Year: 2019
Type: report
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Digital platforms such as Airtasker, Uber or Freelancer can connect workers with individuals or businesses looking to obtain services of various kinds on demand.There has been much debate about 'gig work' of this kind, but little data on its prevalence in Australia.This report presents preliminary findings from a national survey that was commissioned by the Victorian Government to address that gap.The survey, which elicited more than 14,000 usable responses, explored the prevalence and characteristics of digital platform work in Australia to gain insight into the characteristics and experiences of those participating in such work, and understand the extent to which they combine digital platform work with other forms of paid work.After screening for duplicate and unreliable responses, the sample was representative of the Australian population by age, gender and State/Territory.Some of the main findings are summarised below. How prevalent is digital platform work in Australia?• 7.1% of survey respondents are currently working (or offering to work) through a digital platform or have done so within the last 12 months.1• 13.1% of survey respondents have, at some time, undertaken digital platform work.This rate of participation is similar to recent survey findings in Europe, and higher than some previous estimates for Australia.• Of the 13.1% (1827 survey respondents) that have undertaken digital platform work, 38.7% have only done work in-person at a specified location.In contrast 28.2% have done computer or internet-based work only, while almost exactly one-third have undertaken both types of work at some time. Who is participating in digital platform work?• A wide variety of people in Australia are seeking work through digital platforms.• Younger people (aged 18-34) and males are working through digital platforms in higher proportions than other demographic groups.Females are only half as likely as males to work on digital platforms.People are also less likely to participate in platform work as they age.• New South Wales has the highest levels of participation in digital platform work (14.3% overall, 7.9% currently participating).In comparison, 13.8% of Victorians have undertaken platform work, with 7.4% currently doing so.• Respondents who live in regional and remote areas are less likely to have undertaken platform work than respondents in a major city.• Students and the unemployed have higher participation rates.Compared to employed respondents, students are 1.3 times more likely to be doing platform work, and unemployed respondents are twice as likely.• Respondents who identified as living with a disability, temporary residents, and those who spoke a language other than English at home, were more likely to participate in digital platform work. 2• Relative to Australian citizens, temporary residents are three times more likely to be a current platform worker and twice as likely to have been a former platform worker.Permanent residents are 1.7 times more likely than Australian citizens to be current or former platform workers.• Respondents who speak a language other than English at home are also 1.5 times more likely to be current platform workers.
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2950258192