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The Growing “Gig Economy”

Implications for the Health and Safety of Digital Platform Workers

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Handbook on Management and Employment Practices

Part of the book series: Handbook Series in Occupational Health Sciences ((HDBSOHS))

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Abstract

Operating outside national systems of labor regulation, the characteristics of digital platform work raise new questions about the safety, health, and wellbeing of workers. Digital platform work is said to provide flexibility and improved work-life balance for workers, as well as access to income for individuals who might not otherwise be able to work for health or lifestyle reasons. Emerging research, however, has also highlighted risks to worker health, safety, and wellbeing associated with social isolation, competition for work and algorithmic control, lack of access to protections afforded by employment regulation, and low prices. The chapter begins by defining key concepts and relationships in digital platform work. Estimates of the size, growth, and diversity of this form of work globally are provided. The benefits that digital platform work can offer are contrasted with a discussion of the associated risks, using examples from recent empirical research addressing the health, safety, and wellbeing of workers. The chapter concludes by canvassing a future research agenda in this emerging field.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Management, QUT Business School, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Penny Williams, Paula McDonald & Robyn Mayes

Authors
  1. Penny Williams
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  2. Paula McDonald
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  3. Robyn Mayes
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Correspondence to Penny Williams .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Mt Gravatt, QLD, Australia

    Paula Brough

  2. School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Mt Gravatt, Australia

    Elliroma Gardiner

  3. University of East Anglia, Norwich Business School, Norwich, UK

    Kevin Daniels

Section Editor information

  1. School of Management, QUT Business School, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

    Elliroma Gardiner

  2. School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Paula Brough PhD

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Williams, P., McDonald, P., Mayes, R. (2021). The Growing “Gig Economy”. In: Brough, P., Gardiner, E., Daniels, K. (eds) Handbook on Management and Employment Practices. Handbook Series in Occupational Health Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24936-6_32-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24936-6_32-1

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