Stressed or happy – or both? Nuancing gig workers’ experiences with platform work

Risk Shifts in the Gig Economy: The Normative Case for an Insurance Scheme against the Effects of Precarious Work*

This research conducted a systematic literature review to investigate Employee Engagement in the context of the Gig Economy. Key factors, such as work flexibility, organizational support, and work-life balance, were identified as important determinants in influencing employee engagement levels. The research results show that employee engagement contributes to increasing work efficiency, work quality, job satisfaction, and stress management in gig workers. In addition, involvement in employee communities and increasing professional networks are crucial aspects in expanding impact and career opportunities. These findings have significant implications for human resource management policies and practices in supporting the well-being and success of gig workers in the ever-growing gig economy.

In recent years, the gig economy has grown quickly, giving many people access to flexible work options. However, gig workers frequently deal with unpredictable working circumstances, inconsistent pay, and differing degrees of psychological health and job satisfaction. The purpose of this study is to investigate gig workers' psychological health and job satisfaction in the regions of Tirupattur and Hosur. Using a structured questionnaire and a descriptive research approach, the study gathered primary data from 50 gig workers using simple random sampling. The study looked at important aspects like job satisfaction, work-life balance, psychological well-being, financial stability, job experience, and workplace safety when interacting with customers. The results showed that almost half of the respondents (46.0%) had good job satisfaction and work-life balance, while the majority of respondents (86.0%) reported high psychological well-being. Nonetheless, the majority of respondents (78.0%) indicated low levels of customer interaction and workplace safety. With the exception of overall work experience, statistical analysis revealed no discernible differences between gender and the majority of the study variables. The type of gig employment had a significant impact on financial stability, according to the ANOVA test (Sig = 0.039). Age and work experience were significantly correlated, according to correlation analysis. The study comes to the conclusion that while gig workers benefit from flexibility and independence, improving their overall well-being and job satisfaction requires improvements in financial stability, workload management, and safety support.

The subject of the article is impact the gig economy to the legal regulation of labor, civil, tax relations.The purpose of the article is to identify the problems of legal regulation of relations between gig workers and digital platforms in the gig economy and suggest ways to improve it.The methodology includes systematic approach, comparative method, formal-logical method, formal-legal method, analysis, synthesis.The main results of the research. The transition from a “classic” industrial employment relationship between an employer and an employee to one based on the gig economy, using digital platforms to link the employee to their job, has created problems in classifying employment arrangements in labor law. In the current situation, the state needs to do a lot of work: (1) the sphere of the gig economy requires the compilation of clear terminology, as well as the analysis and identification of the functions of digital platforms and gig workers, then it requires amendments to labor legislation; (2) it is necessary to develop criteria for gig workers or independent contractors, one of the criteria can be proposed: the performance of work by a gig worker without the control of the hiring firm. The hiring firm's control should be limited to accepting or rejecting the results a gig worker achieves, not how they achieve them; (3) It is necessary to delimit the sphere of regulation of hired labor from the sphere of regulation of gig-employment, to withdraw gig-employment from the regulation of labor legislation.An analysis of the current legislation and law enforcement practice shows that the cornerstone of legal regulation in the field of the gig economy is the issue of legal registration of relations between digital platforms and their partners. Thus, with a rigid approach that identifies these relations with labor relations, the gig economy loses its specificity, digital platforms lose their competitive advantages in many ways, and in some cases, their ability to function. At the same time, the current relations in the field of employment of individuals on digital platforms allow us to speak about the presence of certain differences between such relations and labor relations, which are manifested mainly in greater freedom on the side of the "employee" and less control on the part of the employer – the digital platform, and also the unstable nature of this form of employment and its subsidiarity to more traditional forms. The specificity of the relationship between platforms and its counterparties also raises the question of the need to reform the provisions on civil liability, aimed at formulating special grounds for the responsibility of digital platforms, the distribution of this responsibility between them and their partners. Such provisions may be based on the existing norms on the liability of the employer for harm caused by his employee.Conclusions. The change of labor relations between employees and the employer to the relationship between the digital platform and gig workers predetermines the transformation of tax legal relations, in terms of the following aspects: what taxes should a gig worker pay, should there be any special tax regime; how the issue of paying insurance premiums should be resolved, whether they should be mandatory or voluntary; what role digital platforms will play in tax relations, whether they should act as tax agents or data providers; what requirements for gig workers, as taxpayers, should be imposed by tax legislation in terms of record keeping and reporting; how tax control should be exercised over gig workers and digital platforms.

