Psychosocial working conditions and subjective well-being amongst platform workers compared to freelancers and...

Objectives. Technological development in the field of access to work has caused changes in the market and developed new strategies of professional activity. Within the gig economy, new forms of work have emerged. Methods. This article compares platform workers with freelancers and traditional workers. The study addresses the issue of psychosocial working conditions and subjective well-being experienced by these groups. Platform workers (N = 200) were compared with freelancers (N = 209) and traditional workers (N = 263) in terms of psychosocial working conditions (Copenhagen psychosocial questionnaire [COPSOQ II]) and subjective well-being (European Quality of Life Survey). Results. The conducted analysis shows the fundamental differences between Polish platform workers compared to freelancers and traditional workers. The results only indicate differences in the level of influence at work and development opportunities and in experiencing violent behavior at work. Conclusions. The study does not show clear or large differences between the measured occupational groups in terms of psychosocial working conditions or subjective well-being, which was originally assumed, but a field for discussion was created on the importance of differentiating traditional and non-traditional employees.