Gig Economy Management: Managing Flexible Workforce in Digital Ecosystems

Authors

  • Nada Cantika Putri Kadua Unviersitas Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62872/xzed1j57

Keywords:

Gig Economy, Flexible Workforce, Algorithmic Management, Digital HRM, Sustainable Ecosystem

Abstract

The rapid expansion of the gig economy has transformed labor dynamics by integrating flexible workers into digital platforms, yet this flexibility is often accompanied by algorithmic control, job insecurity, and limited social protection. This study aims to analyze how gig economy management and flexible workforce strategies can function as core elements within a sustainable digital ecosystem. The research adopts a qualitative approach using a systematic literature review and document analysis of recent peer-reviewed studies and policy reports. Data were analyzed through thematic and qualitative content analysis to identify key patterns related to algorithmic management, workforce flexibility, HRM strategies, and regulatory frameworks. The findings reveal that platform-based labor is characterized by strong algorithmic control over time, space, and performance, which limits worker autonomy while enhancing operational efficiency. Furthermore, the study highlights the need for adaptive and human-centered HRM practices, blended workforce models, and inclusive policy reforms to address labor vulnerabilities. The discussion emphasizes that sustainability in the gig economy depends on balancing technological innovation with worker protection and equity. In conclusion, the integration of ethical algorithmic systems, transparent HRM, and supportive regulations is essential to create a more inclusive and sustainable digital labor ecosystem

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Alauddin, F., Aman, A., Ghazali, M., & Daud, S. (2024). The influence of digital platforms on gig workers: A systematic literature review. Heliyon, 11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e41491

Alfarizi, M., Noer, L., & Noer, B. (2025). Technological support, hybrid work, and national employment policies: Catalysts for worker productivity and SDG 8 achievement in Indonesia’s gig economy. Jurnal Ketenagakerjaan. https://doi.org/10.47198/jnaker.v20i1.440

Altenried, M. (2021). Mobile workers, contingent labour: Migration, the gig economy and the multiplication of labour. Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space, 56, 1113–1128. https://doi.org/10.1177/0308518x211054846

Au‐Yeung, T., & Qiu, J. (2022). Institutions, occupations and connectivity: The embeddedness of gig work and platform-mediated labour market in Hong Kong. Critical Sociology, 48, 1169–1187. https://doi.org/10.1177/08969205221090581

Benlian, A., Wiener, M., Cram, W., Krasnova, H., Maedche, A., Möhlmann, M., Recker, J., & Remus, U. (2022). Algorithmic management. Business & Information Systems Engineering, 64, 825–839. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12599-022-00764-w

Duggan, J., Carbery, R., McDonnell, A., & Sherman, U. (2023). Algorithmic HRM control in the gig economy: The app-worker perspective. Human Resource Management. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.22168

Heiland, H. (2021). Controlling space, controlling labour? Contested space in food delivery gig work. New Technology, Work and Employment. https://doi.org/10.1111/ntwe.12183

Heiland, H. (2021). Neither timeless, nor placeless: Control of food delivery gig work via place-based working time regimes. Human Relations, 75, 1824–1848. https://doi.org/10.1177/00187267211025283

Kadolkar, I., Kepes, S., & Subramony, M. (2024). Algorithmic management in the gig economy: A systematic review and research integration. Journal of Organizational Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2831

Khalid, J., & Rana, A. (2025). Regulating the digital workforce: A human resource and legal agenda for gig workers. Journal of Political Stability Archive. https://doi.org/10.63468/3.3.28

Lankanath, R. (2025). Human resource management in the gig economy: A critical review of integration and performance management strategies for a contingent workforce. Research Journal in Business and Economics. https://doi.org/10.61424/rjbe.v3i3.561

Mahato, M., Kumar, N., & Jena, L. (2021). Re-thinking gig economy in conventional workforce post-COVID-19: A blended approach for upholding fair balance. Journal of Work-Applied Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/jwam-05-2021-0037

McDonnell, A., Carbery, R., Burgess, J., & Sherman, U. (2021). Technologically mediated human resource management in the gig economy. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 32, 3995–4015. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2021.1986109

Mendonça, P., & Kougiannou, N. (2022). Disconnecting labour: The impact of intraplatform algorithmic changes on the labour process and workers' capacity to organise collectively. New Technology, Work and Employment. https://doi.org/10.1111/ntwe.12251

Popan, C. (2021). Embodied precariat and digital control in the “gig economy”: The mobile labor of food delivery workers. Journal of Urban Technology, 31, 109–128. https://doi.org/10.1080/10630732.2021.2001714

Prathaban, S. (2025). Gig economy talent management strategies for attracting and retaining freelance workers in a globalized market. 2025 World Skills Conference on Universal Data Analytics and Sciences (WorldSUAS), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1109/worldsuas66815.2025.11199292

Sahu, G. (2025). The rise of gig economy: How HR is adapting to a new workforce model. International Research Journal on Advanced Engineering and Management (IRJAEM). https://doi.org/10.47392/irjaem.2025.0108

Shabu, K., M, P., S, M., Prabhash, N., & Hari, A. (2025). Shaping the gig economy: Insights into management, technology, and workforce dynamics. International Journal of Accounting and Economics Studies. https://doi.org/10.14419/sx68fc91

Sun, P., Chen, J., & Rani, U. (2021). From flexible labour to ‘sticky labour’: A tracking study of workers in the food-delivery platform economy of China. Work, Employment and Society, 37, 412–431. https://doi.org/10.1177/09500170211021570

Downloads

Published

2026-04-30

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Gig Economy Management: Managing Flexible Workforce in Digital Ecosystems. (2026). Maneggio, 3(2), 56-66. https://doi.org/10.62872/xzed1j57

Similar Articles

151-160 of 161

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.