Three Individuals Share Their Transformative Experiences in the Gig Economy
Gig worker Peh Hock Chuan starts his day like many others, ferrying passengers throughout Singapore as a Grab private-hire driver. This new role is a significant shift from his previous career spent analyzing stock market trends and trading commodities.
Yet, despite the change, he finds greater happiness in his current work.
As Singapore continues to relax social measures, the 55-year-old driver is among many who engage in gig work voluntarily, now feeling more secure that his needs will be met. This type of work has become an essential source of income, particularly during the past few years of the pandemic.
A crucial topic surrounding gig work is the protections available for those functioning essentially as freelancers. The flexibility allows workers to tailor their schedules, but it also brings the instability of lacking the benefits typically afforded to full-time employees in Singapore.
Recently, a gig worker expressed concerns about missed opportunities in the 2022 Budget, suggesting it could have explored options for improved protections. While the Budget introduced a new wage scheme for lower-wage workers, gig workers felt overlooked, with many questions and concerns remaining unanswered.
If state-level solutions are scarce, what about the platforms that employ these gig workers? Some have not only made gig work viable but have also ensured sustainable income, personal growth, and overall welfare.
Latter-Life Opportunities
For Hock Chuan, his gig work journey began at age 49, six years ago.
Becoming a Grab driver was not his initial choice, but he struggled to find a suitable job. This challenge persisted despite his prior success as a futures trader. As the years passed, Hock Chuan started a family and changed jobs multiple times, but finding new employment became increasingly difficult as he aged.
“It’s tough if you’re not tech-savvy and lack skills that fit the current economy,” he noted. With his children having completed their A-levels, he recognized the need to secure a job quickly to support their university education. After his career as a commodities trader in China wound down, time was of the essence.
It was then that a neighbor introduced him to the opportunity of becoming a private-hire driver.
“After these five years as a driver, I’ve been able to support my family,” he shares proudly, adding that his children graduated with first-class honors from NTU, thanks to Grab’s Emerald Circle scholarship grant.
“As a father, our children’s education is our top priority. Once we achieve that, they have a strong platform to begin their careers.”
Hock Chuan’s dedication and faith in his children paid off. After successfully navigating several interview rounds, both of them received $10,000 to help cover their tuition fees, meeting the criteria for academic and co-curricular achievements.
“When I returned to Singapore, I wasn’t familiar with the new routes,” Hock Chuan recalls. “So, I worked diligently to understand the changes and drove rigorously during that period.”
Not long after, he faced an accident that landed him in the hospital for two months, recovering from a back injury sustained in a collision with a barricade.
Fortunately, Hock Chuan is fully covered under Grab’s Personal Accident Insurance, relieving him of the stress of mounting medical bills.
“My kids have grown up, so they have their own lives to manage,” he reflects. “I don’t want to be dependent on them. I aim to support myself.” Thankfully, he received a substantial insurance payout that helped him through his recovery.
Although complete recovery took two years, Hock Chuan is back on the road, now familiar with Singapore’s updated routes. The flexibility of his work schedule has also allowed him to pursue further studies.
Today, one child works as a business analyst while the other is an engineer, both representing Hock Chuan’s greatest accomplishments thus far. However, he isn’t ready for retirement just yet. Instead, he’s eager to explore new opportunities with renewed energy.
Now equipped with a diploma, he is working towards acquiring additional qualifications to transition from Grab to the security industry.
Contactless Work with Meaningful Connections
Some individuals take on gig work to address immediate needs. For Arif Isa, gig work alleviated his restlessness that a full-time job could not contain.
In 2020, during the circuit breaker, Arif became an overnight sensation due to his remarkable work ethic. Customers on the Grab platform began sharing stories about a delivery rider whose enthusiastic and personable demeanor charmed them. He would send voice updates throughout the delivery process, adopting a soothing tone akin to an airplane pilot reassuring passengers before a late-night flight.
“The personality of a person reflects that of most people,” Arif, 37, explains over the phone. He has a flair for the theatrical, enriching our conversation with jazz playing in the background.
