Insights From Enrollify: The World Has Changed–And So Has The Way We Work.

In recent years, we’ve seen a massive shift in how Americans approach their careers and increasingly seek greater work-life balance. Much of this has been born from Corporate America’s inability to deliver upon the promise of security and professional growth.  From stagnant wages to reduced benefits, employees increasingly feel their needs have been neglected. While the cost of living continues to rise, wages have failed to keep up, resulting in many employees struggling to make ends meet. The answer for many seeking a solution is a side hustle–with many turning to the “gig” economy.

The word “gig” has a long and varied history. In the early 1800s, it was used to describe a theatrical act or a dance, aka “a jig.” By the pre-1920s, Jazz musicians from the swing era mainstreamed its use to describe a one-off opportunity to get paid for doing what they loved most. A gig offered the promise of economic reward and sustenance to continue the pursuit of a rarified lifestyle full of passion. For some, these gigs were enough to make a living; for others, they were a way to augment earnings–enabling the pursuit of a life worth living. So, it’s not surprising the concept was co-opted by companies whose technology offered a new category of opportunity; democratizing access to errand runners found on digital marketplaces, driving for ridesharing firms, delivering food, or building websites.

For consumers, we’ve never had it so good. Our every whim is satisfied almost instantly. No more standing in the street to hail a taxi or trips to the market for milk and eggs; simply tap a smartphone app, and our chauffeur arrives in our vehicle of choice, or our personal shopper collects and delivers whatever our heart desires–for a small convenience fee. 

For companies, the gig economy presents both challenges and opportunities. On the one hand, hiring freelancers allows companies to be more flexible and respond quickly to changes in the market. It enables them to access a wider talent pool by leveraging freelancer platforms like Fiverr and Upwork that are not encumbered by geographic limitations. On the other hand, managing a workforce of remote freelancers can be more complex. Sourcing quality individuals can be time-consuming, and managing them can be more complicated than traditional employees.

For gig workers who were lured by the promise of flexibility, freedom, and self-determination, low pay, insecure work, and being at the beck and call of an online app–just to make ends meet has left many disillusioned.

“In theory, the gig economy should enable individuals the freedom to set their own schedules, choose their own projects, and negotiate favorable economic terms,” opines Adam Michaels, Founder of Enrollify–the first company in the insurance industry to leverage the gig model to provide expert employee benefits decision support from a national footprint of Benefits Gurus. “Companies like ours must establish themselves as an aspirational destination by delivering extraordinary value beyond transaction-based wages.” According to Michaels, this includes investing in those participating in the ecosystem to help them grow professionally. It means making the work options flexible. This is not just from a time commitment standpoint, but also by offering work-from-anywhere options to satisfy those with wanderlust, parenting obligations, or physical and mobility limitations. Michaels claims that it also “means solving for access to benefits for those that do not have a corporate job or access elsewhere.”

And it is working. Enrollify has nearly 4,000 licensed insurance agents who have built profiles on the Enrollify platform. They include lifelong career insurance agents augmenting income lost during the pandemic and newbies to the industry who pursued licensing specifically to capitalize on “a more professional gig path that allowed me to do meaningful work helping people”. This according to Taggart Price, a 27-year-old actor who subsequently joined Enrollify’s corporate team on a full-time basis after serving as a Benefits Guru for almost a year.         

Some experts believe the gig economy signifies a broader shift in the relationship between workers and companies. It represents a departure from single-job, single-employer relationships to one that includes multiple jobs for multiple companies. But, Michaels declares, “regardless of whether you are a traditional employer or a gig provider, the key will always be focusing on delivering as extraordinary value to internal stakeholders as you do to your customers.”

Overall, the gig economy has reshaped the world of work. It presents challenges and opportunities for workers, employers, as well as the gig platforms. As these trends continue to grow, it will be interesting to see how they affect consumerism and the landscape of corporate America as a whole. One thing is certain, those who decide to put people first will rise above the rest, becoming a destination to invest their energy and talent.