Beyond precarity: a recovery-oriented framework for the mental health and social inclusion of gig workers

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the implications of gig and platform work for mental health and social inclusion. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts a conceptual and critical stance, referencing established theory about precarious employment and mental health recovery as well as international and Indian literature on gig work, psychosocial working conditions and algorithmic management. Findings Income insecurity, algorithmic control and social isolation are frequently mentioned in the literature review as factors linked to lower psychological well-being among some gig workers; however, the degree and direction of these associations seem to change depending on the larger regulatory environment. Low-barrier outreach, peer-led support, financial and vocational bridge assistance and worker involvement in service design are all included in the proposed alternative, recovery-oriented framework. Research limitations/implications This study uses secondary sources with differing methodological strengths and provenance and does not offer any new empirical data as a conceptual viewpoint. Social implications The design of community mental health, employment and social protection services for a mobile, dispersed workforce unattached to a single workplace may change if gig workers are acknowledged as a population with potentially unique recovery and inclusion needs. Originality/value This study examines how platform workers, an occupational group whose psychosocial needs seem to have received relatively little attention in mental health scholarship, might benefit from the recovery and social inclusion agenda, which is typically associated with clinical mental health service users.