Falls Church, Virginia-based staffing platform GravyWork, an app-based platform that connects gig workers with available jobs from as little as one shift to longer term gigs, has seen an increase in interest from seniors looking for gig jobs, those occasional fill-ins or regular side hustles, in recent years. They said that those jobs are in demand.
“A lot of people forget how many skills they have picked up over their careers. People have done all sorts of things like writing or crunching numbers,” said Alex Atwood, co-founder of GravyWork.
“People have developed the skill of talking to other people, connecting with people, leading in some form or fashion, figuring out how to solve tough problems,” he added. “All of that matters in the gig economy.”
Seniors are interested in gig work not only to make a little extra money in retirement, but as a way to stay engaged and active as well.
GravyWork said it has seen an interesting shift in its referral network, with many now coming from military spouses and teachers organizations.
GravyWork, which is no-cost for gig workers joining the platform, gives users the flexibility to accept jobs instantly. Once they’ve earned ratings, they can potentially have gig job offers made directly to them by employers. The platform also has weekly, monthly, and temp-to-permanent job postings for workers looking for a more routine schedule.
GravyWork also helps gig workers, especially seniors, figure out what they might be good at.
“People can think about what they are good at, and then find places that need those skills,” Atwood said. “We have what we call talent coordinators who work individually to ensure that everybody who comes on the platform has the right idea in terms of how they want to use their time.”
GravyWork began serving the hospitality industry, and has since expanded to events, functions and logistics, all which have both skilled labor and office jobs.
