People with disability and older Australians are increasingly accessing care and support services through digital platforms such as Mable and Hireup.

Project summary

People with disability and older Australians are increasingly accessing care and support services through digital platforms such as Mable and Hireup. This platform-based model of service delivery mirrors the broader growth of the on-demand or ‘gig’ economy, exemplified by transport platforms such as Uber and DiDi and task-based platforms such as Airtasker.

Some researchers argue that platform work offers workers greater flexibility, autonomy over working hours and improved work–life balance. Other researchers, however, argue that it contributes to precarious employment by driving down wages, intensifying competition for work and shifting employment risks onto workers.

As platform workers are typically classified as self-employed or independent contractors, they are generally not entitled to minimum hours or wages, employer-funded training, paid leave, superannuation contributions, long service leave or many of the legal protections available to employees.

Despite the rapid expansion of digital care platforms in Australia, there has been limited research examining their implications for the care workforce. This project addresses this gap by investigating the characteristics, working conditions, experiences, motivations and job satisfaction of care workers who obtain gig work through digital care platforms. By generating empirical evidence on this emerging form of work, the project aims to inform labour and social policy debates on the regulation of platform-mediated care and the future of work in the care sector.