Gig economy provides flexible work option for women - Spectrum News 1

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LOS ANGELES — Picking up and delivering food to customers is a stark contrast to how Jackie Randles used to spend her days before the pandemic. She provided personalized child care to families in Los Angeles for over 10 years and it was a career she loved.

“I have a connection,” Randles said. “Since I was a child myself, really, kids just kind of migrated towards me.”

She did everything from teaching activities to driving kids around. Right when the pandemic hit, she was burnt out and wanted a break.

What You Need To Know

Women have been hit hardest by the pandemic as 5.3 million have left the workforce as of February 2021 compared to February 2020, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research

Jackie Randles worked as a child care provider for over 10 years before the pandemic hit and she lost work. She turned to delivery driving to help cover expenses

Irvine-based Delivery Drivers, Inc., hires drivers for companies to deliver goods to customers across the nation and reports that 52% of drivers are female, double the rate from five years ago

Delivery Drivers, Inc. CEO Aaron Hageman says delivery driving appeals to women who seek a flexible work schedule and there are low barriers to entry

“The universe works wonders and I got it and I was like, 'OK, well, two-week break.' I’ve been wanting it so you know, I’m going to take it,” she said. “But then when two weeks went into two months, four months…”

Randles says it was time to find work, especially with a full house that includes her husband, son, daughter, 7-month-old granddaughter and her daughter’s boyfriend. But she also needed something flexible. That’s when her son told her about driving for DoorDash.

Randles is part of a growing number of women seeking flexible work such as delivery driving. As of February, 2021, 5.3 million women have left the workforce, compared to February 2020, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. A Gallup analysis shows two of the reasons are that women are overrepresented in industries that experienced high unemployment during the pandemic, including personal care, and that women often take on a caregiver role and had to take care of children, forcing them to stay at home.

Flexible work, such as delivery driving, provides a way for many to make money while juggling responsibilities such as child care.

Aaron Hageman, CEO of Delivery Drivers, Inc, says he’s witnessed the explosive demand for drivers in the gig economy during the pandemic. His company is based in Irvine and hires independent contractors for companies to deliver goods to customers across the nation – everything from groceries to pharmaceutical products.

He says 52% of their drivers are female.

“But just five years ago, we went back and looked at one of our 2015 surveys and at the time, 24% of the population were women drivers so in many ways its doubled,” Hageman said.