1

The Gig Mindset Research Report

A Bold New Breed of Employee

India Perspec?ve
This report looks at two dimensions:

• How a cohort of Indian individuals and organiza<ons compare to a

global cohort regarding the gig mindset.
• How the gig mindset has evolved in India over the last three years
based on data from 2018 and the most recent 2021 survey.
Research details can be found at the end of this document. You can
read more about the gig mindset in general in this ar<cle: “Meet the
Unconven<onals” on the Founding Fuel website:
hKps://foundingfuel.com/ar<cle/meet-the-unconven<onals/

The Indian dimension of the research was facilitated by Founding Fuel

in both 2018 and 2021.

Jane McConnell, 21May 2021

 2
Traditional mindset Gig mindset
procedures, proven methods 1-Motivation test and learn

work with colleagues work with different teams

responsibilities defined by roles 2-Roles & Skills responsibilities defined by skills

finish before sharing 3-Openness work out loud

guidance, supervision from

4-Autonomy initiatives, assume responsibility
hierarchy

5-Questioning challenge status quo, including

maintain stability, consistency
business and work practices

focus primarily on inside 6-Awareness

highly aware of external trends:
my own organization society, economical, technology

some networking, when extensive networking -

7-Networking
related to my projects internal & external

my career path important to growth path & personal brand

me, manager and HR key 8-Advancement important to me, I am primarily
partners responsible for my learning

For more detailed descrip<ons, see “Meet the Unconven<onals”

on the Founding Fuel website:
hKps://foundingfuel.com/ar<cle/meet-the-unconven<onals/
 3

Research par?cipants were asked to rate themselves on a 5-point

scale for each of the 8 behaviors

Note that the scales used in the following slides range from 3 to 5, and do not start at 1

Tradi?onal Mindset Gig Mindset

I am focused on doing the Behavior 1 I prefer out of the box

job while respec<ng Mo?va?on thinking and test-and-learn
established procedures. I approaches.
prefer proven and approved 1 2 3 4 5
methods. Tradi?onal Mindset Gig Mindset
orienta<on orienta<on

I prefer working under Behavior 4 I oTen take responsibility

guidance from my Autonomy for ini<a<ng/advancing a
supervisor and decision- project without guidance,
making processes that 1 2 3 4 5 and assume responsibility
respect hierarchical flows. for decisions.
Neither one
more than
the other.

Self assessment on a 5-point scale

 4
Indian perspec?ve, 2021: the gig mindset profile is lower than in the
full survey group
2021 full group 2021 India
5

4. Ini?ate projects,
8. Growth path and
assume responsibility
personal brand are
without supervisor
important
guidance
4,5

2. Fluid teams,
based on skills
more than roles 6. High awareness
of surroundings
4

1. Prefer out-of-the
box thinking, test &
learn approaches
3,5

3. Work out loud, 5. Challenge status

early feedback quo, business model,
work prac?ces

7. Extensive
networking
3

s
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om

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Self assessment on a 5-point scale comparing 2018 and 2021 data.
 5

Indian perspec?ve - Changes between 2018 and 2021

5 2018 India 2021 India

8. Growth path and

4,5

personal brand are

4. Ini?ate projects, important
assume responsibility
2. Fluid teams, without supervisor
based on skills guidance
more than roles
4

6. High awareness
of surroundings
3,5

1. Prefer out-of-the 3. Work out loud,

box thinking, test & early feedback 5. Challenge status
learn approaches quo, business model,
work prac?ces

7. Extensive
networking
3

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om

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Sk

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Self assessment on a 5-point scale comparing 2018 and 2021 data.
 6
Similar changes in the full survey data between 2018 and 2021
2018 full 2021 full
5

4. Ini?ate projects,
assume responsibility 8. Growth path and
without supervisor personal brand are
guidance important
4,5

2. Fluid teams,
based on skills
more than roles 6. High awareness
of surroundings
4

3. Work out loud,

early feedback

1. Prefer out-of-the 5. Challenge status

box thinking, test & quo, business model,
work prac?ces
3,5

learn approaches

7. Extensive
networking
3

s
n

t
en
ill

es

es
om

in

in
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Sk

on

k
nn

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1.

7.

A
5.

2.

8.
Self assessment on a 5-point scale comparing 2018 and 2021 data.
 7
Indian perspec?ve: three age groups
5 up to 35 35 to 45 45 or older
8. Growth path and
personal brand are
4. Ini?ate projects, important
assume responsibility
2. Fluid teams, without supervisor
based on skills guidance
4,5

more than roles

6. High awareness
of surroundings
4

3. Work out loud,

early feedback
3,5

1. Prefer out-of-the
box thinking, test & 5. Challenge status
learn approaches quo, business model,
work prac?ces

7. Extensive
networking
3

s
n

t
en
ill

es

es
om

in

in
?o

Sk

on

k
nn

en

m
va

or
on

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s &

s?

ar
pe
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w
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an
w
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et
O
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dv
N
3.

