Digital age

Back to the future: Policy pointers from platform work scenarios

Report
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21 Eylül 2020
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Author(s): 
Mandl, Irene

Key findings

  • In economically challenging times, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, a low-barrier entry to employment forms like platform work can be beneficial for those most affected, such as the young or low-skilled. However, unfavourable side effects, like potentially getting stuck in a job with worse working conditions, social protection and career opportunities, must not be neglected.
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  • In economically challenging times, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, a low-barrier entry to employment forms like platform work can be beneficial for those most affected, such as the young or low-skilled. However, unfavourable side effects, like potentially getting stuck in a job with worse working conditions, social protection and career opportunities, must not be neglected.
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  • It is important to ensure that platform work acts as a stepping stone into standard employment for those who wish so, rather than resulting in labour market segmentation or crowding out of traditional jobs.
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  • A common finding across all scenarios is that the growth of platform work in rural areas could be fostered, through a combination of awareness raising of the population and workforce, and by incentivising platforms to offer their services there, including platforms with alternative governance structures (e.g. owned by the municipality).
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  • The establishment of such labour platforms can serve a double benefit of improving the working conditions of the affiliated workers and providing accessible and affordable services of public interest.
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  • With sound framework conditions, platform work can also be strategically used to foster an entrepreneurial spirit. Platform workers genuinely acting as self-employed can be supported in trying out or expanding their economic activity.
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Özet

Platform work– the matching of supply and demand for paid labour through an online platform – is still small in scale but is expected to grow. Accordingly, it is important to anticipate the opportunities and risks related to this business model and employment form. This report explores potential Read more

Platform work– the matching of supply and demand for paid labour through an online platform – is still small in scale but is expected to grow. Accordingly, it is important to anticipate the opportunities and risks related to this business model and employment form. This report explores potential scenarios for two selected types of platform work by 2030, drawing on Eurofound’s ‘Future scenarios of platform work’ project. It assesses the expected implications for the economy, labour market and society if these potential futures were realised. On this basis, policy pointers show what could be done to facilitate desirable and avoid undesirable futures. These policy pointers consider how to capitalise on the opportunities inherent in on-location platform work, the need for regulatory clarity and enforcement, issues around worker representation, and the embeddedness of platform work in the digital age.

See also: Platform economy repository - Future scenarios

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Biçimler

Research carried out prior to the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union on 31 January 2020, and published subsequently, may include data relating to the 28 EU Member States. Following this date, research only takes into account the 27 EU Member States (EU28 minus the UK), unless specified otherwise.

This report presents the results of research conducted prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 in Europe in February 2020. For this reason, the results do not take account of the outbreak.

Part of the series

  • New forms of employment

    This series reports on the new forms of employment emerging across Europe that are driven by societal, economic and technological developments and are different from traditional standard or non-standard employment in a number of ways. This series explores what characterises these new employment forms and what implications they have for working conditions and the labour market.

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