Revisiting the Gig Economy: Emergence, Challenges and COVID-19 Implications

This paper articulates the gig economy in view of its emergence, implications to organizations, platform control and other issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from the scientific databases and various media sources were consulted to address the papers’ theme of inquiry. Evidence shows the increasing commodification of human resources owing to technological advances and ensuing social change. This gave rise to the so-called gig economy which has expanded the range of employment opportunities to people across the globe. Nonetheless, its long-run continuity necessitates platform control efforts that ensure the provision of quality services to customers. Developing gig workers’ knowledge, skillset and overall competency in service delivery can be jointly implemented with service quality surveillance and monitoring strategies adopted at present. Furthermore, the phenomenon is falling into a precarious situation as it begets greater vulnerabilities among workers. Its decentralized setup refutes the status quo of public institutions in regulating manpower supply. In the COVID-19 crisis, relevant gig jobs are subjecting workers to higher risks. Yet, accountability remains obscure. Therefore, it is imperative for gig companies and policy makers to re-concentrate on the subsisting issues and design strategies that offer the greatest benefits for the society in normal and turbulent times.