When Autonomy Is Not Enough: Platform Work, Technostress, and Worker Well-Being

Autonomy should protect platform workers from exhaustion, but for those who depend on platform work for income, it does not.

This is one standout finding from a recent study by Prof. Koç and Prof. Hynes, published in Digital Business. Today, up to 435 million people earn income through digital labor platforms (DLPs) such as Upwork, Fiverr, and Uber. Although these platforms often promise flexibility and autonomy, many platform workers experience diminished well-being.

The study confirms that autonomy and boundary control can reduce technostress and exhaustion, while digital surveillance and high work demands intensify them. However, for workers who depend on platform work as a source of income, the freedom to choose tasks is psychologically outweighed by the pressure to earn a living.

The authors also present four design principles for DLPs, alongside policy recommendations in the context of EU Directive 2024/2831 on platform work conditions.

Read the full study here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666954426000098?via%3Dihub#coi0005