses, learning from more advanced freelancers on social media, and staying curious and adaptable to acquire and refine the skills needed for success.

If it’s something that I’m familiar with already, then picking up the information that I find online is fairly easy. […] There are some things you just can’t learn online. You would have to go to school, so that’s a challenge. Then there are just things that I don’t know […]so I have to reach out to other people to supply me with information that I’ll need. ㅡ P9

🗺️ Lack of Structural Career Guidance

Traditional careers often come with clear paths to success. In the gig economy, however, the road can be blurry. Navigating your career can feel like walking in a maze without a map, as there may be no prescribed route to success in platform-mediated work. This lack of structural guidance can be disorienting and lead to feelings of uncertainty, but workers look for advice and support on their unique journey. Online freelancers try to set clear goals, seek mentorship, and join communities of like-minded individuals to address this challenge.

More or less, it’s like a scavenger hunt. You have to go out and look for it. It’s normally not going to come to you. Some stuff does, but not a lot. When you are looking for, whatever it is that one may be looking for, you’ve got to use your resources and go after it. That’s pretty much where I am as far as that’s concerned. ㅡP25

I don’t know. [Laughs] I don’t really have a picture for now. […] After so many years, I don’t even have an idea, if I’m being honest with you. ㅡP33

😓 Emotional Stressors

The gig economy, especially online freelancing platforms such as Upwork and Fiverr is fast-paced and highly competitive. The pressure to maintain a flawless online presence, to deal with an unstable income stream, and to manage multiple responsibilities can be emotionally taxing. The fear of rejection, comparison to others, and the relentless pursuit of maintaining a professional presence can be emotional burdens for many freelancers. Balancing the demands of platform-mediated work with self-care is essential for maintaining your well-being. It is important to take breaks, manage stress, and foster a healthy work-life balance to sustain your emotional health.

It’s just very stressful. Not knowing what my paycheck is going to be every month. ㅡP32

Success in the gig economy is attainable, but it requires resilience, adaptability, and a commitment to personal and professional growth. It’s important to note that this growth can often entail an additional set of uncompensated, invisible labor for many. For example, in our earlier post, we talked about the reality of online freelancers juggling various tasks alongside their main roles, such as searching for jobs and developing their understanding of the algorithms used on gig work platforms, and more.

Stakeholders in the future of platform work, including platform providers, platform designers and engineers, policymakers, educators, and clients, must be aware of the five constraints and address them in their decision-making processes. Acknowledgement of these issues will allow stakeholders to effectively mitigate these constraints while empowering workers to succeed in the gig economy.

Written by Pyeoghwa Kim, Special thanks to Clea O’Neil for her review and edits!