New statistics show more and more Americans are working in the so-called “gig” economy. Those are jobs like driving for Uber or other delivery services, but similar jobs can also be found in virtually every type of business. These jobs are typically fixed-length, contract jobs that don’t often come with the benefits of traditional work.
Now, Shaq is teaming up with the developers of a new app called Steady. The goal of the app and the company behind it is to give gig-working employees tools and support to find the best jobs in the area where they live, along with other forms of help.
In interviews on several news and business-related networks this week, Shaq talked about the needs of gig workers. He said his father was one of those workers. That after serving in the U.S. military, he took other part-time and gig-style jobs to generate needed income for the family.
Shaq is now an advisor and investor in Steady. The company was created and is being grown by CEO Adam Roseman, who says he has a similar story to Shaq, being raised by a single mother who had to work “incredibly hard” to make ends meet. He says his father is still working today, well into what normally would be his retirement years.
Roseman points to economic studies that show what he and others are calling the “Uber-ization” of the workforce… that companies only hire people on a temporary, as-needed basis, and then let them go once the busy times (or season) is done for the company. Roseman says the issue is not unemployment, it’s underemployment.
As it gets up and rolling, the Steady app already provides one big service: It allows anyone to add in their local ZIP code and find gigs and other jobs in their immediate area. The app also connects with users financial data, to allow what Roseman says will help crowd-source information, showing people the best gigs in their area, and the kinds of work they will be able to best benefit from.
For his part, O’Neal says he wanted to be sure the app was not only powerful, but easy to use. He says there were several sessions of “breaking it down” to be sure it could be easily used by anyone. He says it turned out “perfectomundo.” (That’s pretty good…)
Currently, the app already has more than a million members. The app is already providing tons of interesting, useful information on work. For example, of the people registered on the app who work for Walmart, about 35 percent of those are also working for Amazon. Steady boss Roseman it shows how even big companies like Walmart are using what he calls “on-demand” workers to fill busy shifts, but then not have steady, regular hours.
The Steady app is already out there in the “real world.” If you want to check on it to find your next job (or jobs) in the gig economy, you can find it – for free – in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Shaq continues to grow his stable of investments and companies he supports as a spokesman, TV and radio promoter and more. The Steady app and business is just the latest in a long line of Shaq’s investments. He always says he only invests in projects he believes will make a positive change on peoples’ lives. Time will tell how the Steady app stacks up.
You can watch the entire interview by clicking here. Thanks to MSNBC.