Recently an incident happened with me, I was driving in Bangalore, it was peak traffic time, and after moving at the speeds of 5kmph for the last 10 mins, had a small patch of road empty ahead of me. Just as I was about to overtake the car ahead of me, I saw a Delivery Executive coming from the wrong side and high speed. Thankfully I was able to adjust to it, but that left me wondering, why so many delivery executives take suck risks with their lives.
I guess all of us have ordered food or booked a cab from one of the many platforms we have today like Swiggy, Zomato, Uber, Ola, etc. Whenever you are driving, you must have had experience of a delivery person riding recklessly. Blue-collar gig workers have become part of our daily lives, but do we know them, their struggles, or their stories?
India is a young country of 1.4 Billion people with a median age of 28 years. In 2018, it also entered a golden period of demographic dividend, where the working-age population is higher than the dependent population. This means we have a lot of people who a seeking jobs, and we do not have either enough available jobs or due to lack of proper education quality, lack of qualified candidates for skilled jobs.
This is where the Gig Economy comes into the picture. The gig economy is a part of the labor market where short-term contracts or freelance work are common, rather than permanent jobs. It's like a marketplace where people offer their skills for temporary projects. This kind of work gives people the flexibility to choose when, where, and how they work, but it might not offer the same benefits or job security as a full-time job.
The gig workforce in India is growing at a tremendous pace. According to Niti Aayog’s report, India will have 235 Lakhs gig workers by 2030
So, what is motivating people to take up blue-collared platform gigs?
Less Labour Intensive → Low-skilled labor-intensive work demands significant effort.
Better Salary → For some, platform work offers better salaries than their previous jobs
Flexibility → You can make your schedule and not have to answer anyone directly.
Financial Burden → Due to family or personal financial situation, this is the quickest way to alleviate some pressure.
What challenges does a gig worker face daily?
Managing Food → Most of the drivers start after having breakfast at their homes and cook again when they reach back. Lunchtime is a busy time, so lunch is always unpredictable, It can get delayed post 4 PM at times, and if they have to eat outside, then it eats into their daily earnings.
Managing Water → Usually they bring a bottle of water with them, but that’s not enough to last them the entire day. Some restaurants do provide water, but they are small in number, also, they feel uncomfortable asking for water from customers. So many times they either have to buy water or just go without it.
Lack of Sanitized Washrooms → There is no ready access to Sanitized washrooms for workers. This is one of the major reasons, why women are not able to join the workforce anymore. Some women even choose not to drink water during work, to avoid the need for bathroom breaks.
Resting during Non-Peak Hours → Have you ever wondered why there are clusters of food delivery partners in certain areas of the city? They're not necessarily stationed there but instead are trying to boost their chances of receiving an order by positioning themselves near popular restaurants. During non-peak hours, when food orders are scarce, they tend to take a break. Since they don't have designated rest areas, many of them have to settle for finding a shaded spot or parking their bike and taking a quick nap. Finding a suitable place to rest can be quite a challenge for these delivery executives during these off-peak hours.
Taking Leaves → Even though Gig work provides time flexibility, they still have to book their slots to work in advance. If you book a slot beforehand and are canceling it later, then you have to pay penalties, which can be challenging in medical emergencies
Lack of Safety → Often delivery executives in poorly lit or constructed areas, especially at night, have to fear for their safety since there are high cases where customers might misbehave or assault them.
Lack of Dignity → It’s very common to see them being discriminated against based on the dress code in public areas. Customers misuse their services, are restricted from using elevators, and often get derided by security guards of societies. There can be religious bias as well.
Changing Incentive Structure - Apps have all the control over incentives, and the number of hours, and orders keep increasing, with more and more people joining, there is always a higher demand for lower pay
Adapting to new technology - Often a lot of the drivers do struggle with Technology, understanding how to open maps, and finding the proper location, they often have to take help from other drivers to understand the system
Managing Finances
So the income of Gig workers comprised of
Most of the Gig workers, with Household essentials, School Fees, and vehicle EMI as well as unpredictable income, rising inflation, and changing incentives hinder their ability to save for the future.
A lot of them also rely on credit to make ends meet, often borrowing from Friends and family or using apps like Paytm for quick small loans.
Goals and Aspirations of Gig Workers
Gig work is often seen as a step toward something bigger that workers want in life. It might be a short-term one, like paying school fees, finishing payments on a bike or car, or a longer-term aim of starting something of their own.
It’s often a temporary solution alongside a normal job for additional income, recently Zomato celebrated Vignesh, who cleared the Tamil Nadu Public Service Examination working as a delivery partner.
How to Improve the Gig Economy
To make it better for a full-time career, there can be several steps taken, like in Rajasthan, where, even Gig workers have been included in Social Security Schemes
Zomato has recently launched resting spots for Delivery executives, where other brand executives are allowed as well, for access to water and clean washrooms
As a customer, try to offer water to the executives and add precise delivery instructions. A little act of kindness or politeness can help someone feel much better about their lives.
References
This study was highly influenced by the India Notes, and their excellent report would provide much more depth as well.
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