Measuring digital platform‐mediated workers

O'Farrell, Rory; Montagnier, Pierre

doi:10.1111/ntwe.12155

Cited by 24 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Accurate estimates of the prevalence and social distribution of platform work are generally lacking in North America (Collins et al 2019), with a rare exception being a recent study by the Pew Research Center (Anderson et al 2021), which revealed that 16 percent of Americans reported earning income from online labor platforms at least once. Inconsistent approaches to identifying platform workers, however, means that quantitative measurement of their work conditions and personal characteristics, including their health, remains in its infancy (O’Farrell and Montagnier 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dependency and Hardship in the Gig Economy: The Mental Health Consequences of Platform Work

Glavin

Schieman

2022

Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World

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The authors investigate the relationship between platform work engagement and worker mental health on the basis of two nationally representative samples of Canadian workers. Integrating insights from the job demands–resources model and Schor’s idea of “platform dependence,” the authors examine whether a dependent attachment to the platform economy is associated with poorer mental health. Multivariate analyses reveal that dependent platform workers report higher levels of psychological distress than secondary platform workers, wage workers, and the traditional self-employed. In contrast to work conditions, which contribute little to these distress patterns, financial strain explains approximately 50 percent of dependent platform workers’ higher distress. Contingency analyses reveal that financial strain also exacerbates the mental health penalties associated with dependent platform work. These findings support a “dependent-precarity” perspective of platform work stress, raising questions about the future health challenges posed by platform work in a postpandemic economy.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dependency and Hardship in the Gig Economy: The Mental Health Consequences of Platform Work

Glavin

Schieman

2022

Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World

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“…Online freelancing reflects a form of labor market that relies on mediated and fully digital interactions between these workers and potential employers. Even as O’Farrell and Montagnier, (2019) articulate difficulties with determining the scale of platform-mediated work, estimates suggest there are 56 million online freelancers globally, 40% of whom are U.S. - based ( Kässi and Lehdonvirta, 2018 ; Stephany et al, 2021 ). And, these online labor markets have grown by almost 50% since 2017 ( Kässi and Lehdonvirta, 2018 ; Stephany et al, 2021 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender Differences and Lost Flexibility in Online Freelancing During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021

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We report findings from an ongoing panel study of 68 U.S.-based online freelancers, focusing here on their experiences both pre- and in-pandemic. We see online freelancing as providing a window into one future of work: collaborative knowledge work that is paid by the project and mediated by a digital labor platform. The study’s purposive sampling provides for both empirical and conceptual insights into the occupational differences and career plans of freelance workers. The timing of the 2020 data collection provides insight into household changes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings make clear these workers are facing diminished work flexibility and increased earning uncertainty. And, data show women are more likely than men to reduce working hours to help absorb the increased share of caregiving and other domestic responsibilities. This raises questions of online freelancing as a viable career path or sustainable source of work.

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“…Despite having generated a wealth of research on its work and employment conditions, as well as its disruptive impact on traditional labour markets, the prevalence and drivers of internet and platform work remain underdeveloped. A major obstacle has been the lack of comparable and representative data (O'Farrell & Montagnier, 2020; Piasna, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pushed online: What characteristics of regional offline labour markets influence the expansion of Internet and platform work?

Zwysen

Piasna

2023

New Technol Work Employ

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Despite disruptive impact of internet work on labour markets little is known about what, beyond individual pull factors, drives its expansion. This article extends current frameworks by investigating the role of regional economic and employment conditions. The analysis covers 165 regions in 14 European countries using a representative cross‐national data set on individual engagement in internet and offline work, augmented with aggregate data on the regional context. Our findings suggest that otherwise similar workers engage more in internet work where offline opportunities are worse—fewer jobs and of lower quality—with effects up to 10% for large regional differences. The increase mainly represents workers juggling offline and internet jobs under conditions of economic and job insecurity. These results imply that internet work is not exceptional or separate from the traditional labour market, challenging the narrative of platforms as outsiders to labour market regulation and justifying the expansion of regulatory efforts.

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Measuring digital platform‐mediated workers

Cited by 24 publications

References 4 publications

Dependency and Hardship in the Gig Economy: The Mental Health Consequences of Platform Work

Dependency and Hardship in the Gig Economy: The Mental Health Consequences of Platform Work

Gender Differences and Lost Flexibility in Online Freelancing During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Pushed online: What characteristics of regional offline labour markets influence the expansion of Internet and platform work?

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