Gig or Trap? Navigating Gen Z's New Workforce

The global workforce has seen a fundamental shift with the rise of gig economy. Gig Workers defined independent contractors, freelancers, or temporary workers who take on short-term assignments, often through digital platforms like Uber, Swiggy, Upwork, or Fiverr. The growing informal nature of employment in gig economy does not merely provide employment and high earning in short time but also causes various insecurities, psychological challenges, exploitation, bounded trap and exclusion from social security because of its anonymous nature. In India, this concept has witnessed a tremendous growth owing to factors like urbanization, digitisation and increasing smartphones penetrations. This paper studies the regulatory frameworks of other jurisdictions regarding gig workers. This is adhered by critical examination of the current landscape, nature, employment and so on, which assists in the identification of gaps put forth the protection of Gig worker’s rights. It attempts to highlight the comparative outlook between gig economy and traditional employment models. It explores the case study showcasing the entrusted nature of Supreme Court of India. This paper further examines through the lens of International Relations (IR) theories. This paper intends to delves the intersection of caste and gender significantly influences experiences within India’s gig economy. This paper poses some fundamental questions such as; why Gig economy leads psychological problems? What are the reasons behind the emergence of Gig economy? The paper broadly divided into three section deals with different criteria and perspectives.