Film: Sorry We Missed You

Åpne bilde i et nytt vindu

CC BY-NC

Bilde: Gonzalo Fuentes

In a gig economy temporary and flexible jobs are common, and companies prefer hiring independent contractors or freelancers rather than having full-time employees. The expression "gig economy" comes from the entertainment industry, where performers play gigs. Having a permanent long-term job where you gradually build a career is unusual in a gig economy. Instead, the system is characterised by short-term employment and hiring workers as independent contractors.

The growth of the gig economy is often attributed to the internet and apps making it easy to connect with clients and customers. Examples of companies that have had success in the gig economy are Airbnb and Uber.

In a gig economy, supply can more easily be adapted to demand than in the traditional economy where workers are hired on long-term contracts with regular hours. The gig economy allows workers to have a more flexible lifestyle and they are not tied to their job from 9 to 5.

Disadvantages of the gig economy is that it undermines the traditional job market, strips the workers of rights, and breaks down the relationship between worker and company. Income is performance based, so there is no guarantee of a steady pay check.

In the film Sorry We Missed You, we meet Ricky, a man who believes in working hard. Ricky decides that the best way he can build a better future for his family is to buy a van and start working as an independent contractor for a delivery company. Ricky's business venture has a lot of promise on paper, but it soon puts a great strain on both Ricky and his family.