Q
Ro

4.

6.
1.

7.

A
5.

2.

8.
 8

Culture: management communica?on

Indian perspec?ve compared to full group in 2018 and 2021

Strongly agree +
agree combined Full survey 2018 Full survey 2021 India 2018 India 2021
in %
100

80

60

40

20

0
d

y
or
ng
te

at
ica

le

ip
al
un

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ch
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ar
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om

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ag

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 9

Culture: work prac?ces

Indian perspec?ve compared to full group in 2018 and 2021

Strongly agree +
agree combined in % Full survey 2018 Full survey 2021 India 2018 India 2021

100

80

60

40

20

0
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 10

Organiza?onal priori?es
Indian perspec?ve compared to full group in 2021

Very high + high

combined in % Full survey 2021 India 2021

100

80

60

40

20

0
s

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er

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de
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ni
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 11

Increase in organiza?onal priori?es over past few years

Indian perspec?ve compared to full group in 2021

% who said the

priority increased in Full survey 2021 India 2021
2021
100

80

60

40

20

0
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de
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 12

Pandemic impact on individual people

Important: this ques?on asks about changes from the pandemic, and the % indicates the change.
For example, if a person already does a lot of networking, a low % simply indicates licle change and
does not mean low level of networking.

% combines strongly
Full survey 2021 India 2021
agree and agree

100

80

60

40

20

0
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or

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Do you feel the pandemic has accelerated the adop?on of a gig

mindset in your organiza?on?

% Full survey 2021 India 2021

100

80

60

40

20

0
s

No
ra
Ye

ut
Ne
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Pandemic impact on customers

The ques?on: “What has been the impact of the pandemic and the 2020 work context on your ability
to serve exis?ng customers/users and to acract new customers/users?”

% combines strongly
Easier No change More difficult
agree and agree

100

80

Full group India

60

40

20

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Pace of change inside the organiza?on vs in the external sector
The ques?on: “How would you rate the pace of change and transforma?on overall in your
organiza?on (inside) and in your sector in general (outside)?”

India Full survey

Very slow Slow Medium Fast Very fast Very slow Slow Medium Fast Very fast

% %
100 100

75 75

50 50

25 25

Inside Outside Inside Outside Inside 2018 Outside Inside 2021 Outside
2018 2021

% do make 100% because don’t know’s are ignored

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Obstacles
Indian perspec?ve compared to full group in 2021

Already successfully dealt with

Management concern, requires special effort
Serious concern, holds us back

100

80

India Full group

60

40

20

0
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id

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sr

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 17

Research demographics
A similar global spread in both years

2018 2021

Oceania Oceania
6 % 6 %
North America North America
19 % 19 %

Europe
49 % Europe
54 %

Asia
Asia
21 %
25 %
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Research demographics: details

• The types of organiza<ons in both groups are similar, with private for-profit being the largest
segment.
• Both groups have primarily B2B companies, although India has 26% B2C (versus 13% in the
full group).
• Each group has a similar range of workforce sizes.
• The full group has 47% with under 1,000 employees versus the India group with 59%.
• The full group has 44% with more than 1,000 employees and the India group has 39%.
• Age of organiza<ons
• The India group has 37% “new companies” with less than 10 years experience, whereas
the full group has only 12%.
• The full group has 46% that are over 30 years old, compared to 29% in the Indian group.
• Global presence: both groups have similar coverage in terms of number of countries where
they operate.
• The age range of par<cipants is roughly the same.
 19

Learn more

The book

“This book is a breakthrough!”

Jessica Lipnack, author, The Age of the Network and Virtual Teams

“At once a manifesto and an action plan … (to) re-make diverse

teams and businesses into more resilient, innovative and
purposeful organizations.”
David Slocum, Academic Director at Rare with Google

The podcast hcps://boldnewbreed.com/

 20

About Jane McConnell Researcher — Practitioner

Organization in the Digital Age 20 years and over 120 intranet/digital
10 years of research: surveys and workplace projects for over 60 global
reports 2006-2017 organizations.

intraNETWORK - >10 years facilitating a

Paris-based workgroup of trusted peers

• Air Liquide • GRDF

The Gig Mindset Advantage • Allianz Partners • Sodexo
2 years of research: 2018-2020 • Biocodex • Vinci
• BNP Paribas • And others
• Euronext

<
Where I live and a constant New, virtual global group being created to
reminder of resilience share, exchange and develop ideas together.
Contact me if you are interested.