Precarious employment and its relation to mental well-being in the gig economy: comparing main and supplementary workers.

Abstract

This study investigates the association between precarious employment (PE) and mental well-being and examines the mediating role of five intrinsic quality of work (IQW) dimensions: autonomy, physical demands, work intensity, skill discretion, and social support. We distinguish between main (>24 hours/week) and supplementary (≤24 hours/week) gig workers. Survey data from 397 Belgian gig workers were used to construct a multidimensional, gig-specific measure of PE (the Employment Precariousness Scale for gig work: 'EPRES-gw'). Structural equation modeling was applied to test mediation by IQW dimensions and examine differences between main and supplementary gig workers. PE was positively associated with poor mental well-being among main but not supplementary workers. Among main gig workers, the relationship was mediated by high work intensity, physical demands, and low social support. For supplementary workers, low autonomy mediated the association. PE is particularly relevant for the mental well-being of main gig workers. The role of IQW is important, though the key dimensions differ by time spent in in gig work. These findings highlight the need for policy interventions and research addressing both employment rights and IQW-related psychosocial risks, with approaches tailored to the distinct challenges of main versus supplementary gig workers.