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Are people bad at their jobs or are the jobs just bad?

(annehelen.substack.com)
287 points moonka | 14 comments | 02 Apr 25 21:54 UTC | HN request time: 0.518s | source | bottom
1. brudgers ◴[02 Apr 25 22:59 UTC] No.43562767[source]▶
The gig economy is way worse than the author describes.

Gig workers can't advance with the companies they work for.

Gig workers can't build a network with their coworkers because they don't have coworkers...and there's a good chance that they are competing for work with other people working for the same company.

There are dead end day jobs, and then there is gig work.

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2. zeroCalories ◴[02 Apr 25 23:21 UTC] No.43562954[source]▶
This isn't too different from most low-skill jobs. Most people don't aspire to be assistant manager at McDonalds, they do it for a while, build a resume, then move.
replies(5): >>43562982 #>>43563173 #>>43563630 #>>43564929 #>>43568793 #
3. _aavaa_ ◴[02 Apr 25 23:26 UTC] No.43562982[source]▶
But there’s a difference between “don’t want” and “structurally locked out”.
4. kayodelycaon ◴[02 Apr 25 23:48 UTC] No.43563173[source]▶
It’s vastly different.

Gig workers are literally disposable robots. You’re part of a computer program. There is no human relationship. At least a McDonald’s worker can talk to their manager.

replies(2): >>43563639 #>>43565329 #
5. Spooky23 ◴[03 Apr 25 00:10 UTC] No.43563321[source]▶
Gig workers are casual labor. Like Dickens with less coal dust.
replies(1): >>43563599 #
6. brudgers ◴[03 Apr 25 01:05 UTC] No.43563599[source]▶
Casual labor frequently involves working alongside other casual laborers and/or regular employees and/or the person hiring the casual labor.

The gig economy is people working alone.

7. brudgers ◴[03 Apr 25 01:11 UTC] No.43563630[source]▶
build a resume

And establish work relationships with other people who can help with future job hunting.

The Uber app doesn’t have an HR department.

replies(1): >>43564440 #
8. brudgers ◴[03 Apr 25 01:12 UTC] No.43563639{3}[source]▶
Hence the original gig economy job was called “mechanical turk.”
9. prawn ◴[03 Apr 25 03:37 UTC] No.43564440{3}[source]▶
Not to mention casual employees at least get some sort of social aspect from their work life. (A slight variation on the networking you mentioned.) Most of my friends, I have through past work environments like shared offices, etc. That would be near-impossible as a gig worker.
10. nixpulvis ◴[03 Apr 25 03:46 UTC] No.43564506[source]▶
The whole concept of "hustling" is frustrating to me.
replies(1): >>43568767 #
11. almosthere ◴[03 Apr 25 05:01 UTC] No.43564929[source]▶
Except when it isn't, like Peter Cancro of Jersey Mikes, who started making sandwiches and then bought it in 1975, and in 2024 sold it to Blackrock for $8B.

Or more here: https://www.businessinsider.com/ceos-started-entry-level-at-...

Now, not all people at Jack in the Box are destined to be the CEO, but they do have more opportunities than someone working DoorDash

12. Ekaros ◴[03 Apr 25 06:01 UTC] No.43565329{3}[source]▶
And maybe even become manager in some relatively small number of years. And then move to some other industry. Not that most of them do, but there is at least some career progression.
13. paxys ◴[03 Apr 25 12:40 UTC] No.43568767[source]▶
These days "hustling" = independently rich people trying to build an online following and selling ads/courses/get rich quick schemes/crypto scams.

The gig economy is real, back-breaking work. No "husler" has done a single day of food or package deliveries.

14. paxys ◴[03 Apr 25 12:43 UTC] No.43568793[source]▶
Managers at McDonalds can make $50-70K/yr. There is job security, benefits and opportunities for career advancement. Plenty of people start at the very bottom of the ladder flipping burgers and make it all the way to corporate. It's a tired meme that "McDonalds jobs are meant for teenagers". These are all incredibly in-demand jobs. And plenty of fast food chains pay significantly more, sometimes including benefits like college tuition reimbursement.