An empirical study on knowledge workers’ subjective perspectives on digital platform work

Abstract

Although digital platforms offer novel opportunities and benefits to skilled knowledge workers, the move to platform work is often accompanied by some downsides. The goal of this study was to shed light on the reasoning beyond knowledge workers’ decision to move to platform work and their experiences with it. Taking a knowledge worker’s subjective (psychological) perspective and drawing from self-determination theory and the meaningfulness of work, we conducted a qualitative study following the grounded-theory approach. We collected data (N = 15) through semi-structured themed interviews with platform knowledge workers (techno-experts, cleantech freelancers and translators). We found self-realization and new ways of working as main reasons for knowledge workers to move to platform work. Knowledge workers experienced challenges related to self-employment, although for some knowledge workers these downsides were a part of their choice to move to platform work. Our study offers valuable contributions to the current understanding on KWs’ subjective perspectives on platform work.