Gig economy is creative and flexible

Why now, some may ask of the UAE’s latest labour reform for employees in private sector companies. Why not now, after the worst (of the pandemic) has passed in the country? Now is the time to rebuild — from scratch for many businesses. Now is the time for many to resume their careers after a lull in hiring last year as the coronavirus swept across the world and stalled life and business. Now is the time to restore confidence in the economy and the people.

The now and tomorrow are important in the UAE as the world has changed, perhaps for the better. Now is a level playing field and the UAE is making use of the opportunity to start afresh by focusing on its global workforce while wooing the best that is diverse and digitally savvy.

The pandemic months have taught us that work can be flexible if workers and employers will it. They can work from home (WFH) or the office, or opt for a hybrid model while not impacting productivity and creativity. Companies who have gone digital have made profits.

Think Big Tech who are still pondering about a return to work in offices. Some like Facebook have given staff an option to work from home indefinitely. The now about work is also new. It’s a new economic model that in many ways is a clean break from the past. The new industrial model revolves around technology — around Artificial Intelligence, data and the Internet of many things that include the metaverse, Facebook’s new baby that promises an alternate world or a new universe. However, there are many unknowns about the new economic model, and this is where the ‘gig economy’ will play a vital role — where people don’t have a steady job but there’s regular income. They have the flexibility to change jobs, do part-time work and grow in their careers.

The UAE supports this gig economy and its recent reforms are in tune with the post-pandemic times ‘that are a changing’. This country is seeking talent who will move about and do what interests and challenges them. Flexible work hours, shared work, part-time jobs, and shorter contracts give workers a sense of freedom, and achievement. In other words, this is a shift away from the sponsorship model that binds workers to an employer. The new labour law protects workers’ rights while offering employers a larger pool of talent to choose from. The pre-pandemic model in the UAE was about productivity. Post-pandemic work is about unleashing the creative potential of citizens and expatriates alike. So if a professional wishes to come work and live in the UAE, all he or she should do is pick from a range of visa options that unleashes his/her creativity and talent. They have the law on their side which protects their rights and boosts their confidence. It pays to do creative work in the UAE.

• UAE