THE CONTEXT
The emergence of online digital labor platforms represents one of the landmark changes in the world of work. In the post-Covid era, the online gig economy gives workers “the opportunity to work from any place, at any time, and take up whatever task suits them.”
Micro-task and freelance platforms provide businesses and companies with a global workforce that can remotely complete small tasks or structured projects using a computer and Internet connection.
What if we look closer at the female component of this large and flexible workforce?
The relationship between women and digital labor platforms has been the focus of ‘Women in Gig Work: Web-Based Work,’ the sixth webinar within WageIndicator's Gig Work webinar series. It took place on March 31, 2023, with the participation of researchers, project coordinators, and platform managers from all over the world: the United Kingdom, Spain, Uganda, and the Netherlands. More than 300 people registered to enjoy their contributions, be part of a productive discussion, and learn more about good platform examples that combine flexibility and labor rights protection.
One of the main reasons women choose micro-task or freelancing jobs is that they open the door to flexible work and financial independence while taking care of their families or doing something else. As ILO studies show, female workers make up approximately 39 percent of the labor supply in the online gig economy.
Unfortunately, the webinar shed light on the other side of the coin: this flexibility is not always a synonym for equality of opportunities and treatment. Traditional labor market dynamics tend to be present online, most notably the gender pay gap, and women are slightly more often treated unequally due to their age and sex.
A lot has to be done to ensure flexibility and decent work for women on web-based platforms. They already have the opportunity to use platforms to gain financial independence or build a career. However, they deserve to do so with serenity. That means more economic stability, fair treatment, and acceptable working hours.
Janna Besamusca: ‘Workers with care responsibilities are predominantly women’
Understanding why women choose self-employment and do so through platforms is a necessary starting point.
‘If we compare working mothers and fathers, we see that mothers are more likely to be self-employed than fathers. We can say that self-employment attracts women with care responsibilities.’
Janna Besamusca was called to explain women’s labor market position in the role of keynote speaker.
As Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences at Utrecht University and leading researcher at WageIndicator Foundation, she zoomed in on the effects of work-family policies on motherhood and self-employment in middle- and high-income countries.
‘Globally, many female workers are still called to divide their time between care and paid work responsibilities, and certainly much more than men.’
Consequently, women's participation in paid work is more irregular than men's, and they must take over part-time roles or work fewer hours.
Part of gender inequality starts here: ‘When we think of a good mother, we think of someone who prioritizes her children and is devoted to them. Cultural preferences and beliefs can reinforce this thought. Gender and care responsibilities impact how employers and colleagues see women and generate inequalities in the workplace.’
It’s also true that sectors for women's work tend to be lower paid, and women are less likely to take over management positions. ‘Your boss is more likely to be a man.’
Read also:
- Women in Gig Work: Web-Based Work Panel Discussion: The good and bad sides of web-based work
- Women in Gig Work: Web-Based Work Best Practices Session: Practical solutions to overcome discrimination and bias
The WageIndicator Gig Team has scheduled the next webinar on October 27, 2023 ‘A Level Playing Field for Gig Workers’ will focus on the solutions to create equality for platform workers, through collective bargaining, fair representation, and more.