DIGITAL WORK PLATFORMS AS A DRIVER OF LABOR MARKET TRANSFORMATION
Abstract
The article is devoted to the comprehensive study of the impact of digital labor platforms on the transformation of the modern labor market. The dynamic development of the gig economy, its structural characteristics, and the global geographical distribution of online gig workers are thoroughly analyzed. The study identifies key factors driving the transition from traditional labor relations to non-standard employment, highlighting digitalization, algorithmic management, and glocalization. A special emphasis is placed on the "digital employment paradox," where automation creates a demand for new specialized roles rather than leading to total technological unemployment. The research investigates the significant socio-economic risks associated with platform work. It highlights the vulnerability of workers subjected to "labor arbitrage," algorithmic control, pricing discrimination, and the systemic lack of social guarantees, which collectively contribute to the formation of a new global class—the precariat. The emergence of the "gig-patient" phenomenon and its implications for national health and social security systems are discussed. Furthermore, the article outlines the necessary pathways for the institutionalization of platform employment. It analyzes international judicial practices, European Union initiatives, and the specific Ukrainian context, examining the legal framework of the Diia.City regime and gig-contracts as a transitional model for legalizing freelance work. Particular attention is paid to the challenges of regulatory harmonization and the need to balance innovation with worker protection. The study concludes that mitigating the contradictions of the platform economy requires proactive government policies, continuous lifelong learning, and the modernization of labor legislation to ensure fair compensation and robust social protection. It also emphasizes the importance of developing digital infrastructure, strengthening social dialogue, and fostering inclusive economic growth in the context of ongoing digital transformation.
References
Анатійчук В. В. Трансформація поняття «праця» з позицій розвитку нестандартних форм зайнятості. Аналітично-порівняльне правознавство. 2025. № 03. С. 480–490. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24144/2788-6018.2025.03.1.73
Атаманюк Р. Ф. Розвиток цифрової екосистеми ринку праці. Інноваційна економіка. 2023. № 4. С. 110–117. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37332/2309-1533.2023.4.16
Держстат України. Кількість суб’єктів господарювання та їхні показники. URL: https://ukrstat.gov.ua (дата звернення: 30.03.2026)
Панченко В. Г., Резнікова Н. В., Птащенко О. В., Іващенко О. А. Цифрові трансформаціїміжнародного ринку праці в умовах платформізації зайнятості. Ефективна економіка. 2024. № 2. DOI: http://doi.org/10.32702/2307-2105.2024.2.8
Перегудова Т. В. Зайнятість у сфері цифрових платформ у контексті гідної праці. Економіка України. 2025. № 2. С. 71–85. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15407/economyukr.2025.02.071
Резнікова Н. В., Булатова О. В., Панченко В. Г., Іващенко О. А. Цифрова трансформація ринку праці: платформна економіка і нові загрози нерівності в умовах техноглобалізму. Агросвіт. 2023. № 18. С. 33–42. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32702/2306-6792.2023.18.33
Слободян І. Ю., Шаповалова Г. А. Фріланс та гіг-контракти: правовий режим, захист прав та виклики сучасного регулювання в Україні. Соціальний розвиток: економіко-правові проблеми. 2025. № 6. С. 1–9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.70651/3083-6018/2025.6.15
Христуненко О., Просович О. Вплив цифрової трансформації на ринок праці. Економіка та суспільство. 2025. № 73. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32782/2524-0072/2025-73-100
Шкурат М. Є., Юровицький Я. О. Трансформація сучасного ринку праці в умовах цифрових трансформацій економіки. Вісник Маріупольського державного університету. Серія: Економіка. 2023. № 25. С. 128–134. DOI: https://doi.org/10.34079/2226-2822-2023-13-25-128-134
Brailovskaya V. Digital labor gig economy from the worker’s perspective: a literature review. Idinsight, 2023. 55 p. URL: https://www.idinsight.org/publication/digital-labor-gig-economy-from-the-workers-perspective-a-literature-review/ (дата звернення: 22.03.2026)
Datta N., Rong C., Singh S. Et al. Working without borders: The Promise and Peril of Online Gig Work. World Bank, 2023. URL: https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/ebc4a7e2-85c6-467b-8713-e2d77e954c6c (дата звернення: 22.03.2026)
International Labour Organization (ILO). World Employment and Social Outlook. URL: https://www.ilo.org (дата звернення: 22.03.2026)
Larsson A., Teigland R. The Digital Transformation of Labor: Automation, the Gig Economy and Welfare. Routledge, 2020. 337 p. URL: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3502544 (дата звернення: 22.03.2026)
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Employment Outlook. URL: https://www.oecd.org (дата звернення: 20.04.2026)
