All publications: digital labour + gig economy
Diagnostic review of working conditions and social security coverage of digital platform workers in Cambodia
The report finds a sector characterized by opportunity and growth, but also by significant challenges related to job security, social protection and representation.
ILO Working Paper 177
Why social dialogue is necessary for sustainable economic development: Exploring peak-level social dialogue in alternative scenarios
This paper argues that social dialogue is a necessary instrument for delivering sustainable economic development and social progress for all. It played a key role in shaping countries’ responses to the financial crisis of 2008–09 and the COVID-19...
Brief
Generative AI and labour markets in ASEAN: Significant exposure, limited disruption, uneven preparedness
The brief finds that while generative AI has the potential to reshape work in ASEAN, there is little evidence of widespread labour market disruption so far, with future outcomes depending largely on countries' preparedness, policy choices and...
Social dialogue and tripartism
Institutionalizing social dialogue for green and digital transitions in Europe and Central Asia
This regional brief examines how social dialogue can help countries in Europe and Central Asia manage the green and digital transitions in a fair, inclusive and employment-centred way.
ILO Publication
Digital Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Assessment for Youth in Kigali and Musanze, Rwanda
The ILO-led Digital Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Assessment for Youth in Kigali and Musanze, Rwanda, developed with national partners and supported by Luxembourg, looks at what young digital entrepreneurs need to start, grow and sustain businesses....
ILO Working paper 164
Opportunities and Challenges for Decent Work in the Platform Economy in Asia and the Pacific
This paper explores how the evolving platform economy is reshaping the economic landscape across Asia and the Pacific, and how countries in this diverse region are navigating emerging opportunities and challenges. It situates platform work within...
Background paper prepared by the International Labour Office
Fair employment for social justice
Research brief
Digital labour platforms: Number of platforms and workers
This brief examines the growth of digital labour platforms and provides updated estimates on the number of active platforms and workers engaged through them. It highlights persistent measurement gaps and underscores the need for internationally...
World of Work series
Employment and Social Trends 2026
The Employment and Social Trends 2026 report examines the state of global labour markets, highlighting stable headline employment alongside stalled progress in job quality and widening inequalities. The report analyses productivity, demographic and...
Full report
Workforce 2030 : Skills for thriving in the green and digital transition
This report analyses the employment impacts of the green and digital transitions, the associated implications for occupational and skills needs, and how to respond more effectively to the challenges arising.
Platform economy
Decent work in the platform economy in the Caribbean
The study examines the emerging landscape of platform work across eleven Caribbean countries, finding that its prevalence is currently limited and uneven, concentrated primarily in urban centers and the tourism sector, and dominated by...
WSSD2 Brief
Bridging the digital divide
The brief highlights the issues associated with digitalisation of work and AI faced by social actors in countries around the world. It identifies key labour market issues associated with these technological developments and suggests how the benefits...
ITC ILO report brief
The compounding impact of artificial intelligence and robotics on the future of learning
This report reviews the technological landscape of advanced robotics and RobotGPTs, assesses potential uses in adult training, surveys international governance frameworks and ethical guidelines, and offers recommendations for ITCILO’s...
ILO report
Navigating the digital and artificial intelligence revolution in Arab labour markets
The labour market in the Arab States is at a crossroads, facing persistent challenges while navigating a new era of digital transformation. This report provides a comprehensive analysis of these dynamics. It projects that while the risk of...
ILO Working Paper 149
Navigating workers' data rights in the digital age
This paper examines how existing data protection laws often fail to safeguard workers in increasingly digitalized workplaces. It highlights regulatory gaps across jurisdictions and proposes worker-centric data governance solutions to ensure fairer,...
ILO Publication
Embracing digital in Uganda
A practical guide for freelancers, digital entrepreneurs and owners of micro and small enterprises.
ILO Working Paper 143
Collective bargaining and collective action in the platform economy
This working paper was prepared in 2024 and reviews developments internationally since 2021 relating to the exercise of the right to bargain collectively and the existence of collective agreements among workers in the platform economy. The paper...
Toolkit
Exploring the gig economy: Challenges and opportunities
Policy Brief
Platform Work Associations and the Platform Workers Act in Singapore
This policy brief outlines Singapore’s journey towards greater protections for platform workers. It expounds on the role played by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and other Associations in working with tripartite partners to advocate for...
ILO Working paper 138
Responses of technical and vocational education and training institutions to the needs of industry’s digital transformation in South-East...
This paper investigates the responses of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions in South-East Asia to the demands of industry’s digital transformation in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0).