In the dynamic context of the global gig economy and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, this study offers a novel examination of the impact of HR practices on gig workers’ job satisfaction and career sustainability in Saudi Arabia. Setting itself apart from prior research, it explores the uncharted interplay between HR practices and career longevity in the Saudi gig economy. Utilizing data from 344 gig workers, the study uncovers the intermediary role of job satisfaction in connecting HR practices to career sustainability, a dimension scarcely investigated before. It further assesses the often-assumed significant effects of demographic factors such as age and gender, revealing an unexpected, non-significant moderating impact. This research finds a strong positive correlation between effective HR practices, job satisfaction, and career endurance, highlighting the transformative power of HR strategies in the Saudi gig sector. These findings are vital for policymakers and practitioners focusing on Vision 2030 goals, underscoring the need for sophisticated HR strategies tailored to the unique Saudi gig environment. By bridging a critical knowledge gap and offering actionable insights, this study contributes significantly to the academic discourse on HR dynamics in gig economies and provides a foundation for future HR policy developments.

The participation of older workers in the German labour force has increased in the recent decade mainly due to institutional and policy developments. This raises the importance of maintaining the skill level of older workers through further training as a mean to strengthen their contribution to economic growth. Furthermore, the requirement of longer employment may also raise the rate of under-represented groups of older workers with low job-satisfaction since unsatisfied workers often tend to exploit early retirement schemes. Building upon studies pointing to a strong association between job satisfaction and labour market behavior, it is therefore essential to examine also the means by which the job satisfaction of these workers can be improved. One such way is by associating between the rates of training to the level of job satisfaction. Accordingly, this research deals with two major questions: The first is whether we recognize an increase in the training participation of older workers over the years, whereas the second, is whether the overall job satisfaction of older workers is affected by participation in training, and in particular, by an occupational-based manner. Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) for the years 2000, 2004 and 2008, a trend analysis is performed in order to identify developments in the training participation of workers aged 55-64 over the years, followed by a pooled cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis in order to explore the relationship between training and job satisfaction of older workers. Accordingly, the main findings of this research indicate, first, an increase of training participation of workers aged 55-59 over the years, and second, a positive relation between job satisfaction and training of older workers, particularly of blue-collar workers. The positive trend found in the training participation of older workers is a novel development which reflects a change in the training participation pattern. As older workers become a meaningful segment of the labour force, raising investments in their human capital is therefore inevitable. Furthermore, having high job-satisfied older (blue-collar) workers achieved through additional training may have considerable economic implications.

Recent research suggests that the relationship between job insecurity and psychological outcomes is more negative among permanent compared with temporary workers. We investigate possible interaction effects between job insecurity and type of contract (temporary versus permanent) for various psychological outcomes (job satisfaction, organizational commitment, life satisfaction, and self-rated performance), some of which have received little attention. We aim to explain these interaction effects, while taking into account the heterogeneous nature of temporary workers in terms of tenure, employment prospects, and wish to do temporary employment. We argue that permanent workers expect higher levels of job security; job insecurity breaches permanent workers’ but not temporary workers’ expectations. This may relate to unfavourable outcomes. Similarly, the heterogeneous nature of temporary workers may relate to job security expectations and thus to reactions to job insecurity. This study was conducted on a sample of 477 temporary and permanent workers from various occupational sectors in Belgium. The results suggested that the interaction effect between job insecurity and contract type may be limited to job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Furthermore, permanent workers had higher expectations about job security. Breach of these expectations furthermore mediated the relationship between job insecurity and all outcomes, except for self-rated performance. However, the heterogeneity indicators were found to be unrelated to job security expectations.

