Changing Contours of the Employment Landscape: A Study on Gig Work Options for the Platform Workforce of Kerala

Abstract

The article is an attempt to examine the extent to which the emergence of platform work options has offered succour to the workforce of Kerala hit hard by the dearth of employment opportunities owing to the pandemic-induced economic crisis. A survey of 55 respondents across the state reveals that Kerala’s workforce is engaged in diverse types of platform work that can be classified into web-based and location-based works. Platform work is a preferred job option for the young workforce as the mean age of the surveyed is 27.45 years. Though platform work is opted by all irrespective of educational level, those with higher educational qualifications were engaged in web-based work. Gender bias in favour of women is found in web-based work, while location-based jobs happen to be a male dominion. Though platform workers value independence in work, flexible work schedules, etc., associated with gig work, most of them have expressed their desire to have a regular job with stable incomes as the mean income of the respondents was moderate at ₹17,609. Reckoning the rise in platform job options, the policy thrust must be on promoting remunerative web-based work coupled with protecting the interests of the overworked location-based workers.