Character of Austria’s ‘Gig Economy’ revealed for the first time

It is generally known that online platforms such as Uber (for driving work), My Hammer […]

Policy Study

06/09/2016

It is generally known that online platforms such as Uber (for driving work), My Hammer (for household chores) and Upwork (for creative or IT work) are booming. But so far little has been known about who is doing this kind of work, with research confined to particular platforms. Now, a new report reveals for the first time the profile of Austrian crowd workers across the whole economy.

The University of Hertfordshire and Ipsos MORI, in association with the FEPS, UNI-Europa and AK Wien carried out a survey that, for the first time, shows the characteristics of Austria’s ‘gig economy’. The Austrian survey is the most recent in a series of surveys already covering three European countries, with others expected to follow.

In an online survey of 2,003 Austrian adults aged 18-65, 36% (724) said they have tried to find work managed via so-called ‘sharing economy’ platforms such as Upwork, Uber or Handy during the past year (Fig.1). But only half of these, 18% (352), actually managed to find such work at least once a year.

Read the policy viewpoint

Read the press release

Network
Austrian chamber of Labour (AK Europa)
UNI Europa
Find all related publications
Publications
31/05/2023

Is the digital transition a lever for structural reforms or does it reinforce the divide?

Recovery Watch series
28/03/2023

Back to the Dark Ages?

Q-commerce, rapid retail and the changing landscape of retail work
28/03/2023

Getting the goods

Trade unions and strategy in the quick-commerce sector
09/02/2023

Climate and digital policy

'Climate mainstreaming: breaking down the silos' series
Find all related events
Events
Upcoming
05/10/2023
FEPS HQ, Brussels (Expert meeting)

Security at work in an uncertain world III

FEPS and Progressive Britain are partnering up on a major new project on the future […]
Past
30/06/2023
Kielce, Poland

Work-life balance – Life under control

Challenges for Social Democracy Series
19/06/2023
Online

The future of care: platform work & digitalisation

Care4Care Policy series
Find all related news
News
13/03/2023

Digital programme: Algorithms at the workplace

FEPS, together with Nordic partners, launched a Digital Program on algorithmic management and workers' rights
Find all related in the media
In the media

AI, platforms and (human) workers’ rights

by Social Europe 07/07/2023
In Social Europe' article, Gerard Rinse Oosterwijk, FEPS Policy Analyst on Digital, talks about the efforts to regulate AI undertaken by the EU and highlights the importance to grasp this opportunity to set the rules for a human-centric approach

Rapid grocery worker conditions are worsening, states report

by The Grocer 30/05/2023
The findings of our FEPS study on the quick-commerce sector and the conditions of rider workers were picked up by the UK-website 'The Grocer’.

Quick commerce – not turning a fast buck

by Social Europe 15/05/2023
Article on Social Europe by the authors of 'Back to the Dark Ages?' FEPS Policy Study about the quick-commerce workers' rights.

Work insecurity: the high cost of ultra-fast grocery deliveries

by euobserver 30/03/2023
EUobserver on the ultra-fast grocery deliveries and our policy study 'Back to the Dark Ages? Quick Commerce and the changing landscape of retail work', published in collaboration with Uni Europa.