Depending on who you ask, the gig economy is either empowering or exploitative. But no one can deny that it’s an essential part of the U.S. economy: Gallup estimates gig work to be the primary job for 29% of American workers.
Ania Smith, CEO of TaskRabbit, has built a career working for corporations that are at the center of the new gig economy. Before joining TaskRabbit in September 2020, she headed courier operations at Uber and spent three years heading host services operations at Airbnb. Smith argues that the pandemic drew more attention to the vital role independent contractors play in our society.
“It’s become very clear that platforms like TaskRabbit are a resource for people unable to leave their homes, or needing extra help,” she tells Fortune. “The gig economy helped everyone.”
These jobs also provided people with extra income and flexibility when the unemployment rate held steady at over 10% in the summer of 2020, stemming from COVID-19 lockdowns. But companies like Uber and Lyft also faced a lot of scrutiny for not providing full-time benefits for their contract workers.
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