The emergence of a gig-based economy brings new waves of employment to the staggering job market. Gig work offers higher flexibility that can, at times, transcend geographical boundaries, allowing people to work together from different parts of the world anytime. However, this flexibility also brings new challenges for workers. This calls for better regulations to support decent work for gig workers.

The Digitalization of Gig Work

Originally, the term ‘gig’ was used to describe one-off performances by musicians. Now, it generally refers to people who work short-term or on-off projects for various clients. 

The ‘new gig economy’, however, is characterized by flexibility and digital spaces, according to Wang, Gao, and Zhang (2025). Digitalization marks the rapid expansion of current gig work, which slightly differs from ‘traditional gig economy’ that centers on skilled, independent workers focusing on outcomes. Estimations by the World Bank show that up to 12.5% of the global workforce engages in online gig work. It equals up to 435 million people worldwide.

Unlike traditional employment systems with fixed contracts and regular paychecks, gig workers are typically self-employed. In general, they find their own clients through online platforms or apps. The work itself can be more flexible in terms of time and geography compared to office jobs. 

Furthermore, the skills required for gig work nowadays vary greatly depending on the type of work. Some jobs need general skills like delivery and manual labors, while others can require rather specific sets of skill, like graphic design or IT support.  Gig workers are then paid after completing tasks they obtain through platforms. Think of food delivery drivers who get paid after completing orders, or virtual assistants who receive a fee after finishing a project. So, rather than a fixed income, their earnings depend on the number of tasks they can complete.  

Drawing on Flexibility

Flexibility is among the biggest draws of gig work. Some people prefer to set their own hours, or need to because of certain conditions, such as caregiving. For them, gig work is a way to earn money without the rigid schedule of corporations. Because of the relatively low entry barriers, gig work also offers options for people who are rebuilding their lives due to displacements, migrations, and other hardships. 

Meanwhile, some others do it for additional income, or as a temporary solution as they find stable employment. In Canada, for instance, international healthcare workers take up gigs at digital care platforms as they wait for accreditation or permanent employment. These platforms become an avenue for them to practice the skills they are trained for.

There are also people who do gig work as a main source of income due to difficulties in finding work in the traditional jobs market. In Kenya, for example, soaring unemployment rate has become the primary reason people sign up for gig work. The country has around 180 digital labor platforms and 30 e-commerce platforms, based on 2024 data. 

Questions about Security 

Despite expanding possibilities of how jobs could be, there are notable challenges in gig work. As they are essentially self-employed, gig workers must allocate resources to support their work infrastructure, such as proper devices, reliable internet connection, and vehicles. These personal resources become a prerequisite for participation, highlighting issues of accessibility and inequality.

In “Working Without Borders: The Promise and Peril of Online Gig Work”, World Bank researchers highlight that condition. They point out how internet penetration, rural electrification, and economic development are vital factors affecting the distribution of online gig work in a country. Countries with advanced infrastructure and higher income per capita have greater gig workers participation from smaller cities. Meanwhile, developing countries have a huge digital divide between urban and rural areas, 72% and 34% respectively. This gap can limit gig work opportunities for rural residents. 

Furthermore, self-employment means gig workers are not entitled to social protection benefits usually given by corporations or governments, unless they arrange and pay for it themselves. This includes health insurances, paid leave, or workers’ compensation. In other words, gig workers often do not have safety nets to fall back into when they get sick, injured, or caught in other emergencies. When they cannot work, they will not have an income nor “the luxury” to be without one.

The lack of social protection coverage becomes especially urgent when we consider that gig work’s flexibility can teeter to dangerous territory of exploitation. In India, for instance, companies implemented a marketing strategy promising 10 minute grocery delivery within a three kilometer radius, causing a nationwide protest over the impacts on workers’ health and safety. . A survey in Singapore shows that around 300 of 1,000 gig workers can work more than 59 hours per week, surpassing the country’s limit of 44 hours. Non-existent legal boundaries breed rooms for this exploitation, putting people’s health and wellbeing at stake.  

Stability for Gig Workers

At the 114th International Labour Conference (June 1–12, 2026), the International Labor Organization adopted the Decent Work in the Platform Economy Convention after several years of development and negotiations. The convention aims to lay the groundwork for new international labor standards. It addresses several long-standing gaps in gig work, including the promotion and realization of decent work, occupational safety and health, and social security. The convention will come into force twelve months after the formal ratification by ILO Member States. 

Ultimately, the precarity of gig work amid mass unemployment, rising living costs, and increasingly unstable climate should compel governments’ to shape regulations and policies that centers on workers’ rights. Strengthening the legal foundation of the gig-based economy must go hand-in-hand with the continuous efforts to realize decent work for all workers without exceptions.

Editor: Nazalea Kusuma

Co-create positive impact for people and the planet.

Amidst today’s increasingly complex global challenges, equipping yourself, team, and communities with interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral insights on sustainability-related issues and sustainable development is no longer optional — it is a strategic necessity to stay ahead and stay relevant.

Join Membership Partner with Us