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Gig Work and Health

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Handbook of Life Course Occupational Health

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

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Abstract

The gig economy has grown rapidly, introducing new employment modes and platform-based algorithmic management. It has attracted large numbers of workers across the globe into jobs such as self-employed couriers. In developing countries, they are mainly young migrant workers with relatively low education background. The quality of work and employment at this stage of their life is important as it may shape their occupational trajectory and affect health and well-being for the rest of their lives and their families. Understanding the potential risks to health from gig work, both short term as well as in later life, is an emerging field of research. This chapter aims to describe the risks faced by couriers, including work stressors, safety issues, and those posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Individual and organizational responses and risk mitigation measures will also be discussed. The chapter draws upon an extensive review of existing literature published in the English and Chinese languages as well as early findings of our own research in China and the UK. Currently, occupational health and safety in the gig economy is an under-regulated domain. These new employment modes need urgent attention as they have the potential for impacting workers’ health and well-being. It is important to develop and implement protective measures and build a safe work environment for couriers and other occupatioans that are mostly affected by the rise of the gig economy.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Population Health, Health Services Research & Primary Care, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

    Hua Wei & Martie van Tongeren

Authors
  1. Hua Wei
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  2. Martie van Tongeren
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hua Wei .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

    Morten Wahrendorf

  2. Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China

    Tarani Chandola

  3. Univ Angers, CHU Angers, Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail), UMR_S 1085, SFR ICAT, Ester Team, Angers, France

    Alexis Descatha

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Wei, H., van Tongeren, M. (2023). Gig Work and Health. In: Wahrendorf, M., Chandola, T., Descatha, A. (eds) Handbook of Life Course Occupational Health. Handbook Series in Occupational Health Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-30492-7_6

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