While his engaging personality won over many online, the act of leaving voice messages was more than just a fun addition. It was part of his desire to connect with people, providing a warm human touch in a world of contactless deliveries.
His previous job as an oil refinery technician prompted him to reassess his lifestyle. The comforting voice that Singaporeans heard on their phones first emerged when he communicated with colleagues over walkie-talkies.
“It was to uplift their spirits, and I would adopt different voices,” he shares. “That kept morale high among my colleagues.”
However, this was before he transitioned to Grab. As a technician, he found his shifts impeded his ability to explore other interests, including educational courses he wished to pursue. At one point, he aspired to study medical science. “As you grow older, your plans sometimes shift,” he chuckles.
Now, with over five years as a gig worker, Arif can balance his livelihood with personal pursuits while enjoying job security. He may not be a medical science student yet, but he is deeply engaged in researching renewable energy solutions.
With his free-spirited nature, gig work seems to suit him perfectly. For others, it has also allowed them to mend personal and professional relationships while enabling skill development and new opportunities. Arif has utilized his time with Grab to fulfill a deeper personal purpose, all while maintaining his passion for customer service.
Mending Past Mistakes
A few years ago, Jason Wong faced serious doubts about his future.
“I spent my savings on a business, but it didn’t perform well financially,” Jason, now a Grab driver, explains. “As a result, I ended up in debt close to $100,000.”
At 40, Jason had founded a business specializing in designing automated systems for Singaporean homes, but it struggled to gain traction in this niche market.
The pursuit of building a new business often came at the expense of personal time and family.
“I was working day and night for my business, leaving little time for my family,” he admits. Seeking a lifestyle that allowed for more family time, he turned to Grab in 2017.
“I was living day-to-day,” he said, noting the personal pride he felt in being a business owner, making his transition to a Grab driver a difficult adjustment.
Despite this, Jason discovered ways to improve his gig work experience. He upgraded to a premium car and worked eight-hour days driving tourists and business visitors in Singapore. This routine allowed him to earn sufficient income to support his family while gradually paying off his debt. Then COVID-19 struck.
Perhaps because he had already faced significant challenges, the pandemic did not deter him.
With support from the GrabAcademy program, Jason enrolled in a digital marketing course under SkillsFuture, attending classes twice a week at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. He graduated and received a $1,000 completion bonus from Grab, forming a team of digital marketing specialists and content creators. With plans to explore TikTok next, he aims to transition from Grab if his new business ventures succeed.
Through five years of gig work with Grab, he not only repaid his debts but also acquired skills he might not have otherwise attained.
More importantly, this opportunity allowed him to spend more time with his family.
Today’s Gig Work, Tomorrow’s Economy?
The pandemic has undeniably disrupted our lives. More significantly, it has altered our perception of work and the conditions we work under.
Gig work has emerged as a beneficial option for individuals valuing flexibility beyond traditional job constraints, as well as a viable path for those struggling to secure full-time employment. Like Arif, who finds fulfillment in customer service, or Jason, who finally gets to raise his family as he has always wanted.
Pandemic or not, this 21st-century occupation is here to stay. Nevertheless, concerns regarding welfare, protection, incentives, and opportunities are crucial. Platforms like Grab, Gojek, Foodpanda, and Deliveroo must continue evolving their support levels.
“We have invested in our partners’ welfare over the years,” a representative from Grab stated. “This includes free accident insurance coverage, extended medical leave coverage, upskilling and professional development opportunities, safety initiatives, and everyday benefits like fuel and other discounts.”
Ultimately, a company’s strength lies in its ability to meet—if not exceed—the expectations of the public. This responsibility fundamentally rests with the workers, the everyday faces who transport you to urgent meetings and deliver hot meals to your doorstep. They dedicate their days to improving the livelihoods of others, making it essential that their needs are also addressed. As Arif wisely puts it, “If you treat your workers right, they will treat your customers right.”
Grab affirms its commitment to supporting its driver and delivery partners: “We will continue to engage our partners regularly and improve our support based on their feedback.”
If this represents the future of work and service, it is imperative that we create a stable and sustainable environment for all.
