For both businesses and self-employed professionals, a trustworthy outsourcing platform is now at your fingertips

SINGAPORE -- 17 September 2018 - ZomWork, a joint venture talent outsourcing platform between Singapore Press Holdings and ZBJ Network Inc, aims to help businesses grow by providing the tools that allow them to access the gig economy and outsource work in the most efficient and quickest way through their platform. With the local gig economy on the rise and here to stay, ZomWork is opening the pathway for SMEs and startups to leverage on technology and the gig economy to thrive in today's economy.

Acknowledging the unique needs and requirements of each job, ZomWork provides a robust portfolio profile on its platform to ease the decision-making process. SMEs and startups can conveniently post their projects on ZomWork and choose the suitable talents. The process empowers both businesses and self-employed professionals to be time and cost effective. Outsourcing work also drives productivity and let companies focus on innovating and growing their internal team.

The continuous innovation and adoption of technology are boosting the growth of self-employed professionals globally. ZomWork wants to support this growth by providing tools for both self-employed professionals and companies to better engage with each other in the gig economy. Some of these tools include a monetary escrow service for secured payments, a robust communication platform to navigate timeline and milestones, and a dispute management team. These tools have helped build a thriving community of over 2,000 companies and self-employed professionals joining the platform since ZomWork's official launch in April this year.

In line with ZomWork's objective to accelerate the growth of the local gig economy, ZomWork recently just announced a pilot launch of a locally available financial protection initiative for self-employed professionals in Singapore to cover them in the event of illness or if they are unable to work. This is a much-needed protection to a growing pool of self-employed professionals.

"As a self-employed individual, I enjoy the flexibility of contract work. However, like other freelance professionals, I worry about financial sustainability. This protection will allow me to focus on growing my business while safeguarding my income during unforeseen circumstances," said Elena Owyong, Content Strategist, and Copywriter.

Mr. Jason Teo, General Manager of ZomWork, said: "As technology and globalisation become more ubiquitous, we are seeing the adoption of the gig economy take off in Singapore, where we have a relatively large pool of experienced self-employed professionals.  Our goal is to give both these professional talents and companies the tools to better find and engage with each other."

Mr. Ang Hin Kee, Assistant Director-General of the National Trades Union Congress and Director, NTUC Freelancers and Self-Employed Unit, said: "The initiative by ZomWork is in line with the Tripartite Workgroup's recommendation for an insurance product to strengthen the income security of self-employed persons. We welcome such efforts by platform intermediaries and freelancer communities that can help facilitate the group purchase of such insurance product and share these gains with freelancers."

To officially launch the new initiative of financial protection for self-employed professionals, and engage with both professionals and companies who are leveraging the gig economy and technology, ZomWork held their first ever gig economy conference to reshape work for 'The Future of Work for SMEs' on 6 September 2018, at Marina Bay Sands.(mor/roc).