Co-Workers Instead of Rivals
In the rapidly evolving landscape of business, many companies are transitioning into platform and cloud-based activities, giving rise to a surge in self-employment, particularly within the gig economy. This shift has several potential societal effects that warrant attention.
On one hand, technology and platforms have empowered individuals to monetize their skills, work flexibly, and compete more evenly with larger firms, promoting autonomy and innovation. This democratization of entrepreneurship is a promising development, but it also raises concerns about precariousness and exclusion.
Many self-employed workers lack access to traditional social protections such as health insurance, pensions, and unemployment benefits, raising concerns about their financial security, particularly for vulnerable groups like older workers or those with fewer resources. Furthermore, self-employment tends to benefit more educated and resource-rich individuals, potentially increasing labor market inequalities.
Another issue is the fragmentation of work relations. The shift from traditional employment to gig or platform work risks individualising labor relations, weakening collective worker representation and social cohesion if unaddressed.
To counter these trends and support empowered, inclusive, and cohesive societies for platform/collaborative workers, several measures have been proposed. These include modernizing social protection systems to cover self-employed and gig workers, offering targeted training and resources to help all workers adapt to technology, and promoting collective representation adapted to the gig economy.
By implementing these measures, we can ensure that the new world of work empowers all individuals, regardless of their background or resources, and fosters a cohesive society. It is crucial to address these challenges to prevent the shift in work structure from leading to a lack of cohesive societies.
References:
[1] European Commission. (2020). The European Pillar of Social Rights. https://ec.europa.eu/info/publications/european-pillar-social-rights_en
[2] International Labour Organization. (2019). World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2019. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/---publ/documents/publication/wcms_745129.pdf
[3] OECD. (2019). Going Digital: The Transformation of Industries and Skills. https://www.oecd.org/education/skills/going-digital-the-transformation-of-industries-and-skills-9789264310831-en.htm
[4] Platform Economy Project. (2019). The State of the Platform Economy: A Review of the Evidence. https://platformcoalition.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/The-State-of-the-Platform-Economy-A-Review-of-the-Evidence.pdf
- The surge in self-employment within the gig economy, facilitated by technology and platforms, has resulted in an increased emphasis on workplace-wellness and health-and-wellness, as many self-employed workers lack traditional social protections like health insurance.
- Finance and business are intertwined in this transition, as the democratization of entrepreneurship promises economic growth and innovation, but also raises concerns about the financial security of self-employed workers, particularly vulnerable groups.
- In the new world of work, where technology and the gig economy are dominant, some have proposed measures to ensure business practices prioritize the well-being of all workers, not just the educated or resource-rich, fostering an inclusive and cohesive society in alignment with science and best practices in health and wellness.
