Some young people’s weekends have improved, as many of the Generation Z (digital natives who were born between the mid-1990s and the 2000s) are choosing to do “side quests” as a way to keep busy and generate additional income in the informal economy.
In a TikTok video with 1.8 million views, Charlotte Cussell, 22, and her best friend shared how they entertain themselves on a Saturday night, doing work for others.
Instead of a typical night of relaxation, the Australian content creator and her friend Kaitlin They decided to use Airtasker to buy a desk at IKEA. What started as a routine task quickly turned into a fun and spontaneous getaway.
“My best friend and I were hanging out on a Saturday night when we thought of using Airtasker to do a task. After that, we decided to see if there was something we could do ourselves. We found this desk from IKEA and turned it into a little side quest. The next day, the video went viral and now everyone is talking about doing ‘quests’ for fun,” Cussell said.
Newsweek Airtasker has reached out to Cussell for comment. Founded in 2012 by Tim Fung and Jonathan Lui, Airtasker is an online and mobile marketplace based in Sydney, Australia, that connects people who need tasks done with those willing to do them.
From buying groceries for $50 to making $900 as a fancy cook for a dog, there are tons of options for people looking to make money or are on the hunt for a “side quest.”
AN APP THAT GIVES YOU MISSIONS: THE INFORMAL ECONOMY OF GENERATION Z
On TikTok, people couldn’t get enough of the idea. In the comments, they shared their reactions. “Are you telling me there’s an app that gives you missions?” commented Bigvanda. While viewer Miss S. wrote: “OMG I love running errands, this is my dream.”
The gig economy, which allows people to earn money outside of traditional full-time jobs, has exploded in recent years, with platforms like DoorDash, Uber and Airtasker offering flexible income opportunities.
In the United States, independent and contract work is booming, with more than 73 million independent workers estimated last year alone. As for Mexico, just over 32 million people are in informal conditions, according to the National Survey of Occupation and Employment (ENOE).
But this rise in gig work comes at a cost. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Labor proposed a rule that could make it harder for companies to classify workers as independent contractors, jeopardizing the income that millions of people earn through side jobs.
The rule is intended to protect workers from being misclassified by ensuring they have access to the benefits and protections enjoyed by full-time employees, such as health care and retirement plans.
“THE NIGHTS OF ALCOHOL ARE GONE”
“Misclassifying employees as independent contractors is a serious problem that deprives workers of basic rights and protections,” said Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su. “This rule will help protect workers, especially those who face the greatest risk of exploitation.”
But many freelancers don’t necessarily want these protections. For some, the appeal of freelancing lies in its flexibility and autonomy, while for others the nature of freelancing means they can do it alongside a more secure job.
A photo of Charlotte and her friend Kaitlin, left, and a screenshot showing how much money they made from their “side quest,” right. (@charcussell/TikTok)
As well as finding a way to fill their Saturday night (“Gone are the days of booze nights,” the caption joked), Airtasker founder and CEO Tim Fung was delighted to see how the younger generation had embraced the app: “It’s exciting to see how the idea of ‘side quests’ is being embraced by the younger generation, turning everyday tasks into fun, spontaneous adventures,” he said. N
(Published in cooperation with Newsweek. Published in cooperation with Newsweek)
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The position Generation Z takes on ‘secondary missions’ in the informal economy appeared first in Newsweek in Spanish.
