With the recent news that more people are turning to supplemental sources of income, Gen Z is being drawn to flexible work. A recent H&R Block study found that more than half of Gen Z (52%) have a side hustle, with nearly one in five reporting multiple side hustles.
Gen Z Dashers – those ages 18 to 25 years old – recognize the value of earning on their own schedule, when and where they want. As Gen Z continues to join the workforce, they are known to be determined in their pursuit of a job that works for them, often switching employers until they have found the right fit. However, Gen Z Dashers also say it’s important to have an additional source of income amidst these career transitions. Almost three-quarters (71%) of Gen Z Dashers said that dashing provided a source of income after leaving a previous full- or part-time job that wasn’t a fit. And more than half (55%) of Gen Z Dashers said being able to earn through an app-based delivery platform positively influenced their decision to pursue a life goal such as taking on a new career.
Dashing provides supplemental income – whenever Dashers want it. When the job market doesn’t deliver, a flexible and accessible source of income is even more useful — the vast majority (75%) of Gen Z Dashers said they have dashed to make up for lost income or reduced hours at a full- or part-time job. Nearly half (49%) of Gen Z Dashers said that Dashing gave them the freedom to leave a job they didn’t like. Gen Z Dashers overwhelmingly prefer delivery instead of rideshare — nearly all (90%) of Gen Z Dashers have never driven for rideshare and don’t plan to.
“Dashing fits into my schedule because I can study or take class during the day and then dash in the afternoon or on weekends,” says Pamela Bonilla, a Los Angeles-based Dasher who is a student at UC Riverside. “The flexibility to dash whenever I have time is great.”
Many Gen Z Dashers are busy with school or work other jobs, which means they want to earn supplemental income in new and creative ways when they have free time. Dashing offers a low-stress way to earn in between classes or after other job responsibilities — 40% of Gen Z Dashers are students and 35% of Gen Z Dashers have a separate full-time job where they work at least 30 hours a week. Around a third (32%) of Gen Z Dashers dash to pay for educational expenses, such as their school tuition, books, or supplies.
Gen Z Dashers choose to supplement their income for a wide variety of reasons — over half (58%) of Gen Z Dashers dash to pay monthly bills like rent, mortgage, or car payments, for example. Yet dashing is an accessible way to meet smaller milestones as well. For example, more than a third (38%) of Gen Z Dashers dash to pay for gifts, either for themselves or others, and special occasions. Gen Z Dashers are driven and leverage dashing to help them achieve their goals — in fact, Gen Z Dashers were almost twice as likely as older Dashers to say that they planned to dash until they met a specific goal.By connecting Dashers from all walks of life — such as those who have full-time jobs or are experiencing disabilities — to supplemental sources of income, DoorDash is committed to continuing to positively impact the lives of millions of people.