Rani U., Frosch M., Williams M. Digital labour platforms: Number of platforms and workers. International Labour Organization, 2024. URL: https://www.ilo.org/publications/digital-labour-platforms-number-platforms-and-workers (дата звернення: 22.03.2026)
World Bank. Data on Digital Labor and Employment. URL: https://data.worldbank.org (дата звернення: 06.04.2026)
World Bank. Working without borders. The Promise and Peril
of Online Gig Work 2023. URL: https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/75ec866c182238e087167ce03244c8da-0460012023/original/Reading-Deck-Working-without-borders-updated.pdf (дата звернення: 14.04.2026)
Anatiichuk V. V. (2025) Transformatsiia poniattia «pratsia» z pozytsii rozvytku nestandartnykh form zainiatosti [Transformation of the concept of «labor» from the standpoint of the development of non-standard forms of employment]. Analitychno-porivnialne pravoznavstvo, vol. 03, pp. 480–490. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24144/2788-6018.2025.03.1.73
Atamaniuk R. F. (2023) Rozvytok tsyfrovoi ekosystemy rynku pratsi [Development of the digital ecosystem of the labor market]. Innovatsiina ekonomika, vol. 4, pp. 110–117. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37332/2309-1533.2023.4.16
Derzhstat Ukrainy. Kilkist subiektiv hospodariuvannia ta yikhni pokaznyky [State Statistics Service of Ukraine. Number of business entities and their indicators]. Available at: https://ukrstat.gov.ua (accessed March 30, 2026)
Panchenko V. H., Rieznikova N. V., Ptashchenko O. V., Ivashchenko O. A. (2024) Tsyfrovi transformatsii mizhnarodnogo rynku pratsi v umovakh platformizatsii zainiatosti [Digital transformations of the international labor market in the conditions of employment platformization]. Efektyvna ekonomika, vol. 2. DOI: http://doi.org/10.32702/2307-2105.2024.2.8
Perehudova T. V. (2025) Zainiatist u sferi tsyfrovykh platform u konteksti hidnoi pratsi [Employment in the field of digital platforms in the context of decent work]. Ekonomika Ukrainy, vol. 2, pp. 71–85. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15407/economyukr.2025.02.071
Rieznikova N. V., Bulatova O. V., Panchenko V. H., Ivashchenko O. A. (2023) Tsyfrova transformatsiia rynku pratsi: platformna ekonomika i novi zahrozy nerivnosti v umovakh tekhnohlobalizmu [Digital transformation of the labor market: platform economy and new threats of inequality in the conditions of technoglobalism]. Ahrosvit, vol. 18, pp. 33–42. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32702/2306-6792.2023.18.33
Slobodian I. Yu., Shapovalova H. A. (2025) Frilans ta hih-kontrakty: pravovyi rezhym, zakhyst prav ta vyklyky suchasnoho rehuliuvannia v Ukraini [Freelance and gig contracts: legal regime, protection of rights and challenges of modern regulation in Ukraine]. Sotsialnyi rozvytok: ekonomiko-pravovi problemy, vol. 6, pp. 1–9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.70651/3083-6018/2025.6.15
Khrystunenko O., Prosovych O. (2025) Vplyv tsyfrovoi transformatsii na rynok pratsi [The impact of digital transformation on the labor market]. Ekonomika ta suspilstvo, vol. 73. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32782/2524-0072/2025-73-100
Shkurat M. Ye., Yurovytskyi Ya. O. (2023) Transformatsiia suchasnoho rynku pratsi v umovakh tsyfrovykh transformatsii ekonomiky [Transformation of the modern labor market in the conditions of digital transformations of the economy]. Visnyk Mariupolskoho derzhavnoho universytetu. Seriia: Ekonomika, vol. 25, pp. 128–134. DOI: https://doi.org/10.34079/2226-2822-2023-13-25-128-134
Brailovskaya V. (2023) Digital labor gig economy from the worker’s perspective: a literature review. Idinsight, 55 p. Available at: https://www.idinsight.org/publication/digital-labor-gig-economy-from-the-workers-perspective-a-literature-review/ (accessed March 22, 2026)
Datta N., Rong C., Singh S. Et al. (2023) Working without borders: The promise and peril of online gig work. World Bank. Available at: https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/ebc4a7e2-85c6-467b-8713-e2d77e954c6c (accessed March 22, 2026)
International Labour Organization (ILO). World Employment and Social Outlook. Available at: https://www.ilo.org (accessed March 22, 2026)
Larsson A., Teigland R. (2020) The Digital Transformation of Labor: Automation, the Gig Economy and Welfare. Routledge, 337 p. Available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3502544 (accessed March 22, 2026)
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Employment Outlook. Available at: https://www.oecd.org (accessed April 20, 2026)
Rani U., Frosch M., Williams M. (2024) Digital labour platforms: Number of platforms and workers. International Labour Organization. Available at: https://www.ilo.org/publications/digital-labour-platforms-number-platforms-and-workers (accessed March 22, 2026)
World Bank. Data on Digital Labor and Employment. Available at: https://data.worldbank.org (accessed April 6, 2026)
World Bank (2023) Working without borders. The promise and peril of online gig work. Available at: https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/75ec866c182238e087167ce03244c8da-0460012023/original/Reading-Deck-Working-without-borders-updated.pdf (accessed April 14, 2026)
Copyright (c) 2026 Ольга Марченко, Альбіна Цикулова
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
