Have you ever caught yourself wondering why the gig economy hasn’t taken off in India as it should have?

Most of the conversations that I have at any industry forum often go like this.

Industry Colleague (IC): So, Gopal, what do you do?

Me: I am the HR guy and currently the COO at Noble House.

(IC): Sure, what do they do?

Me: We are a marketplace for talent—think of us as the Uber for people.

(IC)Wow, that’s interesting! Could you tell me more?

Me: Mostly, clients come to us with a problem statement, and we work on finding the right person or team who can solve the problem.

(IC)Wow, that’s fascinating! That’s the gig economy!

Me: Yes, it is. It’s the gig economy for professional services roles.

(IC): Very interesting. How did you get into this?

Me: I’ve been doing this since 2019.

(IC): But I don’t see people adopting the gig economy well in India.

Me: Well, yes and no.

(IC)What do you mean?

Me: It works when the clients are aware of and understand the potential. For others, it’s a journey—a journey of educating them.

(IC)But do we have enough people? We’ve tried it multiple times; it’s never worked.

Me: If we say we have a supply problem in a country like India, we really need to re-examine it more thoroughly. It’s all about finding them at the right place at the right time.

(IC): Interesting.

Me: Yes, also remember one thing: we don’t train people to be freelancers; we train them to be employees, which is another problem.

(IC): You are so right.

Me: Yeah, tell us what your problems are, and let’s see if we can solve them using a consultant or freelancer.

(IC): Okay, here it goes…

The challenges are real. The biggest challenge remains the need for more awareness about the ‘HOW’ of the Gig Economy rather than the ‘WHAT’ of the Gig economy on how to leverage the gig economy effectively.

Understanding the ‘HOW’ can unlock a world of opportunities and potential for your business.

Yes, there’s a lack of structure, awareness of possibilities, and understanding of how to navigate legal frameworks, which severely limits potential.

Today, most organizations engage freelancers in HR, Training, and Digital Marketing, but expansion beyond these areas remains sluggish.

In the current scenario, with fewer jobs and a surplus of talent, the imbalance should ideally prompt a greater adoption of the gig economy, yet barriers persist.

Organizations still rely on traditional recruitment methods without exploring how to tap into gig talent effectively.

Professionals, on the other hand, struggle to find where to look for gig opportunities and personal branding and continue to use outdated CVs.

This Sunday, I’m excited to join Vikas Dua on his LinkedIn Live series “Heartfelt Conversation” to discuss these issues and more.

Join us to learn more about the WHY, the WHAT and the HOW of the gig economy!

Let’s not just talk about change; let’s drive it!

#careers, #gigeconomy #podcast