ObjectivesThis study investigates the association between precarious employment (PE) and mental well-being and examines the mediating role of five intrinsic quality of work (IQW) dimensions: autonomy, physical demands, work intensity, skill discretion, and social support. We distinguish between main (>24 hours/week) and supplementary (≤24 hours/week) gig workers.MethodsSurvey data from 397 Belgian gig workers were used to construct a multidimensional, gig-specific measure of PE (the Employment Precariousness Scale for gig work: ‘EPRES-gw’). Structural equation modeling was applied to test mediation by IQW dimensions and examine differences between main and supplementary gig workers.ResultsPE was positively associated with poor mental well-being among main but not supplementary workers. Among main gig workers, the relationship was mediated by high work intensity, physical demands, and low social support. For supplementary workers, low autonomy mediated the association.ConclusionPE is particularly relevant for the mental well-being of main gig workers. The role of IQW is important, though the key dimensions differ by time spent in in gig work. These findings highlight the need for policy interventions and research addressing both employment rights and IQW-related psychosocial risks, with approaches tailored to the distinct challenges of main versus supplementary gig workers.

Purpose:The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of job characteristics on the job satisfaction of employees. Moreover, the research also explores the comparison of job satisfaction for temporary and permanent employees within their different work roles. Apart from this, the study also examined the moderating effect of age. Research Methodology:Primary information has been gathered from 138 employees of various industries in Delhi and applied multiple regression analysis, correlation analysis, t-test, and moderation analysis to analyse the data. Results:Multiple regression analysis proves that job characteristics and their dimensions significantly and positively influence employees’ job satisfaction (.888). Further, the t-test exhibits a significant variation in the job satisfaction of permanent and temporary employees (t-value 6.890; p-value .000). Using process 2.13 version for the SPSS and interaction software, the study also finds that age groups moderate the relationship between job characteristics and job satisfaction and younger employees are affected more than other age groups (10.438; p-value .000). Practical Implications:Considering the effects of age diversity on the relationship between job characteristics and job satisfaction would be helpful for organizational policies. The study also points out that differences in the attitude of employees also should be considered to make better HRM policies. Novelty:In the Indian context, very few studies investigated the behaviour of temporary employees, although studies are abundant on permanent employees. Hence, this study would fill the much-needed gap.

The gig economy (temporary, contract, and freelance online jobs rather than permanent positions) is a component of the fourth industrial revolution and preview of future work. The rise of digital platforms has increased career opportunities and income potential, particularly for women. Yet, the sex-disaggregated evidence regarding platform usage, employment characteristics, and working motivations and satisfaction remains untapped. Using data from a quantitative survey of Bangladeshi gig workers (242 men and 201 women) conducted in 2022, this paper addresses these gaps between male and female workers. The gig economy appears to be gender-segregated across digital platform usages and working categories. Women tend to prioritize digital work options for managing multiple responsibilities, while men are often driven by the potential for higher income. This study conceptually utilized the two-factor theory and empirically ordered a probit model to identify gender differences in job satisfaction. Job satisfaction was significantly increased by work-life balance, monthly income, and social-media connection, while an increase in working hours, complexity in payment systems, and unstable networks all led to a decrease in job satisfaction. The findings have implications for the future growth of the gig economy, provide new insights into gender differences in job satisfaction, and underscore the need for gender-sensitive policies in the online labor market.

To meet human needs a person attempts to do some productive processes which is simply called work. This is what primary function of work had been from the very ancient periods of human existence to this very advanced and modern 21st century. Work can be classified as according to its nature i.e, factors like level of skill requirement, type of labor which could be mental or manual, status or prestige associated with that work, impact it makes and so on. Other classifications can be done on basis of sector in which work is being accomplished like blue collar, white caller, pink collar, professional, service work etc. which are analyzed in structures of power and class. Sociology has a sub discipline termed as sociology of work which attempts to study work relations. In primitive society nature and tools of work was simple but as technology progressed, nature of work being done in society too became complex, technology has major significance in the development of work relations and type of economy that evolves. This paper attempts a descriptive study of a type of work which is termed as ‘gig work’ which gave rise to an innovative ‘gig economy’. Gig work is defined as ‘a work performed by an independent contractor or an informal agent on demand basis which is temporary or freelance in nature.’ This paper attempts to explore two facets of gig work. One is what is meant by gig work, how it emerged and its potential, scope and consequence of such development. And the other is how does workers in a gig economy perceives their work and what are their concerns.

The gig economy, characterized by short-term contracts and freelance work, has witnessed unprecedented growth, fundamentally reshaping traditional employment structures. This study explores the crucial role of workplace well-being as a catalyst for organizational growth within this rapidly expanding sector. Gig workers face distinct challenges, including job insecurity, fluctuating income, and the absence of traditional employment benefits, which negatively impact their mental health, job satisfaction, and overall productivity. These factors contribute to stress, burnout, and decreased work efficiency, ultimately affecting organizational performance. By implementing targeted well-being initiatives—such as flexible work arrangements, mental health support programs, financial literacy training, and access to healthcare benefits—organizations can significantly enhance the quality of life for gig workers. The study examines global best practices and Indian government policies, including insights from the NITI Aayog (2022) report on India's gig economy, highlighting the necessity of structured welfare measures. Additionally, the study explores how organizations can leverage workplace well-being as a strategic tool to attract and retain talent in the gig economy. A well-designed well-being framework not only boosts worker engagement and productivity but also strengthens organizational reputation and sustainability. This research emphasizes the need for policy reforms, corporate responsibility, and collaborative efforts between businesses and governments to create an inclusive and fair gig economy. Ultimately, integrating well-being strategies into gig work environments fosters a mutually beneficial ecosystem, ensuring long-term growth for both workers and organizations.

The gig economy is an expanding sector that extensively utilizes mobile digital apps to connect freelancers with customers. This article is a review-based article that aims to examine the potential of the gig platform and identify possible regulatory strategies for Nepal's future development of the gig economy. The gig economy provides opportunities for earning revenue, enhances the flexibility of workers, and contributes to employment generation in the country's economy. However, gig workers lack benefits such as a minimum wage, paid maternity leave, social security payments, and protection against occupational and health hazards. There is a lack of suitable legislation to effectively regulate the gig economy. The rise of Nepal's gig economy is disrupted. It is imperative to formulate precise legislation that specifically addresses the rights and working conditions of gig workers. It is imperative for Nepal to establish comprehensive legal frameworks to effectively regulate the gig economy. The government should introduce measures to enhance working conditions and offer comprehensive insurance programs to ensure that gig workers do not experience discrimination compared to traditional workers.

The rapid rise of the gig economy has created new challenges in ensuring legal protection for workers. Classifying gig workers as independent contractors often excludes them from traditional employment law protections, especially in jurisdictions like Malaysia, where the laws primarily focus on employees with formal contracts. This research aims to investigate the influence of the International Labour Organization (ILO) standards on gig workers’ rights and to assess how Malaysian employment law aligns with the ILO standards. Although the ILO has not created specific conventions for gig workers, its general labour standards can still be applied to safeguard their rights. For example, the ILO’s Decent Work Declaration offers protections such as fair wages, occupational safety, and social security that can benefit gig workers. This study adopts a qualitative approach, analyzing both legal and non-legal sources. It includes a comprehensive review of ILO instruments, Malaysian employment law, and relevant journal articles and reports, to identify similarities and discrepancies between the legal frameworks. The analysis focuses on the ILO's impact on gig worker protections. This research evaluates the effectiveness of Malaysian law in ensuring protections such as minimum wages, social security, and dispute resolution mechanisms for gig workers, based on their legal status. This study adds to the continuing discussion about the gig economy by fusing state laws with global norms.

Purpose: The general objective of the study was to explore the evolution of employment law in the gig economy. Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library. Findings: The findings reveal that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to the evolution of employment law in the gig economy. Preliminary empirical review revealed that traditional employment laws were insufficient for addressing the unique needs of gig workers, who face significant gaps in legal protections and benefits. The rise of gig work exposed flaws in existing legal frameworks, which were designed for permanent, full-time employment and fail to accommodate the flexible and often precarious nature of gig jobs. It was determined that existing laws needed substantial reform to better protect gig workers while maintaining the flexibility that defines gig work, emphasizing the need for updated legal frameworks that reflect the realities of modern employment. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Theory of Precarious Work, Flexicurity Theory and the Labor Market Segmentation Theory may be used to anchor future studies on the evolution of employment law. The study recommended several key reforms to address the shortcomings in the legal framework for gig workers. It suggested developing hybrid employment models that combine traditional benefits with the flexibility of gig work, reforming legal classifications to better fit gig work patterns, and enhancing regulatory frameworks to be more adaptive to technological and market changes. The study also advocated for promoting worker representation, implementing monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to assess the impact of reforms, encouraging international collaboration for harmonized regulations, and launching education and awareness initiatives to inform gig workers and employers about their rights and responsibilities. These recommendations aimed to create a more equitable and effective labor market for gig workers.